Top class Tullamore Town advance in SFAI Cup

Tullamore Town U14s recorded an impressive 4-0 win over Monasterevin in Leah Victoria Park on Friday night last in the fourth round of the SFAI Cup. 

U14 SFAI National Cup, Fourth Round

Tullamore Town 4
Monasterevin 0

Playing under lights on a wet and windy night, conditions were not ideal, but didn’t detract from a very impressive performance by the home side. The win takes them through to the last 32 in the competition, and having reached the semi-final stage last season, this side will have ambitions to go deep in this competition.

Having received a bye in the first round, and recording comprehensive wins over Abbeyleix and Wicklow Rovers, Tullamore lined out against a Monasterevin side who currently sit top of their league in Kildare. The home side immediately took the game to Monasterevin and dominated possession while probing for an opener.

The Kildare side sat very deep in a defensive set up to stifle the Tullamore attack, packing their own box to make a breakthrough difficult. Early chances fell to Mark Monanghan, Dara Waldron, Calan Kinnarney and Scott Halloran before Felix Kryzeviciene made the breakthrough on 30 minutes.

A shot from outside the box from Jamie Harvey was saved by the impressive Monasterevin keeper Daragh Malone, though he couldn’t hold the ball and Felix Kryzeviciene was quickest to react to the loose ball to steer it home. Five minutes later Scott Halloran thought he had scored with a strike from the edge of the box which struck the inside of the post and rolled across the goalline and somehow out of play. Tullamore maintained pressure on the Monasterevin goal with a series of corners which were stoutly defended. Ben Boland in the Tullamore goal had a comfortable half only having to deal with a single attack from the away side.

A 1-0 half time scoreline meant the tie was very much alive for the second half, but five minutes in Felix Kryzeviciene cleverly robbed the ball from Daragh Malone as the Monasterevin keeper tried to play the ball out. He quickly passed it to Mark Monaghan who rifled home a shot from the corner of the 18 yard box. 2-0 and the boys in blue were humming. This Tullamore Town have long impressed with their brand of football and their slick passing was again in evidence on Friday night with defence linking up seamlessly with midfield and the forwards. Tullamore used the full pitch to their benefit, often switching play right to left and finding space for their wingers. Shortly after Scott Halloran rattled the crossbar with a long range effort, Tullamore made their first substitiution, bringing on Kajus Ramanauskas in midfield. His impact was almost immediate as his header from Dara Waldron’s corner made it 3-0.

Tullamore’s solid back four of Steven Murrihy, Adam Malone, Ronan Guinan and Thomas Carroll were never troubled and Michael McAndrew having taken over in goals for the second half saw out the game with ease. Adam Keegan and Odhran Gilmartin were introduced in the second half to maintain the pressure on Monasterevin and a late goal from Mark Monaghan completed the 4-0 win. But for the superb performance of Daragh Malone in the Monasterevin goals the win would have been even more resounding, but the home side were happy to pass the test and make it through to the next round.

Tullamore Town are now in the open national draw for the last 32 and will be semi finalists in the South East Leinster Region along with St Josephs (Athlone), Willow Park (Athlone) and Clane. Their coaches Patrick Murrihy and Jason Halloran were particularly pleased with the quality of their play right throughout the pitch and how they managed to unlock a very stubborn Monasterevin defence. Next up for Tullamore is a crucial tie away to Portlaoise in the MSL Major League on Saturday, January 14.

Tullamore currently sit top of the league with nine wins from nine, with Portlaoise in second place. With just three games left to play this one could well be a title decider.