Newmarket Celtic add Tom Hand Cup to growing collection in Clare
Eoin Murphy opened the scoring for Rockmount Credit: Steve Alfred (ETPhotos)
Things keep getting better and better in Clare as Newmarket Celtic won the Tom Hand Cup by defeating reigning FAI Intermediate Cup winners Rockmount 2-1 at Ballingeary in Limerick.
This success comes on the heels of their penalty shoot-out triumph against St Michael’s AFC in the FAI Junior Cup final — a historic first for a club from the Banner County.
The Tom Hand Cup is an annual event where the reigning FAI Intermediate and Junior Cup champions face off in a single-game showdown.
Rockmount entered the match as the defending champions, having beaten Villa FC in a penalty shoot-out during the 2022 final.
That victory heralded a season in which the Munster Senior League Premier Division title, Keane Cup, and Intermediate Cup all went to Cork city's north side.
Their experience was evident when Irish amateur international, Eoin Murphy, secured a half-time lead for them in the Tom Hand Cup final.
However, Newmarket Celtic responded with a double from Ethan Fitzgerald, marking a historic win for the club in Limerick.
This accolade now accompanies their domestic league title, which they captured by overcoming Avenue with a 2-1 scoreline last season.
However, the Munster Junior Cup remained elusive for Newmarket Celtic, as they were bested in the final by Limerick's Regional Utd.
About Dylan O'Connell
Dylan is a freelance journalist based in Cork. He joined Extratime in 2016 and he covers games all across Ireland. His bylines include The Echo, Irish Independent, Irish Examiner, The 42, RTÉ Sport, and Irish … View Full Profile