Rearcross Youths bow out of Tipperary Youths Cup

Rearcross Youths bowed out of the Tipperary Youths Cup at the semi-final stages against a strong BT Harps outfit at Rearcross FC Grounds on Saturday evening. The 6-1 scoreline wasn’t a fair reflection on the game and Rea will rue not opening the account in an opening half where the Rea boys more than matched their opponents and were also unlucky hitting the woodwork twice either side of half time. The Slieve Felim team made the first incision when Larry Collins who was a threat on the left throughout, let fly but the looping effort pulled away from the target with four minutes gone. Rearcross goalkeeper and captain Brian Hammersley led from the back with another fine outing and produced the save of the match with a superb reflex save in the 6th minute. Larry Collins sent in a smashing delivery on the 15th minute mark which forced the concession of a corner kick, the resulting delivery caused all kinds of consternation for the visiting defence as Rea had successive chances to bundle the ball over the line. A counter attacked saw Luke Carroll doing exceptionally well to get back and make a crucial tackle to avert the danger. A Luke Carroll free kick was on the mark but gathered by the visiting keeper while Brian Hammersley saved from the boot of Oisin O’Dwyer at the near post. The Templemore side hit the front with seventeen minutes to go in the half after Josh Quinlan crossed to Ryan Loughnane who finished from the edge of the six-yard box. The hosts were robbed not to snatch an equaliser on 31 minutes when Larry Collins picked out James Butler, however the sweetly struck effort clipped the crossbar. Rea were luckless again 2 minutes later after Larry Collins produced the trickery in front of goals but the keeper eventually blocked the ball away while at the other end Brian Hammersley not to be outdone did well to fingertip the ball away from a cross swung in from the right. BT Harps doubled their tally in the 36th minute when S Purcell’s long range free kick delivery was nodded home by Ryan Loughnane. The hosts bounced back and were again luckless when a Larry Collins daisy cutter from out on the left went whizzing across the goalmouth and inches wide of the far upright and then on the stroke of half time, Taylor Light linked up with Max Carroll whose effort pulled right of the mark.
Rearcross made a bright start to the second half, but the outcome very much swung in the favour of the visitors eight minutes in when Cormac Foy bagged a controversial goal after the ball appeared to cross the endline, the Rea players stood for the wide ball, but the goal was allowed stand despite strong protestations by the home Club. Rearcross were left reeling as BT Harps made it four nil a minute later when Ryan Loughnane sent a cracking effort to the roof of the net. Brian Hammersley made another fine save to deny M Da Costa but was helpless to thwart Oisin O’Dwyer on the hour mark who scored a fine individual goal. Rearcross didn’t throw in the towel as Sean Griffin got on the end of a through ball but was luckless to see his flicked effort come back off the upright before C Sheedy gathered. BT Harps kept on the offensive as Brian Hammersley saved again and Jack Brett also made a telling tackle to keep the scoreline intact. Oisin O’Dwyer proved more that a handful for Rea on the evening as Brian Hammersley denied the number 11 with a reflex leg save. The home side grabbed a deserved consolation goal four minutes from time after Patrick Ryan got on the end of a long delivery from Callum Wallace to knock the ball home. The final play saw Mel Sheridan doing well to weave through and wasn’t far away with a good effort. Rearcross will be disappointed with the final scoreline after turning in a merited performance, but didn’t get the rub of the green against a well drilled BT Harps side who are wished all the best in the Cup Final.

Rearcross Youths: Brian Hammersley (Capt), Patrick Kennedy, Liam Crump, Callum Wallace, Luke Carroll, Max Carroll, Taylor Light, Padraig Griffin, Sean Griffin, Larry Collins, James Butler
Subs: Aaron Quinlan, Jack Brett, Patrick Ryan, Mel Sheridan, Logan Omusi (All  Used)

BT Harps: C Sheedy, J Hoy, L Delaney, C Moloney, S Purcell, W Collier, F McAleese, J Quinlan, R Loughnane, C Foy, O’Dwyer
Subs: M Bovi, M Da Costa, C Langton, D Hogan, D Augustyniak

Referee: Rory Kennedy

Report by Ger Kennedy