*Newmarket Celtic’s Kieran Mahony is one of eleven squad members with Munster Junior Cup semi-final experience. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
NEWMARKET CELTIC are aiming to qualify for a first Munster Junior Cup final in four seasons when they meet an Aisling Annacotty side sprinkled with Clare connections.
Jackman Park is the venue this Saturday at 19:00 when Celtic and Aisling meet in the last four of the McCarthy Insurance Munster Junior Cup.
Centre-half Tadhg Noonan is suspended for the game with right-back Éanna Crimmins expected to partner Harvey Cullinan in the heart of the Newmarket defence.
This shuffle of the backline is likely to pave the way for either Cian McDonough or Ian Collins to enter the starting eleven at right-full for the Clare Cup champions.
Aisling Annacotty defeated Bridge Utd 3-2 after extra time in the Munster Junior Cup quarter-finals. The side are managed by Clarecastle’s Declan Farmer who had helped the club make major strides during his first season in charge.
Ex Tulla Utd duo Arron Curtis and Isaac O’Sullivan are starting members of their team in goals and midfield respectively. Shannon’s Jamie Halpin is pushing for game-time with the side. Conor Coughlan is the main injury doubt for Annacotty.
For Newmarket Celtic, it will be a fourth provincial semi-final since 2018. Managed by Liam Murphy, Celtic fell short at the penultimate stage against Janesboro in 2018 and against Pike Rovers in 2019 with Ennis duo Steven McGann and Paddy O’Malley lining out for the Limerick side.
Surviving members of the Celtic squad from both outings include Eoin Hayes, Shane Cusack, David McCarthy, Ian Collins, Cathal Hayes and Kieran Mahony (2019).
More recently in April 2023, Gearoid O’Brien’s strike on seventy seven minutes saw Newmarket dethrone Fairview Rangers as Munster Junior Cup champions. From the 2023 starting side, Cusack, McCarthy, Hayes, Harvey Cullinan, Conor McDaid, Jack Kelly, Dean Hegarty and Darragh Leahy all remain.
