Tipperary Soccer: Antonio Rea inspires Saints to victory over Mullinahone
Clonmel Credit Union Division 1 League
St Michael’s 4 – 2 Mullinahone
St Michael’s second team were full value for the victory in this game, their win based on a solid platform built in the first half, and they were able to withstand a spirited fight back by Mullinahone in the second half.
Antonio Rea went close for the Saints in the 13th minute and almost immediately made it 1-0 when he was played by a Rhys Byron pass, allowing him to fire past Aaron Phelan in the Mullinahone goal.
Byron then made it two three minutes later when he finished well from a Paddy Bermingham pass.
Antonio Rea continued to cause problems throughout the half, and made it 3-0 shortly before half-time when he took advantage of a peach of a pass from substitute Evan Hawkins to give his side a commanding lead at the interval.
Two minutes into the second period, a bizarre goal gave Mullinahone a lifeline when a goal kick from Aaron Phelan took a fierce bounce and went over the head of Robbie McGrath, who had a fine game nevertheless in the Saints goal.
This inspired Mullinahone, who now had the aid of the strong breeze, and they took the game to Saints, with Ryan Hicks hitting the crossbar five minutes later.
The home side weathered the storm and wrapped up the points in the 70th minute when Josh Flannery was on hand to turn in a Cian O’Dwyer cross.
Mullinahone continued to push, however, and Jamie Hindley made it four goals to two ten minutes from the end when he latched onto a pass to beat McGrath for a second time. Rea blazed over the bar minutes from the end while going in search of his hat-trick and a Josh Flannery effort went just wide, but Saints had a two-goal cushion to go on and claim an invaluable three league points.