Avenue Utd 1-1 Leeside AFC (AET) – Leeside won 7-6 on penalties
Avenue Utd were unlucky to lose out to a very good Leeside team from Cork in the Munster Youths Cup Semi-Final after the contest was decided in a penalty shootout at Frank Healy Park on Saturday.
There was very few chances in the first half with Nathan Manson Browne going close with a header for Leeside and Sean Doherty going close with a shot for Avenue.
The game really opened up in the second half as both sides went all out in search of a goal. Jack McCarthy got on the end of a free kick for Leeside on 55 minutes but missed the target. Gavin Cooney had a good effort for Avenue saved by Ben Graham on 57 minutes.
Johnny Ryan made a great save to deny Manson Browne on 62 minutes. Good play from Conor McDaid on 78 minutes put Gavin Cooney through one on one with Graham but the Leeside keeper denied the Avenue striker with a great save. One last chance for Leeside on 90 minutes fell to Eoin Murphy but he was denied by a great tackle in the box by Cathal Darcy as the game went to extra time.
Leeside started extra time brightly and Murphy was denied by a great save from Johnny Ryan on 92 minutes. Avenue enjoyed a period of dominance for the remainder of the half and were very unlucky not to go in front just before half time when a shot from Conor McDaid rebounded off inside of the post and into the hands of the Leeside keeper Ben Graham.
Leeside went in front with 2 minutes remaining in extra time with a great finish from George Keating and there looked no way back for Avenue. To their credit Avenue kept the pressure on to the end and were rewarded just before the full time whistle with a great strike from substitute Mark McInerney to send the game to a penalty shootout.
Greg Magner held his nerve in the shootout to score the winning penalty for the Cork side and keep their hopes alive of a Munster and FAI Youths Cup double for the season.
Avenue Utd: Johnny Ryan, Eoghan Thynne, Kevin O’Connor, Ronan Lanigan, Cathal Darcy, Ben Quinn, Conor McDaid, Ikem Ugwueru, Sean Doherty, Jamie Roche, Gavin Cooney
Subs: Cullen McCabe, Sultan Obwobi, Cillian O’Donoghue, Mark McInerney, Brian Downey, Manus Doherty, Cian McDonagh
Maloney Garden Machinery Premier Division
Ennis Town A 0-2 Newmarket Celtic A
Newmarket Celtic went 2 points clear of Shannon Town at the top of the Premier Division with three games remaining after defeating Ennis Town at Lees Road on Sunday.
In a game played in very difficult conditions it was Newmarket who dominated large parts of the first half but almost went behind when a long range strike from the impressive Joe Collins was well saved by Niall Quinn in the Newmarket goal.
Newmarket had many crosses into the box that were well dealt with by Ennis Town. The first goal came on the stroke of half time when Brian Monaghan hit a low drive that was well saved but it was Eoin Hayes who reacted the sharpest when he followed up and slotted home to put Newmarket 1-0 ahead at the break.
The second half started with Newmarket straight on the front foot and were forcing corners without getting the elusive second goal. It was David McCarthy who provided the second goal with a run from midfield and he placed a low shot from 20 yards out into the bottom corner.
Two nearly became three moments after when McCarthy hit a 30 yarder that was flying into the top corner only to see it brilliantly saved by the Ennis Town keeper. Newmarket went close late on through Daithi O’Connell twice but the scoreline remained the same as Newmarket earned an important victory in the title race.
Newmarket Celtic: Niall Quinn, Steve Carroll, Paddy Purcell, Mark Donlon, Darren Cullinan, Brian Monaghan, Eoin O’Brien, David McCarthy, Eoin Hayes, Rona McCormack, Daithi O’Connell
Subs: Ian Collins for Hayes, Seamie Lawlor for McCarthy, Cathal Hayes for McCormack.
Suttons Lighting Third Division
Inch Crusaders 3-3 Moher Celtic B
Inch Crusaders and Moher Celtic played out an entertaining draw at Lees Road on Sunday. Star performer for the home side was Thiago Santana who scored a hat-trick to help earn his side a share of the points.
Inch Crusaders: James Rynne, Sean Talty, Gareth Thompson, Killian Torphy, Padraig Talty, Rory Killeen, Enda McGuane, Edward Fogarty, Ronan Grace, Brenno Henrique, Thiago Santana
Subs: Emmet Pyne for Killeen, Eoghan Grace for Fogarty, David Maloney for Ronan Grace, Eoghan Culligan for Henrique