Impressive result for Rearcross 'B' in Tipperary Cup

Rearcross ‘B’ welcomed Holycross to Rea on Sunday morning in the opening round of the Kevin Fogarty Tipperary Cup. On paper it would look a tough tie for the home side as Holycross currently ply their trade in the top flight. However, Rea had a numerically strong panel on the day which gave them a massive boost. Rearcross had the greater share of possession from the very start as Holycross opted to sit off the hosts and allow them to have the ball in their own half. Both sides had several half chances in the opening 20 minutes with Holycross coming close from a brilliantly delivered corner early on which swung just around the post and out for a goal kick. Holycross opened the scoring in the 36th minute against the run of play when a defensive mix up allowed Audie Lohan to capitalise as he went through one on one with Brian Hammersley in the Rearcross goal. Rea responded after 44 minutes when Kieran Devitt put his head on a Donnie O’Brien corner to level proceedings at the half time mark.
Despite controlling the game for large spells in the first half, Rearcross needed to turn things up a notch in the second half to have any chance of progressing to the next round. Having a big panel really played into Rea’s advantage in the second half as there was plenty of fresh legs to be introduced. Holycross frustrated Rea for most of the second half by making it very difficult for the home side to find that all important goal which would see them take the lead with Jojo Ryan pulling off some great saves for the visitors. Rearcross finally found what they were looking for in the 79th minute when Max Carroll’s effort from the edge of the box dipped just in time to find its way under the crossbar and put Rea in the lead for the first time on the day. Debutant Colm Kennedy extended Rea’s advantage only a few minutes later when he made no mistake in finishing a Gavin Denihan cross from close range. Substitute Gary Ryan rounded up the scoring for the day in the 89th minute with a free kick effort which went all the way to the net to see Rearcross safely through to the second round where they will face Premier Division powerhouses BT Harps ‘A’. Well done to Max Carroll and Colm Kennedy on scoring their first junior goals for the club with the latter also making his junior debut. Well done also to Gary O’Brien and Sean Hickey who were selected for the NT&DL team of the week.

Rearcross ‘B’: Brian Hammersley, Gavin Denihan, Gary O’Brien, Eamonn Devitt (Capt), Sean Hickey, Max Carroll, Colm Kennedy, Donnacha O’Brien, Tom O’Dwyer, Kieran Devitt, Mikey Feehan
Subs: Paul Ryan, Colm Carey, Jayden Healy, Colm Nolan, Gary Ryan, Brendan O’Dwyer

Holycross FC: J. Ryan, D. Manning, K. Rusinek, A. Ryan, L. Ryan, K. Denny (Capt), C. Lohan, S. Britton, J. Ryan, A. Lohan, S. Ryan.
Subs: J. King

Referee: Michael Barry

Report by Brian Hammersley

Kieran Devitt heads home from a corner kick to draw Rearcross level

Rearcross hit the front with a Max Carroll lobbed effort from just outside the box

Colm Kennedy nets with a low finish to give Rearcross a 3-1 advantage

Gary Ryan seals the win with a free kick effort from distance.