Last weekend saw two shock results with Newmarket Celtic falling to a 3-2 defeat against third placed Shannon Town.
Meanwhile, Avenue United managed to salvage a draw against Bridge United with a 94th minute equaliser. They may look back on not winning this game with regret as given the Newmarket result, they would have been crowned champions.
On Tuesday evening an appeal by Sporting Ennistymon against an FAI ruling on the circumstances surrounding international clearance for one of their players was unsuccessful.
As a result Avenue have now awarded two extra points, as their draw in recent weeks against Sporting has now been awarded as a victory.
This means that Avenue only need a draw if they are to dethrone Newmarket as champions with the sides meeting in the league decider next Wednesday in Roslevan.
Roche salvages point for Avenue
Avenue United 1
Bridge United 1
Avenue United let slip an opportunity to lift the Moloney Hardware Premier Division title as they could only manage a draw against a gritty Bridge United outfit.
The Sixmilebridge side led 1-0 before Gary Roche’s 94th minute equaliser salvaged a point for Avenue.
The Banner Carpets and Flooring Clare Cup finalists were frustrated by their resolute opponents as Bridge United dug in while looking a threat on the counter attack.
Mark Colbert’s side have kicked on well since Christmas and will be hopeful of bringing their form in to next season.
This game appeared to be heading for a goalless draw until Liam Buckley’s strike shocked the pre game favourites as Bridge moved 1-0 ahead.
Avenue refused to panic as their ability to score late goals in games this season was on full display once again. David Russell’s side grabbed two goals in the final 15 minutes of their Cup semi final with Shannon Hibs to emerge 3-1 winners.
Although they didn’t secure all three points here, they did manage to level the contest in the 94th minute. Elias Kunz played Gary Roche through on goal as the substitute calmly slotted the ball in to the bottom corner of the net.
Avenue United: James Tierney; Cullen McCabe, Conor Mullen, Dylan Casey, Conor Hehir; Stephen Jordan, Alan Roche, Eoghan Thynne, Mark Roche; Philip Talty, Eliaz Kunz.
Subs: Calum Barrett for Jordan; Gary Roche for Talty; Dylan Barry for A. Roche; Cian McDonagh for Thynne; Jamie Roche for Mullen.
Bridge United: Paul Tuohy; Leon Kelly, Michael Carr, Alan Mulready, Storm Devanney, Jonathan Downes, Conor Deasy, Liam Buckley, Paul Corry Leon Daly, Brian Corry;
Subs: Steve Stewart for Deasy; Kieran Quinlan for Carr; Alex Collins for B. Corry; Brandon O’Halloran for P. Corry.
Strong second half helps Town to shock win
Shannon Town 3
Newmarket Celtic 2
Shannon Town came from a goal down at half time to win by the same margin as they dealt Newmarket Celtic’s hopes of retaining the Moloney Hardware Premier Division title a huge blow.
With brothers Gary and Daithi O’Connell on opposite sides, it was Gary who was able to claim the bragging rights as he struck the winner.
Shannon Town took the lead through Jack Ryan but Newmarket responded quickly with former FAI Junior International Player of the Year Eoin Hayes helping his side draw level.
The experienced David McCarthy managed to find the net just before half time as the reigning champions led 2-1 at half time.
However, Eoin Hayes sustained a nasty ankle injury with his fitness a concern ahead of Newmarket’s two huge games against Avenue United in the next week. He was replaced by his brother Cathal up front.
Early in the second half Jack Kelly rose highest in the area to head home the equaliser following a Shannon Town corner.
The game had entered the final quarter when Gary O’Connell struck for what proved to be the winner for the home side.
Try as they might Newmarket were unable to find the goals they craved as Shannon Town secured a morale boosting win.
Shannon Town: Darren Whelan; Cody Waller, Steve Carroll, Colum Treacy, Darren Griffin; Jack Kelly, Kieran Hackett, T.J. O’Dwyer, Jack Ryan, Gary O’Connell, Brian Monaghan
Subs: Christopher Dunning for Hackett; Ben O’Neill for O’Dwyer.
Newmarket Celtic: Shane Cusack; David O’Grady, Stephen Kelly, Paddy Purcell, Darren Cullinan; Alan Kelly, David McCarthy, Conor McDaid, Eoin Hayes, Daithi O’Connell, Ronan McCormack. Subs: Cathal Hayes for E. Hayes (inj.); Cael Gaffney for D. O’Connell; Eoin Kelly for A. Kelly.
Glass ensures Mountshannon safety
Sporting Ennistymon 0
Mountshannon Celtic 1
William Glass scored the all important goal as Mountshannon Celtic overcame Sporting Ennistymon on Sunday.
The striker has come in to form since the Christmas break as Mounthsannon used their games in hand to good effect before overcoming Sporting Ennistymon.
With this win, Sporting Ennistymon now sit third from bottom and face a relegation play off. Meanwhile, Mountshannon are safe after Glass’ goal separated the sides. A draw would have been enough to ensure Mountshannon’s safety with all three points likely sealing a sixth placed finish at the end of the season.
