Limerick Junior Soccer Round-Up

Due to inclement weather, the majority of junior soccer fixtures in Limerick were wiped out last weekend. There were only a few fixtures remaining throughout the city. The FAI Cup games involving Pike Rovers, Regional United and Coonagh United and the PJ Matthews Premier League game between Aisling Annacotty and Ballynanty Rovers all survived the conditions. Furthermore, the benefits of Annacotty’s astroturf set-up was evident once again as the club’s B team hosted Castle Rovers in a crunch clash in division 1A later that afternoon.

There will only be one team representing Limerick junior soccer in the last 16 of the FAI Cup as Pike Rovers defeated Regional United 2-1 at Crossagalla while Coonagh United lost 2-1 in Cork to Graatan United. Wayne Colbert gave Pike the lead in the all Limerick clash as he guided the ball into the back of the net following the visitors failure to clear a corner kick. Experienced winger Eoin Hanrahan doubled the 2016 finalists lead with a super strike. Willie Griffin halved the deficit for Regional as he placed a header into the corner of the net following a hopeful cross into the box. However, Mick Shiel’s men held on to become the sole Limerick representative in the 6th round. A Ger Myles goal was not enough for Coonagh as they conceded a last minute goal to lose 2-1 to Graatan United. The club have had a great run in the competition and will now be odds on favourites to win Division 1B.

Aisling Annacotty emerged victorious from their league clash with Ballynanty Rovers to all but end the northsiders league challenge for another season. Jason Lipper scored an injury-time winner to secure the three points for Mike McCarthy’s team.
Aisling B did not enjoy the same fortune in their Division 1A meeting with Castle Rovers as the Fedamore outfit secured a 1-2 victory courtesy of two goals from veteran Michael Ryan. It was a crucial win for Castle which moves them four points clear of the bottom two in 1A.

In Division 2A, Charleville and Geraldines shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw. The Garryowen Green outfit took the lead through Padraig Reale before Shane Connolly equalised for the home team. Geraldines are now six points clear at the top of 2A.

In youth football, Fairview Rangers advanced to the last eight of the Munster Youth Cup as they defeated Cork outfit St. Mary’s by 3 goals to 2. However, fellow Limerick side Kilfrush bowed out of the competition following a 1-2 defeat to St. Brendan’s Park of Kerry.