Evergreen and Deen Celtic advance in Maher Shield

The local soccer scene is beginning to notch up a few gears with league and cup action taking place around the county in recent days.

The traditional precursor to the season, the Pat Maher Shield is now into its latter stages and after Freebooters already booked their place in the last four a few weeks ago, they were joined by Deen Celtic last weekend after they defeated St John’s on a 2-0 scoreline in Garringreen.

As a result of other commitments, Evergreen only completed their last 16 tie with Laois outfit Clover United on Sunday and they ran out convincing 7-2 winners.

Tadhg Dwyer, David Grincell, Mikey Drennan, Ethan Phelan and Adrian Cleere all scored for the city side and they now move on to face Newpark in the quarter-finals with Deen Celtic awaiting the winner.

The last remaining quarter-final tie sees Lions meet Ormonde Villa with Freebooters the prize in the semi-finals for the winners.

Freebooters may not have been in cup action but they still very much had their eye in when scoring eight away to Highview Athletic in the Junior St Canice’s Credit Union Premier Division on Saturday night.

It was a goal fest for the city side in Graignamanagh with Joe Banville and Harry Jordan getting two goals apiece in addition to single efforts from Jason Hennessy, Ben Maher, Matty Zyech and Gary Breen.

The other premier division clash of the weekend saw Callan United entertain Thomastown United and it was the home side who emerged 3-2 winners as they made it two wins from three in a much improved beginning to the campaign in comparison to 2022.

Callan are one of five clubs on six points, a group which includes Thomastown, as they trail Deen Celtic at the top of the division but it is still very much early days on the league front.

Elsewhere there was two games in the Junior KCLR Scoreline.ie Division 1 League with Freshford Town and Evergreen C sharing the spoils in a 2-2 draw while Lions claimed a 2-1 win away to Castlewarren Celtic at the Watershed.

It’s Evergreen B who continue to rule the roost here with five wins from five and they are back in action at home to the Lions next weekend.

The heavily stacked Junior Division 2 Emerald Tiles League continued to live up to it’s chaotic billing with goals everywhere you looked over the weekend.

There was an incredible 13 goals at the Watershed with Lions overcoming Newpark 9-4 whereas Freebooters B claimed a comprehensive 8-3 win at Spa United’s expense.

The final game in the division saw Thomastown B run out 5-0 winners over Deen Celtic B at United Park.

There were also four games in the Women’s St Canice’s Credit Union League where there were wins for Newpark, Mill Celtic, Thomastown United and Vale Wanderers which concluded a hectic few days of action.