This article is from page 87 of the 2009-04-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 87 JPG
IT’S advantage Avenue United B in the race for the second division championship after Sunday’s win over Lifford B.
Richie O’Grady’s goal six min- utes from full time sealed a win that pushes Avenue four points clear of Lifford at the top of the league.
The victory also ensured Avenue’s promotion to division one and three more points from their final game against Rhine Rovers will guaran- tee that Ben Mulcaire’s side go up as champions.
O’Grady’s goal also inflicted on Lifford their first defeat of the season while at the same extended Avenue’s unbeaten league record to 17 games.
Lifford B, meanwhile, are not yet assured of their place in division one for next season.
They are three points ahead of third placed Rhine Rovers but will need to secure four points from their final two games against Sporting Ennisty- mon and Kilmaley in order to ensure promotion.
Sunday’s local derby was fiercely contested, if a little low on quality and goalmouth incident. Though the game never spilled over into anything nasty, referee Michael Rock was still forced to issue five yellow cards, four to Lifford and one to Avenue.
Cassidy Park was no place for the faint hearted.
Keith Dormer, Albert Hardiman
and Gary Seery kept it tight at the back for Avenue. Likewise Adrian Walsh, Marty O’Regan and Mark Whelan for Lifford.
Both sides lined up with five players across midfield. In such a condensed area, players were allowed pre- cious little time on the ball and the first half unfolded as a full-blooded
drama of hard tackles and thumped clearances.
Pumped up by their stunning cup win over Newmarket Celtic, Lif- ford’s best chance of the half arrived in the 26th minute when Eddie Kil- leen dispossessed Seery and laid off to Francis Franks. Franks’ crossed to McDonagh who lifted his shot nar-
rowly over the bar.
McDonagh and Darren Daly had other chances for Lifford but at the break the sides were level 0-0. Liam Meeney’s right wing cross, six min- utes after the re-start, picked out Mannion at the back post but the midfielder saw his half volley held by Avenue goalie Cillian Culligan.
Killeen fizzed another effort straight at Culligan minutes later. Avenue weathered the storm and gradually took a grip on the game.
Cian Griffin, lively on the left flank, fizzed a half volley that was held by Lifford goalie Joe Burke.
Then Michael Dinan crossed to Richie O’Grady who squared to Conor O’Brien who’s stabbed effort had Burke scrambling.
By now, Avenue were well on top and the goal arrived from their best move of the game. Hardiman pushed a fine pass to Dinan on the right. The midfielder squared to O’Grady who finished from close range.