Moyglass United, Donohill and Powerstown into Tipperary Shield semi-finals

DIVISION 3 SHIELD

Moyglass United 7 – 4 Killenaule Rovers
(After extra-time, score at full-time 4-4)

Moyglass United and near neighbours Killenaule Rovers played a rip-roaring Shield quarter-final on Sunday last, a game that went all the way to extra-time before the home side advanced.
Things looked reasonably straightforward for a Moyglass side that is enjoying a really good season when they went 2-0 up inside the first 20 minutes through goals by Tom Gahan and an Adam Lyons penalty.

But Killenaule got a goal back six minutes from the break when Conor Sinnott smashed a free kick to the top corner of the net.

However, that good work was undone right on the stroke of half-time when Keith Cleere got a third goal for Moyglass and re-established their two-goal lead at the break.

Ten minutes into the second period Killenaule had it back to 3-2, when Sinnott added a second, but this was soon followed by a second Lyons penalty, as Moyglass United looked to have taken control of the tie on more.

But the visitors rallied late on, and two goals in a ten- minute spell from a Moyglass United defender putting through his own net, and then a Tommy Delaney effort sent the game almost to extra-time.
Alas for Killenaule Rovers, this was as good as it got, as Moyglass United took control right from the start of the extra period with a goal by Eoin Byrne, and two more followed in the second period through Mick Lacey and Adam Lyons (completing his hat-trick), to keep Moyglass in contention for a league and shield double.

Donohill and District 2 – 1 Cahir Park

Donohill got past Cahir Park on Sunday by the odd goal in three after a game that was well contested and in which both sides played some really nice football.

Cahir Park broke the deadlock when a speculative cross was launched into the area and a Donohill defender deflected the ball into his own net.

This gave the away side a lead they kept to half-time, but five minutes into the second period Donohill were level when Michael O’Neill headed home a Seanie Ryan cross.

Donohill’s high workrate paid dividends fifteen minutes from the end, when Paudie Bradshaw was taken down in the box and Darragh Mooney put his side in front from the spot.
For the rest of the game, Cahir Park peppered the home defence but Donohill stood firm and advanced.

Kilsheelan United 1 – 2 Powerstown

Powerstown remain on course for a league and Shield double when they squeaked past Kilsheelan United with a winning goal in the final minute of extra-time, after a very enjoyable game of football.
It took a while for both teams to get going in the first-half, and it wasn’t until the half-hour mark when the deadlock was broken.

A Brian McKeown header came back off the post and rebounded off the Kilsheelan ‘keeper into the back of the net to give Powerstown the lead.

Kilsheelan United struggled to create any real chances in the first half but attacked with more intent in the second, coming close through Cathal de Faoite, Billy O’Connor and Nathan Dolan on numerous occasions.

With eighteen minutes remaining, they found the equaliser from the penalty spot.

A long ball found Jamie Roche, who played Mark Heffernan down the left wing before Heffernan was fouled and the referee pointed to the spot. Up stepped captain Nathan Dolan to calmly slot home into the bottom right corner to give his side a deserved equaliser.

And Kilsheelan United came inches from scoring a winner late in the game, when Billy O’Connor’s lobbed effort rebounded off the Powerstown crossbar and went out for a goal kick.

This meant the teams faced another 20 minutes of action in extra-time, and despite both going for the win, it was Powerstown who grabbed the decisive goal with two minutes remaining when Conor McGrath got in behind the home defence to tap his shot to the net.