Burren edge it in North Clare derby

Corofin Harps 0 Burren Utd 1

BURREN United became the first team to reach the semi-finals of this year’s Clare Junior Cup when they came out on top against neighbours Corofin Harps at Corofin on Sunday.
The all-important goal came with just 15 minutes to go when Martin McDonagh won possession from a Daniel Carey cross and got in behind the home side’s defence before shooting to the net.
Corofin won’t have been happy with the manner in which they defended on this occasion. They thought they had equalised five minutes from the end, believing the ball had crossed the line but Craig Flanagan was adjudged to have saved on the line.
In the first half, Burren missed a great chance to take the lead when Danny Burke failed to connect with a Patrick Darcy cross.

Corofin Harps: Mike Heith; Stephen Quinn, Michael Concannon, John Keane, Brendan Neylon; James Keane, Ronnie Meere, Paul Linnane, Fergal Neylon, Jason O’Connor, Jason Tierney.
Subs: Brendan Keane for J Keane; Damian Ryan for Meere.
Burren United: Craig Flanagan; Daniel Carey, John McDonagh, Enda Coughlan, Marine Ghat, Michael Keating, Ian McInerney, Martin McDonagh, Mark McCarthy; Danny Burke, Patrick Darcy.
Subs: James Keating for Ghat; John McCormack for Darcy; Donal Howley, Eric Murrihy, Martin Garrihy.

Bridge Celtic A 0 Bridge Utd B 1

LAST year’s finalists, Bridge United B secured a place in the quarter-final when they travelled to O’Briensbridge and overcame the challenge of premier outfit, Bridge Celtic A on Sunday.
The win has sent them into a quarter-final tie this week against Rineanna Rovers B ,who surprisingly knocked out the Bridge United A team in the last round.
The decisive goal came 10 minutes before half-time when Brendan Murphy scored, somewhat against the run of play. From here on, the winners grew in confidence.
Prior to the game’s only goal, the home side had come close on a number of occasions but they were denied by both the crossbar and the post.  

Bridge Celtic A: Adrian Dhouig; Rob Seymour, William Slattery, Trevor Howard, Noel Howard; Barry O’Connell, Shane Byrnes, Ger O’Connell, Stephen McCarthy; Paul McEvoy, Conor Hynes.
Subs: Rob Cassidy Ryan Morris.
Bridge United B: Barry Deasy; Kevin Meehan, Albert Finnan, Dominick Murphy, Paul Corbett; Damian Murray, Ian O’Sullivan, Brendan Murphy, Barry O’Halloran; Jamie O’Gorman, Gavin Downes.
Subs: Alan McAuley and Gavin Herlihy; for O’Sullivan and O’Halloran.

Avenue Utd A 4 Manus Celtic B 0

AVENUE United qualified for the semi-finals with this comprehensive win over Manus Celtic B at Lees Road on Sunday.
Two goals in each half helped the premier outfit move a step closer to retaining the title.
Mikey Mahoney and Dave McCarthy scored in the first half while Mahoney and David Russell were on target after the break.
Manus, challenging for the third-division league title, had their share of chances in this tie but they were unable to breach John Healy’s goal.
The opening goal came just short of the 15-minute mark when Mahoney headed home from a David Smith cross.
Manus had a great chance to level shortly after this but Declan Frawley’s effort was just wide of the post after he was put under pressure by fellow Clarecastle man David Russell.
In the closing minutes, Frawley saw his penalty effort go over the bar.

Avenue United: John Healy; Colin Smith, Mattie Nugent, Con Collins, David Russell, David Herlihy, David Smith David McCarthy Gary Flynn, Barry Nugent, Mike Mahoney.
Subs: Eamonn O’Reilly, Simon Cuddy.
Manus Celtic B: Brian Keogh; Seanie Moloney, Michael Malone, Gary Farmer, Barry Malone; Declan Frawley, Aaron Considine, Conor Plunkett, Shane Considine, Bernard Scanlan, Danny Scanlan.
Subs: Donagh Murphy for B Scanlan; Eamonn Callinan for D Scanlan; John Pyne for A Considine; Blaise Talty for S Considine.