The goal came from a penalty midway through the first half. In a game which was more exciting than the scoreline suggests, Joe Gallagher made some impressive saves with Glass looking sharp up front.
Sean McConigley hit the crossbar while both Sean and Jamesy McConigley saw efforts rebound off the post as Mountshannon secured the away win.
Sporting Ennistymon; Joe Gallagher; Ciaran Monaghan, Jamesy McConigley, Tiernan Hogan; Darren McNamara, Thierry Bouton, Chris O’Keeffe, Shane Kearney, Michael Leigh; Cathal McConigley, Sean McConigley. Subs: Dara Flynn for Bouton; Sean Crowe for Kearney.
Mountshannon Celtic: Andy O’Dwyer; Niall Minogue, Niall Dear, Michael Barrett, Oran Scanlan; Martin Cunningham, Ronan Dooley, Luke Sugrue, John Scanlan, Paddy Fitzgerald, William Glass. Subs: Guy Vigurs for Cunningham; Sean Browne for Minogue;
Lifford run riot in second half
Shannon Olympic 2
Lifford AFC 8
Six second half goals from Lifford AFC saw them thrash already relegated Shannon Olympic.
Dylan Ryan fired in a second half hat trick while Keith Shea’s brace in the final 45 minutes sealed a very impressive display for Adrian Walsh’s side.
With the sides deadlocked at 2-2 at the break, few would have predicted this final scoreline when the teams retired to the dressing room at half time.
Rachid Amallah and Ryan Kelly found the target for Olympic in the opening half but with Gary McNaboe and Paul Martin netting, the sides were level at the break.
However, Lifford simply blew their opponents away in the second half with Dylan Ryan firing in a hat trick and Keith Shea adding two more alongside an own goal, Adrian Walsh’s side became the third side to win away from home at the weekend.
With Zac Guilfoyle producing a Man of the Match display while Ryan and Shea impressing, Lifford have improved majorly since their sluggish start to the season.
Shannon Olympic: Piotr Kaluza; Benjamin Cantillon, Rob Clair, Alan Kelly, Pa Madden, Sean McDonald, Ciaran Keane, Ray Quigley, Jay Regan, Declan McDonald Ryan Kelly
Sub: Rachid Amallah for Regan
Lifford: Rhys Phillips; Eddie Killeen, Hamad Kuku, Eoin Monahan, Jean Ganda; Zac Guilfoyle, Paul Martyn, Ethan Cronin, Gary McNaboe Nathn Rezende, Guillermo Perez
Subs: John Allen for Killeen; Keith Shea for Rezende; Dylan Ryan for Guillermo, Niall Guinnane for Guilfoyle, Darragh Madigan for Ganda;
Hibs secure first league win
Ennis Town 1
Shannon Hibs 4
Shannon Hibs secured their first league win of the season as they produced their best performance of the campaign to beat an under strength Ennis Town side.
With Tony Downey’s charges firmly focused on their Munster U19 Cup final, players such as Tommy Collins, Jashar Aliu and Dean Hegarty were not risked.
This presented Hibs with an opportunity although Aaron Leahy’s side have been getting closer to that elusive league win. They gave Avenue a huge scare in the Clare Cup semi finals before suffering a 3-1 defeat.
Billy Connors opened the scoring for Hibs before Ennis Town earned themselves a penalty. Paddy Bugler was felled inside the box before he stepped up to dispatch the penalty to the net.
However, parity lasted only five minutes as midway through the opening half Darragh Leahy fired in his side’s second goal as the Shannon side began to believe that a first league win was within reach.
In the fourth minute of injury time at the end of the first half, Gary Leahy struck to help Hibs lead 3-1 at half time.
Gary Leahy struck again on the hour mark as the game petered out thereafter with Hibs securing all three points.
Ennis Town: Peadar O’Keeffe; Declan Ensko, Adam Fleming, Stephen Horgan, Emanual Ikiebu, Peter O’Brien, Paddy Bugler, Evan White, Conor McQuillan, Donal O’Halloran, Darragh Murphy
Shannon Hibs A: Damian Casey; Pa Devanney, Bobby O’Connell, Julian Woods, Stephen Tuohy; Gary Leahy, Ciaran McKee, Mikey Wall, Dean Devanney, Billy Connors, Darragh Leahy;
Subs: Darren O’Loughlin for P. Devanney; Jack Hannah for D. Devanney; Adam Ryan for D. Leahy.
Three Clare players compete in FAI Junior Cup Final
Three Clare men were part of the Pike Rovers side that suffered an FAI Junior Cup final defeat. Steven McGann and Colm Walsh O’Loughlin lined out in midfield as the Limerick side suffered their third final defeat in six years.
Paddy O’Malley came on as a sub to boost the Clare representation. Conor Kilgannon’s goal proved to be the difference maker as Villa FC secured their first ever success in the national competition.
Late in the game substitute Kevin Barry chested the ball into the path of McGann who fired a shot straight at Craig Dunphy in the Villa goal.
Walsh O’Loughlin saw red in the final stages alongside sub Evan Patterson as Pike finished with nine men.
Villa comfortably saw out the game with their numerical advantage as the Waterford side secured an historic triumph.