Newmarket Celtic 1 Avenue United 1

(after extra time)

Avenue won 3-1 on penalties

Beaten finalists last season, Newmarket Celtic are out of the Munster junior cup at the first hurdle this year.

At McDonough Park in Newmarket this Sunday morning, they had to give best to Avenue United who proved too strong in a penalty shoot out after the teams had endedon level terms at 1-1.

By their own standards, the past couple of seasons have been disappointing for Avenue United but they were clearly determined to do well in this one and from the word go they took the game to the favourites.

With Dylan Casey in their line up having returned to his home club in midweek after a a few seasons in England, they created the greater number of chances in the opening half.

After Davy O’Halloran had seen his effort narrowily miss the target, Newmarket launched a counter attack which ended with the awarding of a penalty which Eoin Hayes converted to give them the lead woth just under half an hour played.

The lead lasted just three minutes and Avenue levelled when veteran David Russell drilled a low shot to the corner of the net.

Defences dominated throughout the second half and it was the same in extra timemwej Avenue came closest with an effort from substitute Sean Doherty going inches wide early in the second period of extra time. Five min utes from the end Eoin Hayes saw his effort flash across the face of Barry Ryan’s goal.

Hayes was first up in the penalty shoot out but his effort was saved by Barry Ryan. Gary Flynn was Avenue’s first penalty taker and his effort flew over the bar. Ryan then made a superb save from Paddy Purcell before Avenue took the lead when David Russell found the corner. Colin ryan scored for Newmarket as did Jamie Roche for Avenue. Eoin O’Brian then saw his effort hit the post and go wide which left Sean Doherty with the opportunity to win the tie which he did when he fojnd the net

Newmarket Celtic; Rob Shier; Seamis Lawlor, David O’Grady, Eoin O’Brien, Paddy Purcell; Ian Collins, Colin Ryan, Tino Nzvaura, Brian Monahan, Eoin Hayes, Cathal Hayes.

Subs; Daithi O#’Connell for C. Hayes; StephenCarroll for Lawlor; Ronan McCormack for Monahan.

Avenue United; Barry Ryan; David Herlihy, ShaunFlanagan, Conor Mullen, Eamonn O’Reilly; David Russell, Dylan Casey, Colin Smyth, Davy O’Halloran, Pa McDaid, Jamie Roche

Subs; Sean Doherty for O’Halloran; Gary Flynn for Smyth.

Referee; Martin O’Brien

By Seamus Hayes