*Paddy Purcell & Mossy Hehir are expected to cross paths once again. Photograph: Oliver Fitzpatrick
The race for the Banner Flooring and Carpets Clare Cup title is now down to four teams with the big two, Newmarket Celtic and Avenue United are still in the hunt.
The semi-finals will take place this weekend with Avenue United facing Shannon Hibs on this Saturday at 6pm. while holders Newmarket Celtic take on Lifford on Sunday at 11am.
Both games will take place at Frank Healy Park, Doora and while Shannon Hibs and Lifford cannot be taken lightly, it will be a surprise if Avenue and Newmarket don’t progress to the final which is set for Saturday May 28. Both are also battling for the Premier Division title and this all points to an exciting conclusion to the season.
Comfortable win for Avenue
Avenue United A 7
Ennis Town FC 0
Venue: Lees Rd, Ennis
Avenue United justified favourtism when recording a comfortable win over their neighbours Ennis Town in this Clare cup quarter final on Saturday
The winners laid the foundation for this win in the opening half at the end of which they were 5-0 ahead. They added a further two in the second half to seal a semi-final date.
Scorers for the winners were Mark Roche and Philip Talty (2 each), Elias Kunz, Thomas Hehir, and Gary Roche
Avenue United; James Tierney, Cullen McCabe, Simon Cuddy, Dylan Casey, Conor Hehir, Philip Talty, Mikey Dinan, Eoghan Thynne, Mark Roche, Elias Kunz, Thomas Hehir;
Subs; Conor Mullen for Cuddy; Shane Brown for C. Hehir; Gary Roche for Kunz; Dylan Barry for Thynne (all at half time); Callum Barrett for Dinan;
Ennis Town; Aidan Jordan; Ultan Shields, Steven Horgan, Emmanuel Ikiebey, Sean Perrill, Eoin Keenan, Seun Olanrenaja; Lee Clohessy, Davy Keenan, Dean Hegarty, Yashar Aliu;
Subs used; Peter O’Brien, Lashe Isebajo, Robbie Gormley, Declan Ensko
Lifford strike twice in second half
Lifford 2
Tulla Utd 0
After a scoreless first half, Lifford stepped up a gear in the second period and deservingly qualified for the Banner Flooring and Carpets Clare Cup semi-final with this victory over Tulla United.
The Ennis outfit made a number of changes in the third quarter and these helped them to get a grip on the tie.
Substitute Keith Shea put them in front after Michael Junaid helped create the opportunity.
Just after the hour mark they were reduced to ten men when John Maher was sent off. Five minutes later they sealed their passage to the semi-final when Dan Daly scored after Matty Davenport helped create the chance.
Dan Daly, Eoin Walsh and Michael Junaid were prominent on the day for the winners.
Lifford; Rhys Phillips; Dan Daly, John Maher, Darragh Kerins, Gullermo, Michael Junaid, Paul Martin, Eoin Walsh, Nathan Rezende, Niall Guinnane, Gary McNaboe;
Subs; Matty Davenport for Guinnane; Keith Shea for McNaboe; Eoin Monaghan for Kerins; Hamad Kuku for Gullermo; Jean Ganda for Daly
Tulla United; Simon Kilker; Fionn Ryan, Diarmuid Molloy, Darragh Corry, Dara Ryan, Jack McSweeney, Dara Murphy, Fiachra Hale, Conor Whelan, Eoghan Ryan, Ian McNamara;
Subs; Raymond Bane for Corry (inj); Eanna Culloo for Ryan;
Newmarket too strong for injury-hit Kilkishen
Newmarket Celtic 4
Kilkishen Celtic 0
Venue: McDonagh Memorial Park, Newmarket-on-Fergus
Cup holders Newmarket Celtic kept up their strong challenge to retain the title with this comfortable win over Kilkishen.
Celtic who are chasing a remarkable tenth successive cup title, were 3-0 ahead at half time with goals from Daithi O’Connell, Eoin Hayes and Stephen Kelly. Two of these goals came inside the opening ten minutes with the third coming just a minute from the half time whistle..
O’Connell struck for their fourth and his second in the second half to seal a comfortable passage to the last four.
Kilkishen went into this game short five first team regulars due to injury. They came close to scoring in the final quarter but Shane Cusack in the winner’s goal made a superb save from a Paul Murphy volley after good play by Stevie Donnellan, Aidan Fawl and Conor Henry.
Newmarket Celtic A: Shane Cusack; David O’Grady, Darren Cullinan, Eoin Kelly, Stephen Kelly.; Alan Kelly Gearoid O’Brien, Cathal Hayes, Eoin Hayes, Daithi O’Connell, Ronan McCormack
Subs: Ciaran McCoy for A. Kelly; Colin Smyth for G. O’ Brien; Martin McCarthy for D. O’Connell; Davy Lennon for E. Hayes; Cael Gaffney for Cullinan.
Kilkishen Celtic: Killian Nugent; Niall Donovan, Denis Murphy, John O’Hagan, Aidan O’Halloran; Anthony Whyte, Johnny Cooney, Enda Murphy, Cathal Lenihan, Aidan Fawl, Conor Henry;
Subs used; Paul Murphy, Sean O’Gorman, Stevie Donnellan, Padraig Hickey, Johnnie Fern;
Hibs on top in Shannon derby
Shannon Town Utd B 1
Shannon Hibs 2
(after extra time)
Venue: Riverside Park, Shannon
Extra time was required in this all Shannon clash in the cup quarter final on Sunday
Hibs who have been relegated from the Premier Division this season, had their goals from Trevor O’Donnell and Gary Leahy. Shannon Town’s reply came from Adrian Carew.
Shannon Hibs; Damian Casey; Julian Woods, Pa Devanney, Ciaran McKee, Darragh McCabe, Gary Leahy, Mikey Wall, Zygge Wall, Dean Devanney, Bobby O’Connell, Liam Delaney;
Subs: Thomas McDade for Woods; Trevor O’Donnell for Delaney; Adam Ryan for M. Wall.
Shannon Town B; Gary Cusack; Nathaneal Nyakujara, Bryan O’Donoghue, Fergal McCarthy, Chris Lake; Eoghan Gough, Evan Glynn, Eoin Collins, Luke Cahill, Adrian Carew, Karl Scott
Subs used: Eoghan Maxwell, Aaron O’Meara, Jamie Hodge,
Shannon Town in control
Sporting Ennistymon 1
Shannon Town Utd A 7
Shannon Town A proved too strong for Sporting Ennistymon in this Premier Division game at the weekend.
They led 2-0 at half time with goals from Gary O’Connell and Christopher Dunning and they dominated the second half to seal victory.
Gary O’Connell scored twice in the second period to complete his hat trick while the other scorers were Brian Monaghan and Kieran Hackett with two.
Shannon Town A; Darren Whelan, Steven Carroll, Darren Griffin, Colum Treacy, Brian Monaghan, Liam Boland, Jack Kelly T. J. O’Dwyer, Gary O’Connell, Ciaran Hackett, Christopher Dunning;
Subs; Darragh O’Neill for Boland; Tom Butler for Kelly
FAI Junior Cup:
Pike Rovers from Limerick scored a 2-1 win over Oliver Bond from Dublin in the FAI junior cup semi-final at the weekend.
The winning Limerick team included three former Clare League players, Steven McGann, Paddy O’Malley and Colm Walsh O’Loughlin while John Earls is part of their backroom team.
