*Harvey Cullinan heads the ball out of the Clare defence. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLARE have exited the Oscar Traynor in the semi-finals of the Munster region stage of the competition.
Limerick District League 4
Clare District Soccer League 2
Venue: Frank Healy Park, Doora
There may be an altered format to the Oscar Traynor but for the third year running, Limerick District League have got the better of Clare.
In what was their first outing, Limerick District League gave a glimpse of why they are fancied for honours in the competition. Stacked with representatives from the reigning FAI Junior Cup champions, Fairview Rangers, the visitors were the stronger side for the majority of Saturday evening’s tie.
Trailing by two goals at half-time, Clare looked to be a beaten docket but a change in formation and approach led to an improved second half showing to put them back on level terms. However, the concession of two goals in the space of two minutes ended their challenge and ultimately their involvement in the competition.
Quick counter-attacks and an ability to punish Clare’s mistakes helped Limerick to leave Doora with the victory. Conor Coughlan put them in front on nineteen minutes after his shot deflected off Seán O’Callaghan to leave Shane Cusack with little chance of keeping the ball out of the net. Limerick worked the ball upfield after Nnabuike Nneji’s delivery into the box at the other end was cleared.
Prior to this, Limerick came close from two set pieces. Both centre-halves, Kieran O’Connell and Adam Lipper saw their headers go narrowly above the crossbar.
Opposing wingers Jack O’Halloran and Aaron Rudd gave a glimpse of what Clare could do try get their challenge motoring. O’Halloran’s cross-field ball almost put Rudd through only for left-back Blake Curran to make a vital interception.
This led to a Clare throw which Kyle Kirby was deemed to have fouled the ball allowing Limerick regain possession, a long clearance saw Coughlan pass to Darragh Rainsford and he produced a nice finish to double their advantage on twenty six minutes.
An ankle injury ended Cathal Cullinan’s involvement thanks to a late challenge by Leon Kirrane which saw him pick up a yellow card just before half-time. The break saw further alterations in the Clare side, Dean Hegarty and Charlie Morrison entering the fray in place of Conor Finnucane and Aaron Rudd.
Their addition led to Nnabuike Nneji moving further upfield alongside Morrison. Within the first ten minutes of the restart, Clare pulled a goal back. Johnson Mununkum did very well to keep a long-range free from Scott Kirkland in play and put the ball back to Nneji who met the ball with power and pace to fire to the back of the net.
Shane Cusack produced a composed save to deny Curran a goal while Lipper missed in their next attack but it was Clare that were holding the majority of possession in the second half.
As a result, they managed to equalise when Eoghan Thynne squared the ball back to Kyle Kirby who was operating in a more offensive role and suddenly the sides were level with twenty minutes to play.
All their progress was soon lost when Limerick struck for two goals in two minutes. The first was a superb effort, both the delivery from Curran and the volley from Coughlan. The next was a less memorable finish as the ball seemed to rebouned off Coughlan into the net to make it 4-2 on seventy seven minutes, as he collected a hat-trick.
(All photographs by Gerard O’Neill)
Limerick District League:
1: Josh McCarthy (Fairview Rangers)
3: Blake Curran (Fairview Rangers)
5: Adam Lipper (Pike Rovers)
4: Kieran O’Connell (Regional Utd)
2: Danny O’Neill (Fairview Rangers)
7: Kyle Duhig (Pike Rovers)
11: Oleg Vysochan (Fairview Rangers)
6: Shane Walsh (Ballynanty Rovers)
8: Leon Kirrane (Ballynanty Rovers)
9: Conor Coughlan (Aisling Annacotty)
10: Darragh Rainsford (Fairview Rangers)
Subs:
17: Vinny Ryan (Ballynanty Rovers) for Walsh (HT)
16: Leon Daly (Pike Rovers) for Duhig (75)
14: Dylan Murphy (Pike Rovers) for Vysochan (75)
13: Shane O’Brien (Janesboro) for Curran (84)
Clare District Soccer League:
1: Shane Cusack (Newmarket Celtic)
2: Kyle Kirby (Bridge Utd)
5: Seán O’Callaghan (Avenue Utd)
4: Harvey Cullinan (Newmarket Celtic)
3: Cathal Cullinan (Newmarket Celtic)
6: Scott Kirkland (Bridge Utd)
8: Eoghan Thynne (Avenue Utd)
7: Aaron Rudd (Newmarket Celtic)
9: Nnabuike Nneji (Avenue Utd)
11: Jack O’Halloran (Bridge Utd)
10: Conor Finnucane (Avenue Utd)
Subs:
14: Johnson Mununkum (Fair Green Celtic) for C Cullinan (34) (inj)
16: Dean Hegarty (Newmarket Celtic) for Rudd (HT)
12: Charlie Morrison (Shannon Town Utd) for Finnucane (HT)
13: Adam Kilker (Tulla Utd) for Kirkland (65)
15: Eoghan Gough (Shannon Town Utd) for O’Halloran (78)
Referee: Pa Gleeson
