David Russell congratulates a North End player. Photograph: Ruth Griffin.
EXITS from the FAI and Munster Junior Cups in the space of a fortnight have left a strong sense of disappointment amongst Avenue Utd.
Players, officials, mentors and supporters left Roslevan very frustrated on Sunday after producing a below par display which resulted in their elimination from the FAI Junior Cup.
A 2-0 loss to Wexford’s North End at Roslevan on Sunday ended the Ennis club’s involvement in this year’s competition which came as they chased a place in the quarter finals.
“We are very disappointed to be out. We didn’t follow up on our form when eliminating the holders Cockhill. We were flat against Coachford in the Munster Junior Cup quarter final two weeks ago and it was the same on Sunday”, manager David Russell told The Clare Echo.
Clarecastle native Russell added, “North End are a very competent team, they did their homework on us just as we did on them but they implemented their game plan more and it paid dividends for them”, the Clarecastle native said.
According to the club’s former central defender “defensive frailties were evident again as they were against Coachford and we conceded two bad goals. Defensive mistakes have cost us this season. We haven’t consistently beaten the big teams in Munster and nationally at the latter end, as much as we have progressed in Clare. We have knocked on the door a few times and we thought we could break through this year with the squad we have but we were up against a better team and they are one of the best. They are the top team in Wexford and they won this title in 2018. They will face St Michael’s in the quarter final”.
For the current Clare champions it’s back to the domestic scene on Sunday when they will take on Kilrush in the league. “The focus now switches back to the domestic scene as we try to win the Clare league and then try and do what no other Avenue team has ever done, win a fourth Clare cup title in a row”.
Two of the team’s key players, Steven McGann and Elias Kunz missed the side’s Munster quarter final loss to Coachford. “That was a huge blow. Steven McGann made it back for Sunday’s tie having been out for a number of weeks due to a virus. Players and management are in this together and we must now galvanise ourselves and get back on the horse for Sunday’s league game”, the manager said,
Concluding he said “we have fifteen domestic league games left to play and we are awaiting news of our opponents in the next round of the Clare Cup. We will re-group as a group and be back in action on Sunday”.
