Nolan hat-trick inspires Harps rout as Rearcross and Ballymackey hit sixes and sevens

Premier Division

BT Harps 6-0 Holycross

A hat-trick of Stevie Nolan screamers did most of the damage as BT Harps made light work of a heavily depleted Holycross on Sunday morning in Michael Fennell Park.

The former Irish international at underage levels got the scoring started on the quarter-hour mark with a powerful strike into the top corner from outside the area. And he followed that up with an even better strike just four minutes later to effectively kill the tie.

Jack Dwan offered a good out-ball for Holycross on the counter down the left, but they were just missing far too many first-teamers on the day to trouble Harps.

Having just got off the plane back from Australia, new signing Neil Quinlan added a third just after the half-hour mark, with young striker Ryan Loughnane adding another shortly after to leave Harps four goals clear at the interval.

Skipper Corman Foy made way for Kailum O’Meara midway through the second half, with the 15-year-old taking the armband as he entered the pitch. The other change saw Jack Johnson make a return to the fold with a high-quality goal from outside the box less than five minutes after entering the field.

Stevie Nolan completed his hat-trick with just 10 minutes remaining, when he capped off a perfect display by curling a beautiful free-kick around the wall and in off the post.

There will be no game next weekend for BT Harps as their captain, Sean Paddy Guerins, is on Ireland amateur duty.

Back in March of this year, Munster won the 2026 FAI Amateur Inter-Provincial Tournament, thus earning the right to represent all of Ireland at the 2026/27 UEFA Regions' Cup, Europe’s top amateur football competition.

The first round of qualifying takes place over the next week in Turners Cross, Cork. Ireland have been drawn in Group 8 alongside Belarus, who will be represented by the Belarusian region of Uzda; Croatia, who will be represented by the Croatian region of Split; and Malta.

Next Sunday, November 1st, the Ireland amateurs will be captained by Templemore man Sean Paddy Guerins, as they take on Belarus in Turners Cross, Cork. The skipper will be well supported as a busload of his BT Harps teammates are travelling down to Cork for the 7.30pm kick-off.

Ireland take on Malta on Wednesday, November 4th, before concluding their first round of qualifying on Saturday, November 7th, with a 3pm kick-off against Croatia.

This Munster side will hope to channel the heroics of the 2015 Irish representative side, who won the tournament outright on home soil.

Division 2A round-up

Rearcross ‘B’ stretched their legs at the top of the table with a comfortable 6-2 win at home to Shinrone United ‘B’. The match kicked off under windy conditions, while Rea’ themselves had wind in their sails following three wins on the trot.

Colm Carey’s side got off to another good start in their bid to make it four from four, when a Gary Ryan corner found Oisín Reynolds free at the back post to open the scoring on 16 minutes.

The hosts second goal started out on the left with Eoghan Kavanagh combining well with Gavin Denihan and Mikey Feehan before slotting it into the bottom right to make it 2-0 with just 20 minutes played.

Not long after a ball broke for in-form Mikey Feehan, who unselfishly passed it to Paddy Carey just inside the box to make it 3-0 on the half hour mark. The first half continued in Rea’s favour but the league leaders were unable to add any more to their impressive tally before halftime.

Rea’s relaxing time did not last long however, as a handball in the area within a minute of the restart saw Shinrone find the net from a penalty, with Derek Mclouglin coming out of retirement to make it 3-1.

Heaving weathered some slight pressure after the penalty, Mikey Feehan restored Rea’s three-goal cushion once more, with goalkeeper Tom Dwyer providing the assist with a kick out of his hands. Feehan let the kick-out bounce past him before drilling through the hands of the keeper making to leave it 4-1 with 25 minutes to go.

Another bouncing ball saw Feehan net his fifth of the season and Rea’s fifth of the day, a fine scooped effort over the luck-less keeper.

Shinrone scored their second consolation goal after a cross from the right caused a scramble at the back post, with Michael McCarthy eventually putting it in the net for 5-2 with a little over 10 minutes remaining.

For Rea’s sixth and final goal of the match, Padraig Mannix got the ball at the left side of the box before playing it into the middle for David Brennan to find the bottom corner, making it maximum points so far in the league for Rearcross.

Paddy Tuohy and Mark McCarthy continued their fantastic goal scoring form as Ballymackey ‘B’ ran out 7-0 winners over Knigh United ‘B’.

Jack Doran and Dylan Delaney impressed in midfield for the hosts, while Shane Gibbons was the standout player in defence, and Paddy Tuohy continues to look electric up top.

Ballymackey are in some serious form under Paul Duffy and they should have been in front after just two minutes, only for Paddy Tuohy to clear his own players shot off the Knigh line.

Bally didn’t have to wait long though to steal in front, with Dylan Delaney firing in from close range on the quarter hour mark, and Paddy Tuohy doubling that lead shortly after.

Next, Shane Gibbons almost got the goal that his dominant performance from right back deserved, but his long-range effort clipped the top side of the bar instead of the underside.

Dylan Delaney chipped narrowly wide when a goal looked more likely, before Paddy Tuohy got down low to head in for 3-0 on the half-hour mark.

Paddy Tuohy should have had another just minutes later, before Knigh headed narrowly over from a corner with one of their rare chances.

In the second half, Ballymackey defender Eddie Eyan fired over from a corner, before substitute Mark McCarthy chipped in for Bally with his first just after the hour mark.

Adam McAuliffe crossed for Barry O'Connell shortly after for 5-0, before Mark McCarthy completed his 30-minute cameo with two more goals towards the end of the contest.