This article is from page 66 of the 2011-09-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 66 JPG
Ennis Town Rock 1 – Hermitage A 0 at Lees Road, Ennis
ENNIS Town Rock finished their league cup campaign undefeated with a victory in this all Ennis affair but it was another town team, Avenue United, who were the real winners on the day.
Town’s victory ensured they finished level on points with Avenue at the top of Section A however the Clare Cup champions superior goal difference ensures they will progress to the tournament decider against the winners of group B.
Avenue put themselves in pole position with a seven goal victory over Burren United and 3-2 midweek win over Hermitage.
To have any chance of qualifying for the tournament decider, Town had to beat Tage by eight goals, an always impossible looking target.
After much huffing and puffing, Town finally found the back of the net in the closing stages through Francis Daniels’ goal.
Hermitage, minus eight or nine first team regulars, had their moments too, notably when Paul Dinan’s fiercely struck effort forced a good save from Stephen Loftus.
Town, who also entered Sunday’s game with a depleted squad, looked bright in the early stages.
Centre forward Matthew Kearney led the line superbly, drawing a string of excellent stops from Tage goalkeeper Joe Burke.
The movement of the impressive Dinan caused problems for Town but it was the home side who almost snatched the lead through Marty McLoughlin in the closing moments if the half.
McLoughlin was denied after the break by another superb save from Burke while substitute Stephen Hickey went close with a couple of efforts.
Hickey was then involved as Town took the lead. The striker laid of to Daniels whose curled shot flew into the top corner past Burke. A win for Town but its Avenue who progress.
Ennis Town Rock
Stephen Loftus, Brian McNulty, Ronan Judge, Shane Daniels, JasonWhite, Francis Daniels,Alex Bore, Ethan Coote, Rowan Eade, MatthewKearney, Marty McLoughlin
Subs
Stephen Hickey for Kearney, Sean Kennedy for Eade
Hermitage
Joe Burke,Chris Ryan, Caomhán O’Briaon, John Maher, David Moloney, Colin Ryan, Sean McGee, Francis Franks, Eoin O’Meara Daly, Paul Dinan, Robert Dunne
Subs
Darren Lynch
Referee
Tommy Guilfoyle