Tipperary Youths Soccer: Clonmel Celtic maintain title push with laboured victory

Clonmel Celtic 1 - 0 Bansha Celtic

Clonmel Celtic moved back to the top of the TSDL Youths Premier League with a hard- fought single goal win against Bansha Celtic on Saturday afternoon.

The home side rode their luck at times and were pinned back in their own half for much of the second half, but they held on to secure three important points. It was by no means a vintage performance from Clonmel Celtic, as they struggled to hold onto the ball and put together any real meaningful passages of play. It was a scrappy encounter lacking in any real quality but as they say, at the business end of the season it’s all about points and not performances.

Even though they played into the wind in the first half, Bansha Celtic looked more dangerous and could have gone ahead on a couple of occasions but for some poor finishing. The Clonmel team were struggling to create any real chances before they hit the front four minutes before the break, when Jack Lawlor powered home an in swinging Paddy Ormond corner.

The wind strengthened in the second half and Bansha took control, putting the home team’s rearguard under severe pressure. But realising the importance of the points, the Clonmel side dug in and battled away, though they had Oisin O’Donoghue to thank for a brilliant save 15 minutes from time. The goalie was coolness personified under increasing pressure, with his ball-handling excellent in difficult conditions, and he and his team were relieved when the final whistle blew. A third successive win and clean sheet puts them in a strong position with just four games remaining.

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Cullen Lattin 1 – 1 Slievenamon Celtic

Cullen hosted Slievenamon on Saturday in very testing conditions, with strong wind and rain blowing for the whole game. This stopped any chance of good football being played. After a dreadful first half, with no real chances either way, it was nil-all at half time.

Cullen Lattin had to raise the tempo in the second half and backed by a strong wind they started to take control. After a succession of shots and corners they broke the deadlock after ten minutes, with Dylan McGrath heading home another excellent Tom Ryan Bob corner.

Shot after shot rained in for the next 30 minutes, with the Slievenamon ‘keeper needing to make two top-class saves to keep his side in the game. And his efforts were rewarded five minutes from time when on a rare break upfield, a low cross into the box from Ben Power fell to Darragh Landers, whose attempted shot was well blocked before falling kindly to James Harte, who made no mistake.

This was enough to gain his side a share of the spoils in a game that finished level.