Flying Fort send champions crashing out of McCalmont Cup

There will be a new name on the McCalmont Cup for the first time since 2016 after the defending champions Evergreen A were knocked out by Fort Rangers last weekend.

Evergreen have been the dominant force in all domestic competitions over the last few years and this defeat will certainly open the door for the remaining sides in the hunt for silverware.

The last winners were Thomastown United back in 2016. Both they and the likes of Freebooters will really fancy their chances of overdue success now that Evergreen are gone.

Let’s not forget about Fort Rangers either who knocked the champions out at the Kells Road with a 3-2 victory after extra-time and could possibly play ’Booters in the next round.

Evergreen were big favourites for the round one clash and everything seemed to be going to plan for them when Ethan Phelan gave the hosts an early lead.

Fort Rangers hit back though as Stephen McKenna headed a Dion Fitzpatrick corner into the net.

David Grincell then put Evergreen back into the lead before Fitzpatrick grabbed his second goal of the game to force extra-time.

Against the odds, the visitors found a way to find a winner when Eddie Nugent scored in the second period of extra-time.

There was late Evergreen pressure but Fort Rangers held out for a shock success.

Elsewhere in the competition Castlewarren Celtic ran out 6-0 winners over Evergreen C while the final game of the round involving Freebooters and East End United will be played this weekend.

Cup draw

The full draw for the last 16 of the competition is as follows: Bye: Evergreen 46; River Rangers A v Highview Athletic, Castlewarren Celtic v Callan United, Lions v Clover United, Ormonde Villa v Bridge United, Thomastown United A v Newpark, Fort Rangers v East End United or Freebooters, St Canice’s v Deen Celtic.

All of the games are scheduled to take place on the last weekend in March.

On the league front Bridge United moved up to third position in the St Canice’s Credit Union Premier Division after they claimed a 4-0 win away to Clover United in Rathdowney.

The Goresbridge outfit have only played six league games thus far but with four wins now under their belt, they will be delighted with their contribution at the halfway mark of the season.

They will however get a much bigger test in their next league game away to Freebooters.

There was also one game in the KCLR Scoreline.ie Division 1 League where Ormonde Villa secured a 4-1 win against bottom of the table Lions in Garringreen.

The Division Two League also hosted a pair of fixtures as Stoneyford United hosted St John’s and Thomastown United B entertained River Rangers.

Stoneyford edged a five-goal thriller with St John’s when claiming a 3-2 win while the points were shared in the other game.

The weekend’s action was then rounded off in the Division Three Emerald Tiles League where Newpark reduced the gap on league leaders East End United with a 4-0 win away to River Rangers B.

The other game saw Evergreen 46 see off Spa United with a 2-1 success on the Kells Road.