Avenue mark new home opening with win

Avenue United A     2        Ennis Town Rock A     1

Sunday April 14 was a red-letter day for Avenue United FC, as the club opened its new grounds at Roslevan and marked the occasion with another win in the premier league.

In the afternoon the club’s B team were also in winning form when they accounted for Turnpike Rovers in the first division, making it a memorable day for the club.

Since they purchased the former home of St Joseph’s GAA Club last autumn, a huge amount of voluntary effort has gone into preparing the pitch and surrounds. The clubhouse and dressing rooms received a makeover and everything was in readiness for Sunday when there was a large attendance of soccer followers.

However, the premier division leaders were made to fight all the way for this latest win, on a day when strong winds made it difficult for the players.

Disappointingly for the visitors, the winning goal was an own goal with the difficult wind playing a big part.
The honour of scoring the first competitive goal at Avenue’s new home fell to the visitors, who took the lead when Joe Collins fired past John Healy after 15 minutes.

The equaliser came 20 minutes later when Dave McCarthy managed to beat Marty Whelan in the Ennis Town goal.

Avenue had the assistance of the wind in the second half and they piled on the pressure in search of a winning goal.

What proved to be the winner came 10 minutes into the second half when Eamonn O’Reilly’s cross from the left ended up in the net via the head of Ennis town’s central defender Shane Daniels.

The visitors finished the game with ten men after Ritchie Neylon picked up a second yellow card.

Avenue United A: John Healy; David Herlihy, Eamonn O’Reilly, Mattie Nugent, David Russell; Colin Smith, Mark Roche, David McCarthy, Scott Hennessy, Barry Nugent, Mikey Mahoney.
Sub: Nicki Twumasai for Roche.
Ennis Town Rock A: Marty Whelan; Gary Walsh, Ritchie Neylon, Jason White, Shane Daniels; Francis Daniels, Gary Collins, Joe Collins, Mikey Dinan; Dean Gardiner, Stephen Hickey.
Subs: Gary Browne for White; Noel Frawley for F Daniels; Graham Glynn for Gardiner.

Newmarket Celtic A     2      Tulla United A     1
Defending champions, Newmarket Celtic A kept their slim hopes of retaining the title alive with a win over Tulla United A at McDonogh park on Sunday.

As was the case at all venues on Sunday, strong winds made conditions very difficult for players.
After a scoreless first half, the winners upped the tempo on the changeover and ten minutes in they hit the front. A Daithí O’Connell effort took a deflection on the way to the net.

Substitute Martin Floyd hit the equaliser just before the end of normal time but their joy was short-lived as Newmarket, through O’Connell, hit back with the Shannon man finishing after a good run by Eoin Hayes

Newmarket Celtic A: Patrick McCoy; Alan Kelly, Eoin O’Brien, Mark Donlon, Darren Cullinan, Alan Brigdale, Eoin Hayes, Ally McMillan, Paudie Hayes, Daithí O’Connell, Diarmuid Nash.
Subs: Neil Ryan for Brigdale; Michael Devitt for Nash.
Tulla United A: Donnacda McNamara; Shane Mason, Niall Whelan, Denis Murphy, Paraic O’Malley, Colin Nelson, Cillian Bane, John Brigdale, Brian McInerney, Alan Meamy, Tommy McKeown.
Sub: Martin Floyd for McInerney.

In the remaining game listed for decision, Mountshannon Celtic received a walkover from Burren United.