FAI Junior Cup: Clonmel Town bow out away to top Limerick side Fairview Rangers
FAI JUNIOR CUP (5th Round)
Fairview Rangers 1 – 0 Clonmel Town
Clonmel Town’s interest in this season FAI Junior Cup is over for another season after a narrow 1-0 defeat to holders and nine-time winners of the competition Fairview Rangers in Limerick last Saturday evening. Clonmel Town did themselves and their club proud with a wonderful display but unfortunately could not find an equaliser after falling behind to Shane Duggan’s ninth minute strike.
There is an old coaching saying in football “that when the ball goes dead, you come alive” and unfortunately the Town team learned this the hard way after conceding a corner, switching off for a split second and allowing the home side to take a short corner, which resulted in Duggan’s shot taking two deflectionS before rolling past the helpless Evan Comerford in the Town goal.
This match was Town’s 20th of the season, not only were they unbeaten but it was the first time they fell behind. The large group of supporters wondered what their response would be, they weren’t to be disappointed. Towns front three of Jake French Davis, Rhys O'Regan and Kyle Cuddy were causing Fairview no end of trouble and forced the Limerick side into some desperate last ditch defending to keep a hold of their lead. They forced 11 first half corners, which on two occasions saw goalkeeper Aaron Savage make world class saves, as well as a clearance off the line by the ever-alert Declan Cahill.
Town ended the half on top and left the field to a rousing applause from their large vocal supporters.
However, it was Fairview who started the second half on the front foot and they took control of the game, pinning the TSDL side back for much of the early part of the second period. The visitors last real chance came near the end after Rhys O'Regan was brought down 25 yards from goal. He picked himself but unfortunately his effort sailed over the bar and with it, the Clonmel sides chance of forcing this tie to extra-time and beyond.
The Limerick side won’t face as many challenges as tough as this, and Clonmel Town will be better for the experience, even if the pill of defeat will be a bitter one to swallow for this season anyway.