Moloney’s strike earns Burren a share of spoils

Lifford A 2   Burren United 2
With leaders Newmarket Celtic not playing, Ennis side Lifford, who are second in the Premier table, were hoping to close the gap when they entertained Burren Utd at Cassidy Park last Sunday. However, they had to settle for a share of the spoils and the interested neutrals present could not argue with the result as both sides deserved something from this very entertaining tussle.
Indeed, Lifford must have thought the three points on offer were destined to be theirs when they got off to the perfect start, scoring in the very first minute. Lunga Balman raced forward from the halfway line to the right corner and his good cross was deflected to the net by the unfortunate Burren Utd defender Alex Garcia. This was a cruel early blow to the visitors and it took them quite a while to recover but to their credit they did and went close to equalising through Evan Talty, while Ghiat Marine also went close with a header.
Lifford, however, should have increased their lead but some wasteful shooting from Norrby and Boyle proved costly.
In the 35th minute Evan Talty seemed to be upended in the Lifford area but O’Brien waved away the appeals, much to the annoyance of the Burren management.
The visitors began the second period with the aid of the elements and their more direct play would soon pay dividends on 56 minutes when a Talty long-range free was only parried away to the in-rushing Steven Moloney, who scored.
The visitors’ joy was short lived, as just three minutes later Ryan Boyle had the home side back in front when finding the net with a great free kick from 18 yards, which saw the Burren keeper rooted to the spot, such was the accuracy of the strike.
Talty at midfield was continuing to run things in the middle of the park and Lifford were pushed back somewhat into their own half at times, which saw Burren creating some good chances. Da Silva in the Lifford goal made up for his earlier error when saving brilliantly from a Pat Nagle long-range free but just when it looked like the home side would hold on Talty, in one of his many runs at the Lifford defence, was taken down in the area and Moloney held his nerve from the resultant spot kick to score his second of the afternoon with just three minutes remaining.
Lifford A: Jan Da Silva; Joe Lynch, Dylan Blake, Michael Sullivan, Hamad Kuku, Pat Darcy, Lunga Balman, TJ Ajisomo, Scott Hennessy, Ryan Boyle, Ruairi Norrby.
Subs: Cillian Moloney for Norrby; Gary McNaboe for Ajisomo.
Burren Utd: John McDonagh; Barry O’Grady, Dan Carey, Enda Coughlan, Mikey Keating, Alex Garvia, Evan Talty, Stephen Moloney, Martin McDonagh, Pat Nagle, Ghiat Marine.
Subs: Chris Mrocek for Marine.

Ennis Town Rock 1   Avenue Utd A  2
Avenue United A bounced back to winning ways when they defeated Ennis neighbours Ennis Town Rock at Lees Road on Sunday.
The winners took the lead after 12 minutes through Mikey Mahoney but he picked up an injury and had to be replaced.
Two minutes before the half-time whistle, Stephen Hickey equalised for Ennis Town Rock.
The winning goal came from the penalty spot 15 minutes into the second half when David Russell converted after a foul on Dave McCarthy.
Both sides finished with 10 men after Alex Ezuko (Avenue) and Shane Daniels picked up second yellow cards in separate incidents.

Ennis Town Rock: Stephen Loftus; Greg Howard, Ronan Judge, Jason White, Shane Daniels, Adrian Walsh, Gary Walsh, Daryl Eade, Dean Gardiner, David Reidy, Stephen Hickey.
Subs: Francis Daniels for A Walsh; Marty McLoughlin for G Walsh; Ritchie Neylon for Gardiner.
Avenue Utd A: John Healy; Mattie Nugent, Simon Cuddy, David Russell, Con Collins, Alan Roche, Colin Smith, David Smith, Barry Nugent, Mikey Mahoney, Dave McCarthy.
Subs: Alex Ezuko for Mahoney (inj); Gary Flynn for McCarthy; David Herlihy for Russell.

Mountshannon Celtic 3   Shannon Olympic A 2
Mountshannon Celtic eased their relegation worries a little with this victory over Shannon Olympic A at Scariff on Sunday. Olympic led twice in the tie but the home side rallied and Martin McNamara scored the winner with 10 minutes remaining.
Jay Regan scored for the visitors and they led at half-time.  Early in the second half Keith Finnerty levelled  for the home side but Olympic went back in front when Declan McDonald was on target. Celtic hit back and Cathal Moloney levelled before McNamara had the winner.

Mountshannon Celtic: Colm Kavanagh; Andrew McNamara, Martin McNamara, Pádraig Brody, Joe Underwood, Keith Finnerty, Brian Rodgers, Cathal Moloney, Keelan McNamara, Raymond Cahill, Kevin Dooley.
Subs: Michael Scanlon, Pádraig Brady.
Shannon Olympic A: Gary McGettrick; Dave Collins, Pa Fahy, Karl Fogarty, Ian Hogan, Ray Quigley, Kieran Keane, Declan McDonald, John Keogh, Jay Regan, Sean O’Connor.
Subs: Stephen Dolan; Darren Duggan;  Kieran Lake.

Hermitage A 0   Tulla United A 0
A scoreless draw resulted when Hermitage A and Tulla United A clashed at the Fairgreen on Sunday.
The Tage’s Rhys Phillips hit the crossbar with an effort following a corner and later in the game he saved the day when he cleared off the line.
Fifteen minutes from the end the visitors lost goalkeeper Paul Whelan with a shoulder injury he suffered following a collision with an opponent. He was replaced by Donnacda McNamara.

Hermitage A: David Phillips; Neil Mills, Rhys Phillips, Tola Crowe, John Maher; Ger Dullaghan, Eoghan Ryan, Ritchie Fitzgerald, Eoin O’Mara-Daly, Liam Meaney, Paul Dullaghan.
Subs: Colin Ryan for E Ryan.
Tulla United A: Paul Whelan; David McInerney, Gearóid O’Doherty, Niall Whelan, Denis Murphy, Shane Mason, Darragh Corry, Cillian Bane, Seosamh O’Loughlin, Aidan Fawl, Alan Brigdale.
Subs: Colin Nelson for Fawl; Donnacda McNamara for P Whelan (inj); Paudge Vaughan for Bane.