*Jack Devitt of Ennis Dons. Photograph: Natasha Barton
TULLA UTD and Coole FC have retained their Premier Division status for next season while Ennis Dons have advanced to the First Division for the first time.
Clare Cup semi-finalists Tulla Utd overcame Coole FC in the Maloney Garden Machinery Premier Division play-off last week before the Gort outfit had a hard-fought win over Moher Celtic to in secure their status on the second attempt.
Tulla triumph over Coole
Tulla Utd 3
Coole FC 2
Minus the injured quintet of of Daragh Corry, Ray Bane, Liam McInerney, Sean Withycombe and James Wallace, Tulla started the game brightly.
After forcing a succession of early corners, the fifth of these on the eighth minute, it resulted
in Dara Ryan getting on the end of Jack McSweeney’s delivery and thumped a powerful header against the underside of the crossbar and down, with the referee’s assistant ruling that the ball had crossed the line.
On 18 mins, Eanna Culloo’s shot was well saved and on twenty five minutes Emmet Lynch’s shot shaved the post with the keeper beaten.
Coole finished the half strongly and exerted huge pressure from set pieces. In the fortieth minute, a Coole corner was collected by Simon Kilker, who released David O’Donnell and he found Eanna Culloo on the half-way line, who took the ball wide of the keeper who had rushed outside his box and calmly rolled the ball into the empty net, giving Tulla a 2-0 half-time lead.
Coole came out strongly in the second half and they pulled one back on fifty eight minutes when Jimmy McDonald headed home from a corner. On seventy two minutes, Eanna Culloo picked up Dan Withycombe’s cross field pass on the left of the box, beat his man and drilled the ball under the keeper to restore Tulla’s two goal lead.
McDonald stepped up again on 83 mins to give Coole hope and set up a tense finish. A succession of Coole free kicks into the Tulla box were well defended by the Tulla back four of Fiachra Hale, Adam McNamara, Dara Ryan and the outstanding Rian McMahon, who made his first A team start in the absence of the injured Ray Bane.
Simon Kilker made a vital save four minutes into the seven minutes of additional time to secure the win for a very youthful Tulla Utd, with 10 of the 11 starters aged 20 or younger.
Tulla Utd:Simon Kilker, Fiachra Hale, Adam McNamara, Rian McMahon, Dara Ryan, Jack McSweeney, Dan Withycombe, Darragh Murphy, Emmet Lynch, David O’Donnell, Eanna Culloo.
Subs: Eoin Hassett for O’Donnell, John Brigdale for Murphy, Craig McNamara, Colm McInerney, Denis Whelan, Callum Casey, Glenn McNamara, Darragh Baker.
On Tuesday evening, Coole FC retained their status in the top flight with a hard-fought win over Moher Celtic who had finished fifth in the Banner Fire First Division.
It took penalties for Ennis Dons to secure their place in the First Division for the first time. Their clash with Connolly Celtic on Sunday finished 2-2 after normal and extra time but the Ennis side prevailed 3-0 on penalties.
Meanwhile, Bridge Utd had a 3-0 win over Bridge Celtic to claim the Micheal O’Gorman Youths Cup.
