The weekend’s Junior Soccer action.
ST. JOHNS F. C. were at home to Yeats United and with the Yeats Men showing only four points on the table from six games played it was a case of having to get stuck in and push to get the three points in this crucial tie.
The Carraroe side are showing good form of late going into Sunday’s tie one point ahead of their rivals with two games in hand.
Conor Brennan bagged a brace for the home side while Paul Logan did the same for the Yeats Men. Alan O’Dowd and Donal Gallagher also scoring for Yeats United. Colin Feehily and Eddie Devaney were next on target for the Carraroe side before David Heffernan made it five for St Johns before Gallagher’s late goal.
Yeats finished with a flurry but the equaliser evaded them and the tie finished with St Johns winning by the odd goal in nine.
Last season’s Premier League winners Ballymote Celtic welcomed Ballisodare United to Bro. Wilfrid Park, the Ballisodare boys knowing that a win would see them move into pole position as leaders Carbury F. C. had no game this weekend.
And boy did they go on top in style, letting their opponents know that life in the Super League was not going to be a cake walk, United went 2- 0 up in the first five minutes, and led 3- 0 at half time. The second half was going to be an uphill battle if Ballymote were to gain anything from this tie, but that was not to be, two more goals in the second half saw the tie finish 0- 5 to the visitors who now lead the Super League.
Strand Celtic were without their wonder kid Ryan McManus due to suspension following his collection of a succession of yellow cards when they took on Aughanagh Celtic in the seaside venue at Strandhill and it looked like he was going to be a big loss.
Aughanagh Celtic led three nil at half time and looked home and dry.
Strand Celtic had a different idea, they pulled three goals back to see the tie looking like a draw would be a fair result.
Brian Craig put Aughanagh ahead late in the second half and the visitors surely thought they had done enough to head back up the N4 with all three points until up popped Gareth Kelly who struck the late equaliser with one of his trade mark strikes and this classic of a game ended all square at 4- 4. Aaron O Boyle bagged a brace while Mark Mc Goldrick also got his name on the score sheet for the sea- siders. Paul McTiernan, Conor McPadden and Thomas Cryan all on target for Aughanagh Celtic
In the Sligo Pallets Premier League, Gurteen Celtic played host to Cliffoney Celtic with the North Sligo men hoping to draw level on points with league leaders Ballygawley Celtic who had a free weekend.
Alan Harrison struck twice, Gary O Connor, Stephen Gallagher and Niall Sheerin all scored for the high flying Cliffoney Celtic who are now joint leaders on the Sligo Pallets Premier League Table.
Vinnie Frizzell and Ion Lavric were on the mark for Gurteen Celtic.
Cliffoney Celtic are now sitting on top of the Premier League table level on points with Ballygawley Celtic who have a game in hand. Thomas Walsh will be well aware that games in hand do not always convert to points on the table.
Dromore Villa made the long trek to Grange where they played Benbulben F. C.
Michael Hynes’ villains piled the pressure on the struggling the North Sligo Side but try as they did they could not break the Benbulben defence. Eoghan Brady scored the only goal of the game for Benbulben F. C.
Jerry O’Grady’s Coolaney United were playing at home faced Gary Funston’s M. C. R. F. C. who are seeing something of a revival in form and lying in third position ahead of this weekend’s games. This was a relatively one sided affair, with the experienced Stephen ( Scillachi) Hallihan on target twice, once from the penalty spot. Ciaran Harvey, Bart Folan, Cathal McMorrow and Andy Bacon all scoring one a- piece.
Arrow Harps welcomed Darren Kelly’s Merville United to Riverstown where they dished out a 3- 1 drubbing of The Maugheraboy based side.
Daniel Willis, Keith McMorrow, and Frankie Quinn on target for the Harps.
Adam Devaney with the consolation goal for Kelly’s young side.
Carrick Town and Real Tubber did battle in the Leitrim County Town. Ray Mulvey put the Town ahead before but his strike was soon cancelled out by Jack Walsh, Niall Commerton scored the winner which saw the game finish 2- 1.
Next weekend’s Super League fixtures have been curtailed slightly due to a number of Sligo Leitrim District Soccer League Club players involvement in the Michael Ward Inter Provincial Tournament which is being held in Cork and hosted by the Munster League. The games are played over three days 14th to the 16th October in a number of venues including Middleton, Blarney, Ringmahon Park and Turners Cross.
The Sligo Leitrim League Representative team manager and his assistant Lee Marshall are also managing the Connacht Representative team in this Competition. His back room staff includes local net minder Tony Clarke and Physio Jonathan Lynch.
Ray Mac Sharry Park in Sligo held host to the recent Connacht trial game and John and his staff are in the process of selecting the final twenty players from the Roscommon District League, the Mayo League, the Sligo Leitrim District League and the Galway League that will represent Connacht in the Competition. The Sligo Leitrim District Soccer League would like to wish them all the best of luck.