Conor McGrath double helps Powerstown edge Borris in nine-goal Tipperary League thriller

CLONMEL CREDIT UNION LEAGUE DIVISION 3

Powerstown 5 – 4 Two Mile Borris

On an afternoon, where the points mattered significantly to both teams, it was Powerstown who came out on top by a single goal in a nine goal thriller to further cement their position at the top of the table.

But it was the away side that started the brighter and could have found themselves ahead inside the first ten minutes only to be denied by a fantastic Kieran Quirke save.

Borris continued to attack and after 16 minutes, found themselves in front after a ball was tapped to the net from close range.

This opening score kicked off a whirlwind few minutes with the hosts almost instantly hitting back after David Grace was fouled in the box to win his side a penalty. But his initial attempt was saved, only to see it ordered retaken, and he made no mistake with the second attempt.

Gaining confidence from this, Powerstown took the lead shortly after when Darren Murphy was on hand to finish a sloppy back pass to the net.

The Clonmel side continued to attack with incredible intensity and should have had a third in the 23rd minute, when a ball in behind found Brian McKeown ten yards, and only the keeper to beat, but he somehow put his effort wide of the goal.

The home side kept the pressure up and found the third goal in the 27th seventh minute when Conor Mc Grath coolly finished to the net after a David Grace effort came back off the post.

But Two-Mile-Borris kept creating chances of their own and pulled a goal back nine minutes from the break, to send the teams to half time on a 3-2 scoreline.

Chances were few and far between in the opening stages of the second period, where the quality of football was second to the quality of the surface which had taken a real battering due to the recent weather.

However, the hosts made it 4-2 and found some breathing room when a Conor McGrath free kick was spilled to the net by the opposing keeper just after the hour mark.

The last 20 minutes saw three more goals scored and plenty of drama. The away side brought it back to a single goal game after they were awarded a penalty ten minutes from time, but Darren Murphy stretched it back to two goals of an advantage again minutes later with an impressive strike from the right hand side of the box.

But Borris couldn’t be shaken off easily and they got the final goal of the day, deep into time added on.
Unfortunately for them time ran out and the home side were mightily relieved to hear the final whistle in the end.

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Tipperary Town 0 – 1 Killenaule Rovers

In a tight affair, the away side started well and had the Town defence under pressure without creating any clear-cut chances. As the half went on, the home side seemed to grow into the tie and put pressure of their own on, but again good chances were at a premium on a pitch that made it tough to perform fluid football.

The only goal of the game came from nowhere in the 25th minute when a speculative cross into the home goalmouth was misjudged by the keeper and sailed over his head to nestle in the corner of the net.

The hosts didn’t drop their heads and for the rest of the first half battled hard but unsuccessfully to try to get back on level terms. The second period was a more open affair with both sides willing to throw men forward, but time and again the respective defences came out on top.

Unfortunately for Tipperary Town despite throwing everything bar the kitchen sink in the final minutes of the game, they were unable to find that final piece of quality and Killenaule continued their good run in this season’s league with another three points to add to their already impressive tally.