Newmarket Strike Late To Advance In Munster Junior Cup

Munster Junior Cup Round Two: Newmarket Celtic 2-0 Turnpike Rovers

Newmarket Celtic were forced to overcome a stubborn challenge from Turnpike Rovers before sealing their spot in the next round of the Munster Junior Cup.

Second half goals from substitute Daithí O’Connell and David McCarthy eventually broke a resolute Rovers defence who had stood firm until the closing quarter of the game.

The sides were dead-locked at half-time with Newmarket having the lions share of possession in the opening period.

The closest the home side at McDonough Park came to breaking the deadlock in the first half was just before the break when a teasing cross from the right by Ian Collins was met on the volley by Garry Higgins. He managed to beat the keeper but not the frame of the goal as the ball crashed off the underside of the crossbar and was cleared away to safety.

That trend continued in the second half with Eoin Hayes connecting for a half-volley on the edge of the Turnpike square but his rising shot just cleared the crossbar. Minutes later he had another go from distance on the right hand side of the area but his low shot was brilliantly turned around the post by a diving Dermot Gannon.

Former inter-county hurler Daithí O’Connell entered the fray just after the hour mark and his impact was immediate. A dangerous cross from the right by Eoin O’Brien found the head of the Shannon man in the square. He turned the ball back across the goal and into the top right hand corner to finally breach the Turnpike rear-guard. This signalled a huge sigh of relief for Liam Murphy’s charges who had dominated proceedings up to that point.

They continued to own the ball and pounced for a second goal to kill the tie as a contest. Referee Pa Gleeson played a good advantage after a foul in the area on one of the Newmarket players and when the ball broke, it was squared to David McCarthy who turned it home to seal the win.

Newmarket Celtic: Shane Cusack, Colin Smyth, Darren Cullinan, Colum Treacy, Paddy Purcell, Eoin O’Brien, Ian Collins, David McCarthy, Garry Higgins, Eoin Hayes, David Reidy.

Subs: Stephen Kelly for Smyth, Tino Nzvaura for Collins, Daithí O’Connell for Higgins, Cathal Hayes for Treacy, David O’Grady for Hayes.

Turnpike Rovers: Dermot Gannon, Ethan Considine, Niall McMahon, Fergal Brennan, Danny Russell, Dean O’Grady, David McMahon, Sean McNamara, Kevin O’Connor, Cathal Darcy, Eoin O’Loughlin.

Subs: Jean Ganda for O’Loughlin.

Referee: Pa Gleeson

Elsewhere in the CDSL this weekend, just three other games went ahead due to the adverse weather conditions.

First Division League

Kilrush Rangers 0-1 Coole FC

Newmarket Celtic B 4-0 Ennis Town

Second Division League

Rineanna Rovers 3-0 Bunratty Cratloe