Villa welcomed Clonmel Town to the Tower grounds on a lovely Saturday afternoon for a cup game looking to progress to semi final of the Tipperary Cup. Clonmel Town started the better and were dominant in midfield and had a couple of half chances. Villa were been frustrated up front with efforts from Eoin O'Dwyer and Kevin Patan failing to hit the target. In the 20th minute Clonmel were awarded a penalty for a foul by Darren Connor and the Villa keeper Shane McGuire, not for first time this year, saved the well struck spot kick to keep score at 0-0. The exchanges were even now as villa came a bit more into the game in midfield through Evan McCormack, Stevie Fewer and Jack Ryan Casey. Clonmel took the lead after a ball into Villa box wasn’t dealt with, 1-0 Clonmel Town. For the remaining 10 minutes of the half, Villa dominated and won numerous corners with a header from Cormac Lanigan hitting the post and Kevin Patan also going close.

 

In the second half Villa came out a totally different team and from the kick-off began to dominate the game with Kevin Croke, Darren Connor and Cormac Lanigan in the backline playing with confidence and were more comfortable on the ball. Darragh Byrne was linking up well with Kevin Patan down the right which was causing Clonmel all sorts of problems. After a few half chances and near misses Villa were awarded a penalty. Up stepped Villa keeper Shane McGuire to dispatch the peno into the net to make the scorline 1-1. Villa now pushed for the winner but efforts from Jack Ryan Casey, Evan McCormack, Adam Garrett and Tommy Brophy failed to beat the visitors keeper. At the other end Shane McGuire was on hand to keep out a counter attack with a good save and also got in a number of good saves to deny Clonmel a score. Villa pushed hard for the winner and in the 89th minute a cross from Evan McCormack was fisted out by the visitors keeper and the clearance fell to Eoin O'Dwyer, who calmly rolled it back accross the box to the on rushing Jack Ryan Casey, who placed it in the bottom corner. 2-1 Villa with 5 minutes of injury time to play, meant that Clonmel through caution to the wind and pressed forward to get an eqialiser. Shane McGuire again made a few great saves to deny the visitors and see out the Villa win 2-1.

 

A fantastic display in the second half got the boys through to the semi-final, with excellent displays on the day from all as Villa dug deep to get the win. Stevie Fewer, Jack Ryan Casey, Kevin Patan played excellently, but man of the match on the day for saving a penalty, scoring a penalty and also making some other crucial saves throughout was Villa keeper Shane McGuire.