Tipperary Soccer: Paddy Purtill Cup wins for Galbally United and St Nicholas

Galbally United 4 – 3 St Michael’s (AET)

These two sides produced a seven-goal thriller that needed extra-time to separate them before Galbally United progressed to the next round of the Paddy Purtill Cup.

It only took three minutes for the first goal to arrive and it went to Galbally, as James O’Sullivan produced a great turn and strike to find the net from all of 25 yards. But Saints are not a team to just lie down and they took control of the next quarter of an hour, pulling level when Danny O’Brien found the net in the 20th minute.

The match was flowing back and forth now, and Galbally retook the lead when Ciaran Sheehan produced a tidy effort on goal in the 33rd minute that eluded the outstretched hand of the St Michael’s ‘keeper. They held this lead until 15 minutes from time, when they scored what they thought would be a crucial third goal through Jordan Dineen.

But the visitors were in no mood to throw in the towel and O’Brien showed all his striker’s instincts to finish well from inside the box with eight minutes to go.

This set up a grandstand finish, with the Saints throwing everything at Galbally, who thought they had weathered the storm until deep into time added on, when Dale O’Mahoney popped up onto an Adam McGrath cross and powerfully headed to the net to send the game to extra time.

Galbally might have gone into extra time deflated, but they never showed it and took the lead for the third time midway through the first half when Cathal O’Mahoney found the net. This time, however, they weren’t in any mood to give the advantage up and they held on to win.

St Nicholas 2 – 2 Peake Villa: St Nicholas win on penalties

St Nicholas rounded off a miserable weekend for Peake Villa when they knocked them out of the Paddy Purtill Cup in a penalty shootout, after the teams shared four goals at the end of extra time.

It was an excellent game in Danny O’Dwyer Park, and the early part of the game saw both sides fashion chances before Peake opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when Kevin Crowe found the net.

Minutes later St Nicholas equalised when Aaron Ryan Shiner produced a super goal, beating a couple of defenders after he had been found in the area by Jack Downey.

And things got better for the home side seven minutes from the break, when a Declan O’Riordan free kick found Aiden O’Riordan free at the back post and he scored.

The scoring was completed in the first half in time added on when Villa’s Adam Garrett found the net with a headed effort.
The supporters were hoping for a similar goal fest in the second period but it was much cagier, and despite the two teams having chances, they were not able to produce the quality needed to add to the scoreline.

This continued in extra time as the teams tired, so it was inevitably a penalty shootout that was needed to separate them.
In that, the hosts held their nerve better and advanced to the next round.