Tipperary Soccer: Cullen Lattin celebrate promotion; Clerihan relegation confirmed

Clonmel Credit Union League Divison 2

Cullen Lattin 3 – 1 Rosegreen Rangers

Cullen celebrated their return to the First Division and possibly a league title with a win at home in Aisling Park against Rosegreen Rangers on Sunday afternoon.
They enjoyed much of the early possession in this game but it was the visitors who struck first when a long throw into the box was headed on by Trevor Downey and Corey Hynes was unmarked at the back post to head home in the 15th minute.

The home side continued to have the most of the ball but were being constantly frustrated by some excellent defending by the visiting team. That was until ten minutes before the break, when a well delivered Tony O’Neill corner was headed goalwards, but was stopped by an excellent save by the keeper, only to fall to the feet of Micheál Elligott who volleyed the rebound to the net.

That was how the game went to the break, and the hosts got their noses in front twelve minutes into the second period when Thomas O’Mahoney teed up Tony O’Neill and his left footed shot sailed into the bottom corner.

O’Neill then sealed the victory for the home side 15 minutes from time, when his powerful shot took a deflection and put the keeper the wrong way, before nestling in the net.

Micheál Elligott also rattled the crossbar with a header inside the final few minutes, but it had no effect on the final outcome of the game, with his side’s supporters celebrating the very important win afterwards.

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Clerihan 2 – 6 St Nicholas

In this battle at bottom end of the Division 2 table Clerihan got the dream start in the 11th minute when a Sean Maher Corner was headed home by Nicholas Ryan.

After this setback the visitors grew into the game and dominated the remainder of the first half. They were level in the 18th minute, when they took advantage of a dropped ball catching the home defence napping, and a through ball and cross found Brian Lowry at the back post for a tap in.

Ten minutes before the break, they took the lead from an Eoin Riordan bullet of a free kick.

With the home side knowing nothing but all three points would be good enough, they pushed forward and got themselves back on level terms seven minutes before the break when Sean Hahessy volleyed home a corner into the area.

But just as they had thought they would get to the break at parity, disaster struck and their good work was undone by a long clearance from the visitor’s keeper finding James Scanlan who rounded the keeper and slotted home to give the Saints the half-time lead at 3-2.

The opening period of the second half was scrappy with very little controlled possession for either team, but in the 56th minute the away side extended their lead when Brian Lowry got his second goal of the game.

Home heads seemed to drop after this, and the Saints took control, extending the lead to three just after the hour mark when Aaron Ryan Shiner tapped home from a well worked break.

With the game seemingly over as a contest Clerihan were giving a lifeline on 68 minutes when a back pass was handled by the keeper setting up a free kick inside the box. But with all eleven visiting players on the goal line, the home side were unable to force home a goal.

With twelve minutes left, the Solohead outfit assured their win when Philip O’Doherty added the final goal to round up the scoring and give the visiting side a well-deserved win and guaranteed Division 2 football next year.