*Avenue Utd’s Eoghan Thynne on the ground. Photograph: Ruth Griffin
AVENUE UTD have been eliminated from the FAI Junior Cup, suffering defeat to North End Utd on their home patch.
North End United 2
Avenue Utd 0
Venue: Roslevan
For the second time since 2022, the Wexford side have eliminated Avenue Utd at the same stage of the national competition, this time prevailing in Roslevan.
Goals in either half saw the Wexford side end Avenue’s aspirations of going further in the competition. The defeat comes off the back of David Russell’s side eliminated from the Munster Junior Cup a fortnight ago, also in the last sixteen stage of the competition.
Management opted to change goalkeeper for this side with James Tierney who featured in the Clare Cup clash with Manus Celtic getting his first taste of FAI Junior Cup action this season for the club.
Such a call may be rued within the Avenue club as the first goal is one they will feel could have been prevented, an initial header hit the crossbar but the rebound from Eoin Rhodes slipped through Tierney to give the visitors a 1-0 lead at half-time. The experienced Conor Mullen was forced off with injury prior to this and his presence was missed from the heart of the Avenue defence.
Reece Murphy doubled their advantage on seventy minutes, his initial shot was stopped by Tierney and he made no mistake at the second time of asking.
Throughout the contest, Avenue were given little time to settle on the ball with North End bringing a high level of intensity which the Clare double champions found tricky to grasp. The visitors were also very solid at the back and gave little chances away to the Avenue attack.
Their focus will soon switch to retaining both of their titles in Clare and they will face a busy schedule with plenty of league encounters to catch up on.
North End Utd: Jason Maguire; Ayman Yousif, Todd Hynes, Gary Delaney, Craig McCabe, Reece Murphy, Robert Kane, John Peare, Eoin Rhodes, Paul Murphy, Niall Connolly.
Subs:
Avenue Utd: James Tierney; Conor Hehir, Conor Mullen, Sean O’Callaghan, Dylan Casey, Eoghan Thynne, Jamie Roche, Nnabuike Nneji, Jack Dunleavy, Steven McGann, Ronan Kerin.
Subs: Cullen McCabe for Mullen (30) (inj), Mark Roche for J Roche (72), Jack Ryan for Dunleavy (72), Dylan Barry for O’Callaghan (80), Philip Talty for Hehir (86).
Referee: John O’Connor
FAI Junior Cup Last 16:
Villa FC 3-0 Castlebar Celtic
Fanad Utd 0-0 Tramore AFC (Fanad win 4-3 on penalties)
Avenue Utd 0-2 North End Utd
Fairview Rangers 1-0 Mervue Utd
St Michael’s AFC 3-0 Ballyheane FC
Evergreen FC 2-3 Salthill Devon
Janesboro 2-0 Ringmahon Rangers
