Tipperary Soccer: FAI Junior Cup Reports (Part 2) - Wins for Cahir Park, Rosegreen, Wilderness

St Michael’s 2 – 0 Two Mile Borris

St Michael’s got the better of a dour cup tie against an energetic and determined Borris side who brought a lot to this FAI Junior Cup tie at Cooke Park, but ultimately came up short against a side for whom winning the competition is seen at the beginning of each season as a genuine possibility.
After just three minutes the visitors could have been ahead when Lorcan O’Toole got on the end of a corner from the right but his header hadn’t the power to trouble the Saints’ goalkeeper.

The home side slowly played themselves into the game and began to create chances, with David Slattery and Rhys Byron being especially prominent in attack. But they too lacked the composure in front of goal to take advantage of their side’s good build-up play, and the game went to the break level at 0-0.

Borris again troubled the hosts in the early minutes of the second period. But like the first half, as the game settled down, St Michael’s slowly took control, and they eventually opened the scoring in the 66th minute when Russell Quirke was upended in the penalty area, and David Slattery fired home from the resultant spot kick.

This forced Borris to commit more to attack in the hope of getting back level, and Danny Rafter almost levelled in the 73rd minute but couldn’t connect with a cross into the area. A Lorcan O’Toole header minutes later also went narrowly past the post.

The home side needed an insurance goal and it came 11 minutes from time when Russell Quirke freed Ashley Kelleher on the right and instead of shooting, he squared the ball inside for David Slattery, who fired past the stranded Borris ‘keeper from just inside the box.

This took the wind out of the Borris sails, and the home side coasted through the final minutes to assure themselves of their place in the next round of the competition.

BT Harps 1 – 2 Cahir Park

TSDL side Cahir Park travelled north to play BT Harps on Sunday afternoon, and came from behind to book their place in the second round of this year’s FAI Junior Cup.

The south Tipperary team started the better and dominated the first quarter of the game, but they were caught with a counter attack in the 26th minute and fell behind to a well-taken individual goal.
The next ten minutes were even, with both sides having chances, but the visitors eventually regained control and got a deserved equaliser a minute before the break when Stephen Duggan finished well from 12 yards out.

The second half continued with Cahir Park doing all the controlling of the play and they finally went ahead just after the hour mark, when Andy Fitzpatrick curled home a free kick from well outside the area.

BT Harps began to chase the game and put the south Tipperary side under considerable pressure, drawing two excellent saves from Eoghan Doyle in the Cahir goal, before closing out the game and taking the victory.

Tipperary Soccer: FAI Junior Cup Reports (Part 1) - Wins for Clonmel Town, Celtic and Cashel

Lough Derg 0 – 3 Rosegreen Rangers

Probably the longest trip of all the south Tipperary sides was that undertaken by Rosegreen Rangers on Sunday afternoon, but it was worth it when they came away with a well-earned win against north Tipperary side Lough Derg. They did, however, have to first withstand an onslaught from the home side, who cannoned a ball off the crossbar in the opening minute of the game.

But once the Rangers had settled into the game they took control and went in front in the 20th minute thanks to a fantastic strike by TJ Ryan from all of 25 yards.

Ten minutes before the break, they doubled the advantage from a Ryan header, and thought they had made it three just before the half-time whistle when they had the ball in the net, only to see the effort ruled offside.

The second half was a tamer affair, with Rosegreen happy to concede possession and territory to the home side, but always maintaining the capacity to break out and attack when they chose to do so.
They finally put the result beyond doubt ten minutes from the end when they added a third goal through Dan Currivan, getting a good win that shortened the road home considerably.

Birdhill FC 0 – 8 Wilderness Rovers

Coming off their first league win the previous weekend, and with strength and depth finally added into the squad, Wilderness Rovers easily accounted for NTDL side Birdhill on Sunday afternoon in the FAI Junior Cup. The south Tipperary side controlled the game from start to finish, constantly attacking and moving the ball throughout and the goals flowed as a result.

A Sean Browne hat-trick was the standout contribution on the day, along with a brace from Graham Kelly, and goals from Jayden Cagney, Conor Anderson and an own goal making up the scores.

Sallypark 4 – 3 Bansha Celtic
Bansha started quickly and threatened the Sallypark goal on numerous occasions in the first few minutes without any end product, but eventually broke the deadlock through Kevin Power after ten minutes. But the home side eventually settled down and got level almost immediately after a defensive mix-up. This seemed to rock the south Tipperary side and they went behind in the 20th minute when the home side scored from a setpiece.

But Celtic came back again as the game went to and fro, levelling after Daire Egan found the net from 25 yards on the half-hour mark. This wasn’t the end of the scoring in a rip-roaring first half, and the visitors re-took the lead minutes from the break when Niall Daly headed home from ten yards.

The second half was barely two minutes old when Bansha were reduced to ten men, and the home side drew level from the resulting penalty.

The game was reduced to long balls up and down the field after this and Bansha were denied what looked like a clear penalty when a Sallypark defender seemed to have handled the ball on the goal line, but their efforts were waved away. The real setback, however for Bansha after making the long trip, was seeing Sallypark hit a winner two minutes from time, when it looked like the game was heading for extra-time, giving the TSDL side no time to get back and force the matter any further.