Willow's cup dream ends as Clonmel defence holds firm

A teak-tough and highly disciplined Clonmel Town wrecked Willow Park's FAI Junior Cup dream after a tight and closely fought contest in Athlone last Sunday. An unstoppable strike from Clonmel winger Dwayne Burns did the damage, with the Tipperary men holding out for a narrow victory against a slightly unfortunate Willow Park, who probably did enough to warrant extra-time. Although Willow struggled to get to grips with the game for a large chunk of the first half - after they seemed to have been rocked by the concession of an early goal - they dominated matters in the second period. However, Tony O'Sullivan's side will be somewhat disappointed that they only created two genuine clear-cut opportunities all day, and that neither Brian Frawley nor Aidan Hyland could find the net when faced with those chances. Give Clonmel credit, though, for the 1994 Junior Cup champions are a resolute and well-organised outfit.After taking an early lead, they put up a formidable defensive barrier, with centre-backs John Shanahan and Raymie Condon in immense form. In midfield, they also had one of the game's best performers in the experienced Tony Scully, but it was Willow who played most football on the day, and probably merited extra-time, despite never hitting full potential, a factor which will leave a feeling of regret in Willow mouths. Willow can be proud of their efforts in this year's competition though and, although local rivals St Peter's proved the theory wrong last season when going all the way to the decider, it often takes teams several years before making the breakthrough to the latter stages of this tough competition.The Athlone side also have plenty to concentrate on for the remainder of the season, as they are still in the Leinster Junior Cup, and are also in a good position to retain the local Combined Counties League. However, the holy grail of the Junior Cup - a competition not won by a team from Athlone since 1938 - was one Willow had their eyes on this season, and the deep despair felt by the players after this frustrating exit, will be difficult to wash from the system in the near future. Willow had to cope without the vast experience of Colin Fortune after the midfielder was sent off in their last 16 defeat of Leeside a week earlier, and they could have done with Fortune's know-how and nous after falling behind in the third minute. Left-back Peter Sherlock, usually so assured, was dispossessed by Dwayne Burns, and his unstoppable strike from almost 30 yards flew past Ian Bolger and into the net. It was the worst possible start for Willow and they never fully recovered until deep into the opening half. Most play in the first half was frantic and it certainly suited a robust Clonmel side, whose midfield enforcer Stephen Ryan was given far too much room by Willow's slightly off-colour midfield. Much of Willow's play was easy on the eye but lacked any sort of punch and penetration in the final third of the field, with too many attacks breaking down in disheartening fashion. Clonmel were fortunate to still have eleven players on the field at the break, after the influential Tony Scully was only shown a yellow card for striking out at Mark Nicholson. Willow were well annoyed by this incident but Scully was allowed to stay on the field and he continued to have a major role in Clonmel's win. Willow's only real hope of a goal in the first half came courtesy of set-pieces, but Robbie Shine blasted wide from just outside the box, before Clonmel scrambled the ball clear after Ronan Frawley got on the end of Gary McHugh's right-sided corner. McHugh almost unlocked Clonmel on the stroke of half-time, firing a crossfield ball into the path of Aidan Hyland, but impressive Clonmel 'keeper Richie Ryan came racing from his goal to mop up the danger. Willow started the second half in the ascendency where they remained for the entire second half, but, for the majority, they struggled to break down Clonmel's tight defensive shield. Shine's diagonal pass picked out Aidan Hyland but just as it seemed the situation was opening up for the winger, Clonmel got enough bodies back to prevent a clear sight of goal. Shine then miscued a half-chance from the edge of the box after Richie Ryan had punched clear a McHugh corner. On 57 minutes, Willow finally pierced Clonmel's strong defence, when Aidan Hyland's flicked pass put Brian Frawley through on goal, however, the usually clinical forward shot too close to Ryan, who pushed his effort wide for a corner.Clonmel threatened ever so briefly when Bolger punched a corner kick clear and right-back Darren Burns raced onto the loose ball before driving a great effort only inches over the bar. Shine then tried his luck from almost 30 yards but his drive rose fractionally too high of Ryan's crossbar. Another Shine free kick, this time sent in from the left flank, seemed destined to land on Ronan Frawley's head, but excellent defending from Raymie Condon thwarted the home side. In the last ten minutes, Willow sent on Michael Harney to assist in an aerial bombardment of Clonmel's penalty area, but it was through neat passing play that Willow would create their best chance of the day. It fell to Aidan Hyland, after good work by McHugh, but his low shot was brilliantly saved by the superb Ryan. You sensed it wasn't going to be Willow's day, and that feeling was further hammered home when Harney headed over the bar from eight yards after a fantastic cross by substitute Mark McConnell. With Willow sending almost everybody forward in the dying moments, Clonmel substitute Evan Maguire had a wonderful opportunity to make the last few minutes more comfortable for the visitors, but he somehow show over from close range with Bolger already on the floor. In the end, Willow's incessant assault on the Clonmel box wasn't to be enough, and their exciting run in the Junior Cup came to a close for another year, with a distinct feeling hovering in the air that they probably didn't do themselves full justice on the day. Willow Park: Ian Bolger; Robbie Shine, Peter Sherlock, Jimmy Mullally, Ronan Frawley, Mark Nicholson, Colm Hyland, Gary McHugh, Benny Magennis, Brian Frawley, Aidan Hyland. Subs: Mark McConnell for B Frawley (70 mins), Michael Harney for Magennis (79). Clonmel Town: Richie Ryan; Darren Burns, Ronan Stanley, John Shanahan, Raymie Condon, Tony Scully, Ian Barnes, Stephen Ryan, Aaron Moroney, Barry Ryan, Dwayne Burns. Subs: Rory Kiely for D Burns (49 mins), Evan Maguire for B Ryan (70), Barry Murphy for Moroney (93). Referee: James Dermody.