*Bridge Utd’s Adam Fitzpatrick battles with Dan Withycombe of Tulla Utd. Photograph: Ruth Griffin.
BRIDGE UTD have moved to top spot in the Maloney Hardware Premier Division after taking a full three points from Tulla Utd.
Bridge Utd 3
Tulla Utd 1
Venue: The Cragg, Tulla
Three league wins in as many weekends has pushed Bridge Utd to first spot in the Premier Division, their latest victory was always going to be the toughest of their recent run but the Sixmilebridge side passed the test with flying colours.
Leaving Tulla with the maximum three points was the target and sole focus for Bridge Utd but they also departed The Cragg with some injuries, Kyle Kirby and Filip Mostowy making way before half-time while Lee Mulready appeared to have a hamstring strain in the final twenty minutes.
With all top four sides doing battle it was the ‘Super Sunday’ for the Premier Division but windy conditions meant none of the ties lived up to their true billing.
Conditions enabled scrappy football and less attacks so teams needed to pounce when rare opportunities arose.
Therefore it was a big lift for Bridge Utd to go in front with their first chance of note. Filip Mostowy and Jack O’Halloran combined for the former Regional winger to finish to the net. Mostowy had managed to beat right-full Fiachra Hale to cross the ball to O’Halloran who reeled it back to him and he finished to the near post.
Gearoid Austin kept it to a one-goal difference up to half-time when denying opportunities from O’Halloran and Scott Kirkland.
With sixty one minutes played, Bridge Utd doubled their advantage. Kirkland headed the ball over centre-half Dara Ryan in the direction of Conor Henry who raced onto the ball, took it past Austin and finished to the net. For some of the neutrals, this goal was their cue to leave The Cragg with Bridge Utd on course for victory.
Those that departed early missed an excellent finish from Brian Corry. Ten minutes after scoring, Henry turned provider, he headed the ball out wide to Corry who quickly spotted an opportunity to lob to an empty net and he did from thirty yards in a finish which his teammates described as ‘Jack O’Halloran-esque’.
Hosts Tulla didn’t throw in the towel and their supporters applauded their effort when they managed to pull back a late goal. Smart thinking saw Tulla opt to take a quick free, they caught Bridge napping and this allowed Jack McSweeney to get on the ball and finish to the net.
Momentum is building within the Bridge set-up and they have responded well to their exit from the Munster Junior Cup, exerting their energy and focus on the Premier Division. Mark Culbert and his management used the January transfer window wisely with the both Johnson Mununkum and William Bello adding options from the bench and increasing their depth while offensively they are in a much stronger position than earlier in the season thanks to the form of Mostowy, O’Halloran and Corry. A free weekend awaits the Sixmilebridge side and they will hope this can heal injuries as opposed to disrupting their bounce.
A second defeat of the league has Tulla in fourth spot and looking in from the outside as opposed to their run last season where they were in the hunt until the final few weeks. They are not out of the race by any means and have a game in hand to try draw level with third placed Avenue Utd. Mike Moloney has drafted in James Carrig, former manager of senior hurling sides in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Wolfe Tones and Crusheen to his ticket and their message will need to be simple and one which ensures no more points are dropped for the remainder of the league.
All photographs by Ruth Griffin
Bridge Utd: John Mulready; Kyle Kirby, Alan Mulready, Liam Buckley, Lee Mulready, Adam Fitzpatrick, Scott Kirkland, Jack O’Halloran, Aidan Moloney, Filip Mostowy, Conor Henry.
Subs: William Bello for Kirby (37) (inj), Brian Corry for Mostowy (40) (inj), Johnson Mununkum for L Mulready (71) (inj), Darragh Whyte for Fitzpatrick (75), Caleb Lategan for Kirkland (80)
Tulla Utd: Gearoid Austin; Fiachra Hale, Dara Ryan, Diarmuid Molloy, Adam McNamara, Adam Kilker; Éanna Culloo, Ian Macnamara, Daragh Corry, Dan Withycombe, Seán Withycombe.
Subs Jack McSweeney for Corry (HT), Callum Casey for Hale (66), Billy McNamara for (66), Raymond Bane for Ryan (80), Darragh Baker for S Withycombe (83).
Referee: Mark Reilis
