Junior soccer action.
HEADLINES can at times be hard to find but not this weekend because in the Sligo Southern Hotel Super League there was a huge shock result as Manorhamilton Rangers cruised to a 6-1 victory over the then league leaders MCR. PRIOR to their visit to the Bee Park on Sunday, MCR had scored 26 goals in five games and conceded only five.
They had only lost once and that was a 2-1 defeat at home to reigning champions Carbury FC.
Manor Rangers on the other hand had an indifferent start to the season but all this counted for nothing on the day.
the Bee Park was set alight with a magical display of clinical finishing by Seamus Ryder who scored all six goals for a rampant Manor Rangers.
The score line at half time was 4-0 to Manor and it should have been more when two minutes from half time Aaron Hickey’s penalty was superbly saved by the MCR net minder Tony Clarke.
The second half saw Manor continue their domination with Seamus Ryder completing his feat with two more goals and it could well have been more except for the exceptional heroics of the Tony Clarke in the MCR goals. However the day, the points and the Man Of The Match all belong to Seamus Ryder and his team Manor Rangers.
DEfending champions Carbury took full advantage of MCR’s slipup by winning at home to Strand Celtic.
Their business was concluded by half-time with Ibrahim Savage was on target after 14 minutes.
He added his second goal twenty minutes later. With five minutes to go until half-time, Gary Armstrong struck the third goal for Carbury.
The second half was a different game as Strand upped the ante and Carbury were on the back foot for long periods.
Kaillum Burns scored a screamer of a goal for Strand on 70 minutes but unfortunately, they failed to build on this.
Aughanagh Celtic were another club who turned recent form on its head.
They welcomed Glenview Stars to Ballinafad for this Super League clash in a game that Stars would have been expected to win. The problem was no one told Aughanagh when on 20 minutes Marc Keegan opened their account and it was that way until five minutes into the second half when Anthony Johnston cracked home the equaliser for Stars.
Aughanagh kept their composure and were rewarded on 70 minutes when Dermot Beggan hit the back of the net for the hosts. Then on the stroke of full time Seamus Kane put the icing on the cake with a cracker of a third goal that wrapped up all three points for jubilant Aughanagh Celtic.
The Super League certainly threw up a lot of shocks and surprises this weekend and more continued when Merville United welcomed Ballisodare United to Maugheraboy.
Merville took the lead through Kyle Cawley on ten minutes and were well in control until ten minutes from the break when the ever elusive Darragh Healy pounced to level matters for Ballisodare.
Then two minutes from half time much to the amazement of both teams and spectators, referee Owen Mc Loughlin pointed to the penalty spot. Steven Patton stepped up and fired home from the penalty that in the end proved the winner for Ballisodare United.
Coolaney United welcomed the vastly improving St Johns FC to Coolaney in the Andrew Mullen Sligo Pallets Premier league.
A win here would have seen Coolaney at least joint top table or, depending on goals scored, outright leaders.
However, none of this was meant to be. St John’s, who were unlucky last week not to take something against the league leaders, were well up for this game.
St Johns took the lead on fifty minutes when Joe Likdnje fired them into the lead and they held this until five minutes from the end. Leading scorer Cathal Davey saw his brilliant effort come back off the crossbar but Sean Doyle was following up and headed powerfully home to net a glorious equaliser for a delighted Coolaney United who had played the last twenty minutes with ten men as Martin Devaney received his marching orders from referee Paul Harte for incurring a second yellow card.
Benbulben welcomed Real Tubber to Grange in an explosive game that had a glut of goals. Benbulben were leading 3-2 at the break thanks to a strike from Anthony Moylette on thirty minutes plus a double from Darren Gilsenan. Real Tubber hit back with a Ronan Forkin goal and a penalty from Jack Walsh.
Real Tubber started the second half at a much higher tempo and within six minutes Jack Walsh had completed his hat trick.
Next up was Jack Flatley and then Shane Keyes completed the scoring for Real Tubber. With five minutes to go, Benbulben pulled a goal back through Michael Gilmartin but the day and the points belonged to Real Tubber.
Benbulben have the fire power they just need to tighten up their defence and they can be a force to be reckoned with.
Gurteen Celtic welcomed Riverstown Masters to Gurteen and were leading by two goals to nil at the break courtesy of the opening goal from Kevin Cryan accompanied by a thirty yard screamer form Tony Taylor that flew into the top left hand corner of the Riverstown net.
The second half saw the Riverstown rear-guard in top form and it was twenty minutes from time before they were breached when Shane Gallagher was found loitering with intent and he made no mistake in firing home the third goal that insured all three points for the Gurteen Boys.
In the T P Brennan Connacht Junior Cup 1st Round Tireragh FC received a walkover from Mayo side Newport Town.
North Sligo side Cliffoney Celtic were away to Dunmore Town and travelled home happy campers thanks to a 5-2 victory.
Niall Sheerin the man of the moment hitting a splendid hat-trick aided and abetted with a goal each from Christie Keaney and Conor Colreavy.
Premier League leaders Cartron United travelled to take up the challenge of St Bernard’s FC Galway it was the home side who emerged victorious with the only goal of the game coming on the hour from Jason Finn.
SLIGO LEITRIM DISTRICT SOCCER LEAGUE