Avenue United close year on a high

Avenue United 5
Limerick FC 0

AVENUE Unitted U-12As completed a successful year last Saturday by qualifying for the fifth round of the SFAI National Cup when beating Limerick FC at the Lisdoonvarna Sports Complex. This was a competitive game that started with both sides pushing hard in difficult conditions and with chances missed at both ends in the opening 10 minutes.

 

 

This looked like it would be a close encounter until Avenue opened the scoring on 20 minutes with a goal from left-winger Mark McInerney, followed soon after by two more successful strikes from right-winger Manus Doherty.

Limerick had their first clear-cut chance just before half-time when their opening goal shot was cleared off the line by sweeping defender Odhran Meaney. Avenue started the second half with confidence and soon took control of the play pressing Limerick’s defence from both sides of the park, yielding two more goals for the home side from striker Robin Mounsey and winger Kevin Moloney who sent in a powerful cross taking a deflection. This created an insurmountable task for the visitors. However, Limerick had a consolation chance deep into the second half with a penalty only to be denied by the crossbar on a retake after their first attempt was disqualified when their front line impinged on the square before the original penalty was taken.

Referee P Gleeson awarded man of the match to Avenue’s mid-fielder Jack Joyce for an emphatic performance.

This success comes after Avenue comfortably beat Limerick Regional and Tralee Kingdom Boys both 7-0 in the third and fourth rounds respectively.   
On the home front, this squad proved their worth by also claiming the Division 1 League Cup and the U-11 Clare Cup, completing a most successful year for their club. Central defender Tom McDonald picked up the man-of-the-match award in the Clare Cup final.

They now meet St Joseph’s from Dublin in the last 32 of the National Cup in a valuable home tie sometime in the new year.

Avenue United: Ciarán Kearins; Odhran Meaney, Tom McDonald, Kealan Guyler, Gavin D’Auria; Manus Doherty, Jack Joyce, Stephen Talty, Mark McInerney; Dylan Brown and Robin Mounsey.
Subs: Patrick Bugler for Meaney, Kevin Nugent for McDonald), Kevin Moloney for  McInerney, Brian Downey for Talty, Cian McDonough for Brown Cormack Whelan.