Fai Junior Cup action !
Coill Dubh 6 0 Ballycane Celtic FC
From the first whistle the Dubh’s made their intentions clear after two close league encounters. Coill Dubh were quick out of blocks dominating in midfield, Murphy and Bowers laid the foundation for some brilliant attacking football with Hannon, Brady, Murran & MacMahon terrorising the Ballycane defence, forcing McDonald in Ballycane goals into some early saves.
Opening score came in sixth minute when a Murphy pass split the visiting defence to put speedy Hannon in on goal, his square pass finding onrushing Ryan Murran to put the dubh’s one up. The tone was set for the night, as the home side played some of their best attacking football of the season, again the dubh attacked Ballycane at every opportunity with the wizard MacMahon supplying great crosses from the left wing. In the twenty ninth minute Coill Dubh got a well deserved second, Sean Hannon finished off a superb cross from McMahon. Ballycane desperately tried to get back into the game and had some good moments with Hazzard forcing Anderson in the home goals into a couple of good saves.
The home side were in full flow at this stage and it was no surprise in thirty third minute when MacMahon who was on fire through out the night was the provider again this time finding Conor Brady, who gave McDonald no chance in Ballycane goals. Leaving Coill Dubh 3-0 up at half time.
The strength of the squad meant Coill Dubh could afford to empty the bench in the second half bringing in Noah Byrne, Joe Kenny, Jack o Brien, Barry Noone and Oisin Lawlor. The score stayed at 3-0 until the seventy fourth min when Barry Noone expertly finished off a great assist from Joe Kenny. With players fighting for places in the cup final in a few weeks there was no letup from the dubh’s, going forward with every sniff of a goal. In the 82min Sean McMahon got himself on the scoresheet drilling a low shot to the corner of the net assisted by Murphy who was outstanding all through the game. Two minutes later the final nail in the coffin when Jack O'Brien intercepted the ball off the Ballycane keeper to finish to an empty net. 6-0 it ended and for anyone at the game last night this was one of the performances of the season against a decent Ballycane side and for Ballycane Doyler at the back was their best player. For coill dubh it was a night when every player was at his best. Stand out performances from Bowers and Murphy paved the way for our attacking four, Brady Murran, Hannon and man of the match Sean McMahon who was absolutely brilliant on the night.
Mountmellick United FC 1 7 Clane United FC
Clane started abit flat as both teams sized each other in the opening exchanges. The away side began to look the more likely side to take control as the half progressed . Clane thought they had taken the lead on two occasions as Gavin o Dwyer prodded him from close range after a dropped ball from keeper but ruled out for for offside . Moments later Maguire looked to have put Clane ahead but was ruled out for a foul as Cathal Geoghan rose highest to flick a ball into Maguire’s path. On the twenty fifth mins Clane took the lead as Maguire’s dangerous cross from the right was put into the home side s net from there covering defending . On the half hour mark what looked like a timely intervention from Stephen Dunne was adjudged to be a penalty which was converted to level the game . Clane who could felt extremely hard done by this didn’t let this effect them as Andy Brogan restored there lead with a neat finish on the thirty fifth min . On the stroke of half time Killian Pathcell rifled a third for Clane from the edge of the box to go in 3 1 up at the break . The away side started the second half well as Maguire broke free as two Mountmellick players collided into each other as Maguire slotted him but was ruled out. Clane in full control now looked to add more goals to finish the game off which was effectively over when the home side’s keeper was givien a straight red for a violent punch to Clane s Ciaran Kelly’s head on the fiftieth min. Clane and In particular Kelly did well to remain Calm as they took complete control and added four more goals to complete a 7 - 1 victory through Maguire Sean Harnett, Karl James and another from Brogan to advance to the next Round Best for Clane o Dwyer and Killian Pathcell
Suncroft AFC 6 3 Rathangan AFC
Suncroft came out on top of a high scoring game in the first round of this year's FAI Junior cup. The game was very open from the off, likely a result of both sides missing a number of players. Both teams had early opportunities that were not converted but it would be Suncroft who would score first when Dylan Connolly played Eoin Doyle through and he converted from fifteen yards out with twenty mins played. Suncroft made it two nil soon after with Connolly again the provider and Kieron Morris the goalscorer, Morris racing clear of the Rathangan defence and cooly taking the ball past the keeper and tapping into an empty net. Connolly would get his own goal on the half hour mark, latching on to a clearance before sidestepping his marker and passing the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the area. The home side led 3 - 0 at the break.
Suncroft added a fourth on the fiftieth minute with Kieron Morris using his height advantage to head home a Josh Lee corner. Eoin Doyle grabbed his second and Suncroft's fifth in the fifty eight minute when his long range effort took a wicked deflection enroute to the net leaving the Rathangan keeper no chance. The home side were dealt a blow soon after, losing both centre halves, Kieran Sheedy and Craig Durney to injury. Rathangan pushed on to take advantage of the re-organised 'Croft defence with a well worked goal in the sixty third minute followed up by a second just five mins later from a corner the Suncroft defence failed to clear. Eoin Doyle completed his hat trick in the seventy second minute with a powerful right footed finish from the edge of the area which seemed to curtail Rathangan's hopes of a miraculous comeback. The home side were then dealt a further blow when Josh Lee had to go off injured leaving the team to finish the game with ten men. Rathangan did pull a third goal back in the eightieth minute with the pick of the day's goals, Ian Doyle controlling a high ball with his right foot before firing a left foot volley into the bottom corner. Despite some further late chances for both sides no more goals were scored and the tie finished 6-3 to the home side.
For Suncroft, all three goal scorers Eoin Doyle, Kieron Morris and Dylan Connolly were in top form alongside strong performances from stand-in 'keeper Shane Hanly and midfield duo Niall and Bryon Reid
Coolraine FC 3 2 SPWFC (AET)
SPWFC exited the FAI Junior Cup on Sunday heartbreakingly in extra time. They found themselves 2-0 down early on but managed to claw themselves back into the game grabbing an equaliser to bring it to extra time with minutes remaining in normal time. Adam Doyle was excellent in goal when called upon. Moudy and Sean Carter were on the mark for SPWFC. Best for SPWFC were Adam Doyle,Moudy, Headon, Sheldon, and Sean Carter and man of Shaun Walsh.
Willow Park FC 0 3 Athy Town AFC
Athy made their way to Athlone for their FAI Junior Cup round 1 meeting with Willow Park for a facile win against an average Willow Park outfit.
The Town, missing several regulars who were in Scotland at the Republic's game, put their strong squad to good use, after several close calls, Martin Brennan finally put Athy a goal up with a rasping drive from twenty yards out in the twenty sixth minute, it was no more than the team deserved and should of been at least a couple of goals up by that stage.
The Town were never threatened for the vast majority of the game but still needed a couple of goals in the last fifteen minutes to seal victory, Chris Chanders capping a excellent week for himself with a goal and seventeen year old, Dylan Barnby scoring his first goal for the senior team in the eightieth minute with the goal of the game. Best for Athy were Dylan Barnby, Martin Brennan, and Andrew Synech..
Lumsden League Cup action.
Old Fort Celtic 0 3 Clonmullion AFC
Senior side Clonmullion AFC over came newly crowned Division 1 League cahmpions Old Fort Celtic by three goals to nil in Ballyroan on Sunday. Goals from Nathan Robinson Penalty, Dean Owens and Lee Doyle was enough to seal victory and see them face off with Kilcullen AFC in the Semi final.