Peake Villa celebrating last season's Premier League win on the hallowed turf of St Michael's Cooke Park in Tipperary Town. Pic: Michael Boland
Munster League Champions Cup Quarter-Final
Peake Villa 9 Arra Rovers 0
TSDL champions Peake Villa hosted their northern Tipperary counterparts Arra Rovers at the Tower Grounds in Thurles on Sunday and showed a gulf in class between the two leagues by trouncing the Garrykennedy side to progress to the semi-finals of this prestigious competition.
The conditions for the game were excellent with the pitch in immaculate condition, and it was Arra Rovers who had the first chance of the game with a great effort from 30 yards out that was volleyed against the crossbar in the third minute.
If anything though, this seemed to wake up the home side and they hit the front in the 12th minute when Pippy Carroll was on hand to score at the back post when a ball broke to him.
The hosts took complete control after this, but had to wait until ten minutes before the break before they added a second, when Ronan McGuire put in a great cross and Mick Ryan scored at the back post again.
Daragh Byrne made it three five minutes before the break when he scored after sustained pressure, and the Villa as good as ended the game two minutes before half time when after Carroll had a good effort saved Mick Ryan was on hand to head home to make it 4-0 at half time.
NEVER LET UP
The home side were in the mood for goals and never let up in the second period, adding a fifth nine minutes in, when Pippy Carroll got his second after being played in by Darragh Byrne.
He completed his hat trick three minutes later when the hosts were awarded a penalty and he made no mistake from the spot.
The goal of the game came in 13 minutes from the end when Keith Cahill made a great run down the wing and cut in to score with a shot that flew under the keeper’s body.
Cahill’s free kick led to Villa’s eight goal when his effort was parried by the keeper and Kieran Hennessy was on hand to score close in.
The same player capped a fine performance when he rounded off the goals with his second of the day to make the final score 9-0, as comprehensive a win as a team could be expected to produce.
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