Tipperary Soccer: Mixed luck for last remaining TS&DL teams in Munster Junior Cup

CLONMEL TOWN 1 AISLING ANNACOTTY 2

Clonmel Town are out of this year’s Munster Junior Cup, after they went down to Limerick side Aisling Annacotty in a thriller at the Dr Pat O’Callaghan Centre on Sunday last.
With just over 20 minutes to go the game was delicately poised at 1-1, and Clonmel Town seemed to have all the momentum behind them. But within a 90-second period, the tie turned completely on its head and they were left to rue the chances that got away and a quarter-final slot lost.
Kyle Cuddy somehow was unable to steer a Craig Guiry knock-on into an empty net, and from the resultant kick out Guiry bundled Shane Clarke over in the box and referee Michael Duffy immediately pointed to the spot. The former junior international made no mistake from the penalty kick, and as hard as they tried the hosts could not find an equaliser and force the game into extra-time.
In what had been a pulsating game up to that point, the Limerick side took the lead in the 21st minute when Adam Foley pounced to finish neatly past Evan Comerford.
This was the only goal in a scrappy first half, with the ball in the air more than on the ground.
The home side’s best chance of an equaliser came when Brian O’Connor made a wonder save from Jack O’Donnell to divert his strike from 10 yards over the bar. Neither goalkeeper was troubled after that.
Town’s performance improved in the second half and they applied huge pressure on the Aisling defence. And just on the hour mark, Kyle Cuddy got on the end of a Jake French Davis through ball to finish brilliantly past O’Connor and level the game.
Town bombarded the Aisling goal after but crucially never really forced a worthwhile save from the goalie. Eleven minutes from the end O’Connor produced another great one-handed save to deny Evan McGuire, and there was an almost farcical equaliser when the visiting ‘keeper slipped and the ball bounced over his head but he recovered to grab the ball before it entered the net, his only mistake in what was a fine performance.

Tipperary teenager helps Ireland to golf international success over Wales

REGIONAL UNITED 0 ST MICHAEL'S 3

(after extra-time)

St Michael’s got through in their game with Limerick side Regional United after extra-time in a combative game played in windy conditions on an all-weather pitch in Dooradoyle on Sunday last. The visitors had the first real chance of the game when David Slattery hit the crossbar on 11 minutes, from a Paul Breen cross, but the game was a dour midfield battle for most of the first quarter.
Regional had their own chances when Eoin Burke shot wide of the Saints goal, and Aido Walsh did very well on 24 minutes to block a Kieran O’Connell effort.
The game continued scoreless at the break, and four minutes into the second half Walsh was called into action again to deny Willie Griffin. The TSDL side played better in the second half, with Joey Mulcahy prominent in midfield, and Ed O’Dwyer was unlucky to see another effort come back off the crossbar in the 55th minute. O’Dwyer and Shane Ryan had the best of the late chances in regulation time, but there were no goals and the game had to go to extra- time.
Saints’ fitness came into play in the extra period, and the visitors finally made the breakthrough 10 minutes in when Ed O’Dwyer finished a Jimmy Carr cross. Five minutes later David Slattery was fouled in the area after a Kenny Cunningham pass and Jimmy Carr scored from the spot. Just before the end O’Dwyer headed home at the far post to make it 3-0 and book a place in the last eight.