*Stephen Jordan netted Avenue Utd’s second goal. Photograph: Natasha Barton
There was mixed luck for Clare clubs in the FAI Junior cup on Saturday.
Avenue United recorded an impressive win over Yellowstone in Dublin to advance to the last sixteen in the competition but Ennis Town bowed out of the title race at the same stage when they lost out to Ballymun United in a tie also played in Dublin.
A delighted Avenue United manager David Russell told the Clare Echo that their win “is great for Clare soccer. It’s been over twenty years since an Avenue team got further than the last 32 in this competition. We are the only Clare club to have contested the final of this competition”.
The Clarecastle native went on to say “the average age of the team is 23 and this was a mature and professional performance. There is a very good spirit within the squad all of whom have trained hard this season”.
Avenue go marching on
Yellowstone (Dublin) 0
Avenue United 2
Venue: Brickfield Sports Arena, Drimnagh
Avenue United are through to the last sixteen in the race for this season’s FAI junior cup. They get off to a brilliant start with an outstanding goal from defender Dylan Casey.
Five minutes into the game, team captain Dylan Casey stepped up to a free kick in his own half. Spotting that the Yellowstone keeper was some six yards off his goal line, Casey drilled a powerful effort to the roof of the net.
Midway through the half the small band of loyal Avenue supporters who had travelled to Dublin for the game had their celebrations cut short when the Clare side had a goal disallowed. Good play between Elias Kunz and Thomas Hehir ended with Hehir finding the net only for the goal to be disallowed for offside.
For the last fifteen minutes of the half Yellowstone piled on the pressure but James Tierney in the Avenue goal and the back four dealt well with everything that came his way in what was a very physical contest.
The home side continued to press for an equaliser on the resumption but Avenue continued to deal well with the pressure. Midway through the half good play involving Jamie Roche and Kunz saw the ball crossed to Stephen Jordan who found the net and from here to the finish the visitors were comfortable in control helped by the introduction of Cian O’Dea at midfield in place of Thomas Hehir who picked up an injury
Avenue United: James Tierney; Cullen McCabe, Conor Mullen, Dylan Casey (Capt), Jamie Roche; Mark Roche, Alan Roche, Eoghan Thynne, Stephen Jordan, Thomas Hehir, Elias Kunz
Subs: Cian O’Dea for Hehir; Gary Roche for Kunz; Calum Barrett for Jordan; Mikey Dinan for Thynne
Ballymun strike early
Ballymun United 2
Ennis Town 0
Venue: Ballymun
Slow to settle a young Ennis Town team bowed out of this prestigious competition when going under to Ballymun at the Dublin club’s venue.
Having travelled to Dublin on Saturday morning, Ennis Town struggled in the early stages of this tie and the more experienced home side struck for two early goals which proved the difference.
As the game wore on Ennis Town matched their opponents and the second half proved to be an evenly contested affair. Ennis Town officials are confident that the experience gained from getting to the last thirty two will prove beneficial over the coming seasons.
Ennis Town: Aidan Jordan; Yashar Aliu, Sean Perril, Steven Horgan, Johnston Munumkun; Eoin Keenan, Conor Meaney, Conor O’Halloran, David Keenan; Dean Hegarty, Lee Clohessy;
Subs: Donal O’Halloran for Meaney; Thomas Collins for Aliu; Peter O’Brien for E. Keenan
Three Clare clubs chase progress in Munster
There will be more cup action for both clubs this weekend when they seek to progress to the last sixteen in the Munster Junior Cup. Avenue United will have home advantage for their meeting with Youghal while Ennis Town and Shannon Town will both be in Cork where they take on Avondale and Carrigaline respectively.
