Tag Archives: cup final

CUP final day is always a special occasion in Clare. Adding to the excitement ahead of this Sunday’s Clare Junior Cup final is the fact that holders Newmarket Celtic are not just seeking to retain the title but to be crowned cup champions for a record sixth year in-a-row. Standing between them and that achievement are their neighbours and great rivals Bridge United, who have some close to beating them on a number of occasions in recent years only to come up short on most of those occasions. Two years ago, these clubs met in the cup final, when many of those who will line out this week were in opposition. Last year, Bridge United put in a massive effort to win the Premier League title, only to be pipped on the final day by Newmarket, who were retaining the title. This year, Newmarket lost out on final day, when they went down to Shannon Town, having led by two …

Thirty eight years after they last met in the final of the Clare junior cup, then known as the Haughey cup, near neighbours and arch rivals Newmarket Celtic and Bridge United will battle it out for the 2015 Clare junior cup title at the end of the month. Bridge were 3-0 winners over Shannon Olympic on Friday evening while, twenty four hours later, holders Newmarket Celtic booked their passage to the decider with a 5-2 win over Burren United. Both games were played at the county grounds in Doora which will also host the final. Midway through the first half of Friday’s game, Bridge United took the lead when Darren Murphy headed home from a Chris Lake corner. This score separated the sides at half time and the score was still the same as the game entered the ninetieth and final minute Then, in the space of two minutes, Bridge added goals from substitutes Derek Fahy and Kevin Kelly to …