Powerstown get back on track with big away win in Tipperary Town

Clonmel Credit Union League Division 3

Tipperary Town 0 – 4 Powerstown

With things at the top of the Third Division table getting tight, Powerstown needed a performance and duly turned in a high quality one in Tipperary on Sunday afternoon.

After the even early exchanges, Powerstown took control of the game after a Gino Lonergan cross was headed onto the crossbar and it was Conor McGrath who reacted quickest to turn the ball home for 1-0 in the 18th minute.

Tipperary Town were not playing badly but struggled to create clearcut chances, although they stayed with the league leaders until half-time, with only one goal between the sides.

Early in the second half Powerstown were awarded a penalty for a handball in the area, and Lonergan made no mistake from 12 yards to double his side’s advantage.

Darren Murphy then scored the goal of the game with 20 minutes remaining with a moment of real quality from just inside the Tipperary half, when he spotted the ‘keeper off his line and lifted a quality strike over his head and into the net.

Another good strike late on from Davy Grace made it four, and even though the home side kept pressing it just wasn’t their day.

Tipperary Cup: Old Bridge shock Clonmel Town with first win over local rivals in years

Kilsheelan United 5 – 1 Bansha Celtic

Kilsheelan United followed up on the previous weekend’s big win over top of the table Powerstown with another impressive win over the bottom side at home on Sunday afternoon. This rounded off their league campaign, which they will look back on as probably having too many lost opportunities, but with plenty to look forward to next season.

Kilsheelan got off to the perfect start when Mark Heffernan got in behind the Bansha Celtic defence after just 25 seconds, before lofting his effort over the ‘keeper to give his side a dream start.
But it was almost cancelled immediately and Kilsheelan had goalkeeper Conor Grant to thank when he pushed a long-range effort onto the post and away to safety.

However, those efforts didn’t do much to dent the dominance that Kilsheelan were showing, and they extended their lead in the 15th minute when Cian Roche headed home from a Ruairi Doyle long-throw.

Just before the half-hour mark, Bansha pulled one back when they scored from a free kick, but the home side regained their two-goal advantage just minutes before the break when a clever touch by Mark Heffernan played in Evan Forristal, and he dinked his effort over the keeper’s head to give his side a two-goal cushion at the interval.

After coming on as a sub at half-time, Cathal de Faoite made it four ten minutes into the second half when a free kick eluded everyone to nestle in the far corner of the net. And just five minutes later it was five, when Nathan Dolan scored with another well-taken placed ball.