Next Sunday’s Ricky Fogarty Cup decider will be an all Nenagh affair as Nenagh AFC welcome Nenagh Celtic to Brickfields for the Premier Division Cup Final with a 2:00PM kick off. The Brickfields outfit have already clinched the Premier Division League title but were pushed all the way by their neighbouring rivals so Sunday’s game should be a mouth watering affair. The Blues will be buoyed from their recent FAI Youths Cup success with some of the Youths panel involved in Sunday’s encounter with Jordan Lewis, Alan Sheehan and Ryan Gilmartin in superb form for the ‘A’ team in addition to their exploits for the Youths team while Arthur Mitchell and Thomas Sheppard have been consistent for the Brickfields side all season. Nenagh AFC will be without the services of Robbie Ryan who has emigrated to the US while an in form Brian Quinn returns to Canada two days before the Final, however the Martin Donnellan / Dearan O’Gorman managed side have plenty of strength in depth and already face some selection headaches in advance of Sunday’s game. Meanwhile, Nenagh Celtic have injury concerns with Christy Ryan who is struggling with an ankle injury and is rated 50/50 while Stevie Ryan has been out with a back strain for the past month but played 25 minutes in last Sunday’s league game. Former League of Ireland player Mark Walsh is having a fine season with 20 plus goals scored and will be a key player for the Hoops on Sunday, able assistance will be provided by Jimmy Hynes who is always a threat up front while Danny Ryan, David Walsh and Enrico Casey will also need to turn in top notch performances if the Ricky Fogarty Cup is to leave Brickfields on Sunday afternoon. It must be said that Nenagh AFC are the form team and were on a run of nine games without conceding a goal going in to last Sunday’s NT&DL Tipperary Cup tie against Lough Derg and it took something special from Chris Monaghan to breach the Nenagh rearguard. The form book suggests Nenagh AFC, however derby games are always unpredictable and Nenagh Celtic will be fully determined to secure silverware before the season is out, so this tie will go right down to the wire, however it might be a bridge too far for the visiting side on this occasion.
Ricky Fogarty Cup Final – Roll of Honour (last 8 seasons)
Season Winners Runners Up
2012/2013 Cloughjordan Thurles Town
2011/2012 Nenagh AFC Nenagh Celtic
2010/2011 Nenagh AFC Nenagh Celtic
2009/2010 Nenagh AFC Nenagh Celtic
2008/2009 Nenagh Celtic Blackcastle Utd
2007/2008 Blackcastle Utd Nenagh AFC
2006/2007 Blackcastle Utd Nenagh Celtic
2005/2006 Nenagh AFC Arra Rovers