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First U-17 Cup title for Tulla

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Avenue United  2  Tulla United  3
(After extra time)

IN an action-packed U-17 Cup final at the County Grounds last Saturday, Tulla United emerged from an absorbing battle to capture the club’s first U-17 cup title in their 40-year history.

 

Avenue’s Colin Smyth battles for possession with Darragh Corry. Photograph by Declan MonaghanWith little or nothing separating the two teams in recent meetings, the final was expected to go right to the wire and neutrals in the big attendance weren’t disappointed, with the winner coming in the dying minutes of extra time.
Tulla got the ideal start after five minutes when a corner from the right from Thomas McKeown was headed goalwards by Donncha McNamara and Niall Whelan pounced on the loose ball to drill it home from six yards.
With a fresh breeze at their backs, Tulla piled on the pressure, forcing a succession of corners that were capably dealt with by Liam Deasy in the Avenue goal.
Avenue got over their early jitters and started to create some chances. Colin Smyth released Emrah Zeqiri and his cross to the back post was headed behind by Paraic O’Malley, with Ciarán Russell looming.
With less than 10 minutes to go to half-time, the Ennis side were back on level terms with a piece of individual magic. Darragh Sexton received the ball on the edge of the box and with little space in which to operate, he clipped a beautiful lob over the stranded Shane Collins in the Tulla goal.
Avenue dominated the remainder of the first half but might have found themselves behind again from a Tulla counter-attack, when Aidan Fawl’s deep cross rebounded to safety from the cross bar, leaving the half-time score at 1-1.
As in the first half, Tulla exploded from the blocks again at the start of the second. With just over a minute gone, Killian Bane whipped in a low cross from the right that was met by the diving Daragh Corry, with a powerful header that Deasy could only parry into the net.
Donncha McNamara headed narrowly over from a McKeown corner as Tulla looked for a decisive third goal.
The introduction of Stephen McGann and Alan Roche gave Avenue fresh impetus and after a number of near misses from Sexton and Eoin Fitzgerald, a mistake in the Tulla defence on 75 minutes was punished with an emphatic finish by Stephen McGann, to tie up the match at 2-2.
Avenue piled on the pressure and Shane Collins did well to parry a close-range effort from John Waters with Bryan McInerney and Niall Whelan combining to block the rebound. The Ennis side also had a late shout for a penalty turned down by the officials, before the game went to extra-time.
The heat was now a major factor for the two tired teams, both of whom had a number of players involved in their third game in six days.
Avenue had a great chance to take the lead when Alan Roche rode a number of tackles to burst into the box, but his low effort shaved the post from 12 yards.
At the other end, Sunny Jay and Killian Bane both went close as the game opened up.
The prospect of a penalty shoot-out was looming when Tulla introduced Patrick McGrath for Aidan Fawl, with eight minutes left on the clock.
Just five minutes from the end, McGrath was Tulla’s hero as he got on the end of David McInerney’s low cross to guide a precise right-footed shot across Deasy and into the bottom corner of the Avenue net.
Tulla held out under sustained Avenue pressure for the remainder of extra time, to record their own bit of history and banish the memory of an extra-time loss to Lifford in last year’s replayed final.
After the final, Clare League secretary Oliver Fitzpatrick presented the U-17 Cup to Tulla captain, Paraic O’Malley.
Tulla had impressive performances from goalkeeper Shane Collins, Thomas McKeown, Bryan McInerney, Paraic O’Malley, Killian Bane, Niall Whelan and man of the match, Daragh Corry.
Jack Walsh, Ciarán Russell, Eoin Fitgerald, Daragh Sexton and substitute, Alan Roche were best for Avenue.
Tulla United: Shane Collins, Thomas McKeown, Bryan McInerney, Paraic O’Malley, Niall Whelan, Killian Bane, Donncha McNamara, Niall McMahon, Daragh Corry, Sunny Jay, Aidan Fawl.
Subs: David McInerney for McMahon, Patrick McGrath for Fawl, Niall Leamy, Michael O’Brien, Charles O’Donnell and Ronan Kelly.
Avenue United: Liam Deasy, Pa Sherlock, Jack Walsh, Colin Smyth, Darragh Kerin, Emrah Zeqiri, John Waters, Ciarán Russell, Mark Roche, Darragh Sexton, Eoin Fitzgerald.
Subs: Stephen McGann for Zeqiri and Alan Roche for Fitzgerald.

 

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