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Bridge United came through a tough test against Coole FC. Photograph by John Kelly

Rangers on the rise as top two share the spoils


Ivan Smyth rounds up a selection of the action from the Maloney Hardware Premier Division

Kilrush Rangers 2
Shannon Town 0

Kilrush Rangers secured their third league win in a row as they leapfrogged Shannon Town.

Michael Clair’s side moved to sixth place in the league in what has been a promising conclusion to the opening half of the season. After losing their opening four games of the season, Kilrush Rangers have now won three on the spin.

This was a very lively encounter with plenty of good open attacking football by both teams. Despite the endeavours of both outfits, neither side could create a guilt edged chance in the opening period despite both outfits being keen to play on the front foot.

With the game goalless at half time, the start of the final period would prove decisive for both of these sides.

The second half was only five minutes old when Kilrush Rangers took the lead. Striker Danny Clancy hit the back of the Shannon Town net following a great run by Norbert Kunicki in the build up.

Kilrush added a second mid way through the final half when the inform Danny Clancy pounced on a mistake by the Shannon defence to give Kilrush Rangers a 2-0 lead which they held for the remainder of the game.

Despite Shannon Town piling forward in search of a goal to set up a nervy finale, Kilrush Rangers produced their best defensive performance of the season. This was the first clean sheet Clair’s side kept this season with their promising run of form seeing them parachute up the table.

For Shannon Town, a recent run of inconsistency has seen them drop to seventh place as the pressure is on to find a steady run of league results after the Christmas break.

Steo Dolan’s men can finish the year on a high though if they are to overcome Corkbeg in the Last 32 of the Munster Junior Cup this Sunday.

Kilrush Rangers: Eamonn O’Dea; Tomasz Zajas, Thomas Clair, Alan Behan, Kirill Antonov, Patrick Clair, Ciaran O’Donoghue, Norbert Kunicki, Jack Cleary, Dean Neary, Danny Clancy. Subs: Trevor Clancy for Cleary (inj) Sean Madigan for Zajas.
Shannon Town Utd: Eoghan Casey; Aaron Kelly, Steven Carroll, Fionn McInerney, Brian Monaghan; Cody Waller, Liam Boland, Kieran Hackett, TJ O’Dwyer, Charlie Morrison; Jack Ryan. Subs: Natty Nyakujara, Kai Khetan, Colin Curran

Newmarket Celtic 2
Avenue United 2

Newmarket Celtic came from two goals down to secure a draw and maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

Paddy Purcell’s side could have won the game late on but after Avenue United dominated the opening half and Newmarket proving to be the shaprer in the final period, a draw was the fairest result.

Referee Dylan Shannon dished out a total of eight yellow cards in this Premier Division clash with this rivalry continuing to deliver.

With Newmarket Celtic ahead of them in the table and a defeat here would have given Avenue United an enormous task to try and overhaul Paddy Purcell’s side.

The Ennis side understood the significance of the occasion as they were completely on top in the first 45 minutes. However, they had just a one goal lead to show for it.

The first chance fell to Avenue as an Eoghan Thynne corner deceived everybody and almost found the back of the net.

David McCarthy tested Tom O’Brien from range before Eoin Hayes showed excellent close control to glide past the Avenue defence with Tom O’Brien forced to come out and deny the Newmarket man.

David Russell’s side found the opening goal of the game when full-back Conor Hehir’s effort took a wicked deflection which caught out Celtic netminder Shane Cusack. With Hayes also forced off injured, this was proving to be a far from ideal opening 45 minutes for the league leaders.

Avenue thought they had doubled their advantage before the break when Elias Kunz scored but he was penalised for a handball in the build up.

They came close to hitting the target once again before the half-time whistle but Conor Mullen’s header on an Eoghan Thynne corner flew over the crossbar. After the break, Avenue continued to threaten as Mossy Hehir went close.

The reigning champions doubled their lead on the hour mark when they once again profited from Newmarket cheaply gifting them possession. Ronan Kerin teed up energetic midfielder Nneji Nnabuike who produced a cracking left footed volley.

