The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Killeaney Athletic 5 Shannon Olympic 3
Shannon Olympic were knocked out of this year’s FAI Junior Cup after a 5-3 away defeat to Killeaney FC from the Desmond League.
Olympic started brightly, taking the lead with a neat Karl Scott finish in the third minute. Killeaney equalised in the 15th minute after a penalty was converted by striker Sean O’Connor. In the 33rd minute, Ray Quigley drove home Olympic’s second goal from 16 yards after a Gareth McPhillips shot rebounded into his path. Just before the end of the first half, after Olympic piled on the pressure, David Collins was very unlucky to see his superb 25-yard shot tipped over the bar by the Killeaney keeper Sean Lynch.
The second half started with a goal from Killeaney’s Paul Sheehan to level the game. Olympic raised their game after this setback, having several chances at goal, until the game was turned on its head and effectively ended as a competition on 70 minutes when a shot by Killeaney man Lynch struck Olympic’s Paul O’Connor on the hand. The referee awarded Killeaney a penalty and Sean O’Connor duly converted his second spot-kick.
Killeaney scored a further two goals from Paul Sheehan and Brian Herbert, putting the game out of Olympic’s reach. George Justice scored Olympic’s third goal just before the final whistle.
Olympic must lick their wounds and pick themselves up for the Clare Division 1 League Cup final on Sunday morning at 11am at the County Grounds, when they will be up against Turnpike Rovers.
Best for Olympic last week were centre-half Paul O’Connor, winger Karl Scott and striker Ray Quigley.
Shannon Olympic: Gary McGettrick, David Collins, Karl Fogarty, Paul O’Connor, Ian Hogan, Mick O’Connell, Gareth McPhillips, Jay Regan, Karl Scott, Donncadh Kelly, Ray Quigley.
Subs: George Justice, Alan Casey, Wayne Regan, Dave Kearns, Greg Keane.
Bridge United 1 Killarney Celtic 3
Bridge United bowed out of the cup on Sunday when they went under to visitors Killarney Celtic.
The Kerry side were a more experienced outfit and this proved decisive on a day when Richie Lillis scored the home side’s goal.
Bridge United: Mark Lonergan, Johnny Hayes, Billy Maxwell, Alan Whyte, Donald Devanney, Adrian Whyte, Greg Deegan, Richie Lillis, Darragh Fitzgerald, Mark Culbert, Darren Murphy.
Subs: Shane Devanney for Johnny Hayes; Pa Toomey for Lillis; Trevor Kearney for Culbert; Dominic Murphy.
Classic 0 Avenue United 2
Avenue United made the journey to Tralee on Sunday and came back with a place in the next round after a merited win.
They took the lead after 20 minutes when Mikey Mahoney scored and doubled their advantage 20 minutes from time when Dave McCarthy converted from the penalty spot.
Avenue United: John Healy, Colin Smith, David Russell, Mattie Nugent, Simon Cuddy; Pa Wilson, Con Collins David Herlihy, David McCarthy, Mikey Mahoney, Sean O’Meara.
Subs: Eamonn O’Reilly for Wilson; Pat Slattery for Mahoney.
Bridge Celtic 0 Bunratty 2
Bunratty made the short journey to O’Briensbridge and proved too strong for the home side.
Jay Hannam gave the winners the lead five minutes before the break, finishing well after breaking in from the left.
They scored their second 20 minutes into the second half when Jamie Cullen pounced after Shane O’Connor’s free-kick had been saved by the goalkeeper.
Bridge Celtic: Adrian Dhouig, Paul Nolan, William Slattery, Rob Seymour, Stephen McCarthy, Rob Cassidy, Shane Byrnes, Ricky Mowatt, Cathal O’Connell, Conor Hynes, Nicky O’Connell.
Subs: Luke Turner, Ollie Phillips, Fergal Lyons.
Bunratty: David Hogan, Shane Purcell, Eoin Nash, Derek Byrne, Evan Glynn, Jamie Cullen, Sean McDonald, Tadgh Keogh, Shane O’Connor, Chris Griffin, Jay Hannam.
Subs: JP Griffin for Derek Byrne; Marty Russell for Jay Hannam.
Lifford 0 Kilkishen Celtic 1
Kilkishen Celtic caused a big surprise on Sunday when they travelled to Cassidy Park and defeated Lifford.
The goal was scored by player-manager Paul Murphy, who beat his former clubmate Jan Da Silva midway through the second half. De Silva transferred from Kilkishen Celtic to Lifford at the start of the season.
The contest was close throughout with defences dominating for the most part.
Lifford: Jan Da Silva, Greg Howard, Dylan Blake, Michael J Sullivan, Ritchie Neylon, Jamie Fahy, Gary McNaboe, TJ Ajisomo, Conor Donlon, Ciaran Neenan, Lunga Balman.
Subs: Fabrice Baptista, Hamad Kuku, Gary Browne.
Kilkishen: Patrick McInerney, Micheál Fleming, Mattie Holmes, Flan McMahon, Colm Gleeson, Shane McInerney, Steve Donnellan, Jake Murnane, Eoin Pewter Paul Murphy, Fergus Donovan.
Subs: Alan McInerney for S Donnellan.
Corofin Harps 1 Kilcolman Rovers 2
Corofin Harps bowed out when they went under to Kilcolman Rovers at Corofin on Sunday.
The home side made quite a number of changes from the previous week’s league tie. Their goal came five minutes from time when the visitor’s goalie dropped Brian Halpin’s corner over the goal line.
Corofin Harps: Michael Concannon, Willie Treacy, Jason O’Connor, Brendan Neylon, Nani, Mark Gleeson, Brian Halpin, Paul Linnane, Fergal Neylon, Brendan Keane, Roberto Pinto.
Subs: Jason Tierney for F Neylon, Damian for Treacy.
Abbeyfeale United 8 Sporting Ennistymon 0
An understrength Sporting Ennistymon were comprehensively beaten by Abbeyfeale United at the West Limerick club’s venue on Sunday.
The home side dominated the opening half and were 6-0 in front at the break. They improved in the second period but could not match the experience of the winners.
Sporting Ennistymon: Pádraig Brennan, Mark Burke, Brian Sexton, Gearóid White, Patrick O’Dwyer, Alan Sexton, Caoimhin Fahy, Colm Donnellan, Alan Horan, Thierry Bouton, Fiachra O’Malley.
Subs: Pádraig Flynn, David Hogan.
Rock Rovers 4 Newcastlewest Rovers 1
Rock Rovers progressed to the next round when they proved too strong for Newcastlewest Rovers at Lees Road on Sunday.
Stephen Hickey scored a hat-trick for the winners with Marty McLoughlin getting their fourth. Hickey gave them the lead in the first half but the visitors equalised before the break.
Rock went back in front when Hickey converted from the penalty spot early in the second half after a Newcastlewest defender was penalised for a hand-ball and the former Limerick FC player had his third shortly after.