Newmarket Celtic showed why they are such a difficult outfit to face as their set pieces caused Avenue no end of problems.

Darren Cullinan’s corner found Darragh Leahy as he headed home to half his side’s arrears. The Newmarket bench began to make a telling impact while Davy McCarthy was beginning to make his influence felt.

McCarthy was denied by O’Brien before the midfielder teed up Jack Kelly as he saw a glorious chance drift wide.

This time it was a free kick that proved Avenue’s undoing. McCarthy’s delivery was met perfectly by Harvey Cullinan, much to the delight of the now vocal Celtic contingent. At this stage Newmarket were well on top and could have won the game.

Substitute James Fahy almost snuck a winner for Newmarket as his clearance almost deceived O’Brien and landed in the net.

Honours even in the end as Newmarket Celtic showed their grit and inflicted a blow on Avenue’s hopes of retaining the league title.

Newmarket Celtic: Shane Cusack; David O’Grady, Eoin Kelly, Harvey Cullinan; Aaron Rudd Jack Kelly, Darren Cullinan; Conor McDaid, Eoin Hayes; David McCarthy, Darragh Leahy.
Subs: Tadhg Noonan for Hayes (inj), Davy Lennon for Rudd, James Fahy for Kelly, Ronan McCormack for Leahy, Cathal Hayes for D Cullinan
Avenue Utd: Tom O’Brien; Cullen McCabe, Conor Mullen, Dylan Casey, Conor Hehir; Nneji Nnabuike, Mark Roche, Eoghan Thynne, Elias Kunz, Ronan Kerin, Mossy Hehir.
Subs: Cian McDonough for Thynne, Jamie Roche for M Hehir.

Bridge United 5
Coole FC 4

Bridge United snapped a run of two consecutive league defeats as Ronan Tuohy and Jordan Downes’ braces helped them pick up all three points.

Mark Culbert’s side took the lead inside the opening five minutes when Ronan Tuohy, who was unlucky not to score a minute earlier, finished well after been supplied with a pinpoint pass from Adam Fitzpatrick.

However, that lead was shortlived as Coole FC levelled from the penalty spot as Fergus Tuohy coolly slotted home. With both Tuohys in scoring form, it was Bridge United’s Ronan that crashed home an excellent header to put the home side back in front.

Bridge had chances to out some daylight between the teams but they failed to convert and were duly punished before the break.

Nathan Smith and Marvin Nkosi swung the tie in favour of Coole FC who led 3-2 at the change of ends.

After a quick start to the opening half, it was Bridge United who raced out of the blocks in the final 45 minutes as substitute Jordan Downes wasted little time in making his presence felt.

Downes quickly added another as he flashed a well calculated header to the net after a fine delivery by Leon Daly.

Once more, Coole FC, who certainly played their part in an entertaining spectacle, managed to level the contest once more as Carlos Moreira arrowed home.

With 15 minutes left up stepped captain Alan Mulready to power a header in at the back post following a great delivery by Adam Fitzpatrick. The drama didn’t end there as Downes came within the width of the post of grabbing a hat trick.

Meanwhile, Adam Fitzpatrick produced a vital goal line block to deny Coole FC an equaliser as Bridge ensured they moved levelon points with Avenue United and Lifford AFC while lying just three behind Newmarket Celtic.

Bridge Utd: Luke Woodrow, Jason Whyte, Mike Carr, Alan Mulready, Storm Devanny, Eoin Keenan, Adam Fitzpartick, Liam Buckley, Paul Corry, Ronan Tuohy, Leon Daly. Subs: Jordan Downes for Corry, Leon Kelly for Carr, Kieran Quinlan for Tuohy, Steve Stewart for Keenan

Coole FC: Peter Ziga, Kuba Mamala, Jason O Brien, Darren Grealish, Cian ONeil, Stephen McCarthy, Fergus Tuohy, Paddy Cummins Thomas Murphy, Nathan Smith, Marvin Nkosi
Subs: Harry Minogue, Carlos Moreira.

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