Sligo-Leitrim and District Soccer League
GURTEEN Celtic are still top of the Sligo Southern Hotel Super League but just by a margin of two points. The leaders’ silverware bid suffered a major blow when they lost 8-2 at home to Strand Celtic on Sunday last.
A goal up through Ross Donovan’s 11th minute goal, Gurteen found themselves 4-1 down at halftime after a flurry of fine goals from the visitors who netted through Max Stafford, Niall Martyn, Dylan Martin and Leo Doherty.
Goals from Aaron O’Boyle, Niall Martyn and Dylan Martin had Strand 7-1 ahead after 63 minutes, with Cillian Duggan pulling a goal back for Gurteen six minutes later.
Strand wrapped up this win – only their fourth victory in 14 games – when Conor Burke scored in the 80th minute.
Second-placed Cartron United exploited Gurteen’s loss to move within two points of the leaders – they were 1-0 winners away to Calry Bohs thanks to an own goal from Eoin Doherty two minutes into the second-half.
Champions MCR FC, who are third in the table, are firmly in the title race – they hammered bottom of the table Real Tubber 9-0 under lights at MacSharry Park last Saturday night.
On target for the winners, who led 7-0 at halftime, were hat-trick hero Keith Nibbs, Donagh Crowne (2), Jordan Harte (2), Bradley Fowley and Gary Farren. MCR are just five points behind Gurteen and have a game in hand.
Elsewhere in the top flight, Cliffoney Celtic won 2-0 away to Ballymote Celtic last Sunday. A brace of first-half goals from Mohamed Belghanem proved the difference at Brother Walfrid Park. Cliffoney are now on the same number of points as Ballymote (22).
Also last Sunday, St John’s FC drew 3-3 with Manor Rangers at MacSharry Park.
RESULTS
Played on Friday, March 8
Sligo Southern Hotel Super League
ROUND 20: Arrow Harps 6, Glenview Stars 0
Played on Saturday, March 9
Sligo Southern Hotel Super League
ROUND 20: Real Tubber 0, MCR FC 9
RESULTS
Played on Sunday, March 10
Sligo Southern Hotel Super League
ROUND 20: Calry Bohs 0, Cartron United 1; Ballymote Celtic 0, Cliffoney Celtic 2; Gurteen Celtic 2,
Strand Celtic 8; St John’s FC 3, Manor Rangers 3
Sligo Pallets Premier League
ROUND 18: Ballygawley Celtic 1, Calry Bohs
Reserves 2; Aughanagh Celtic 5, Coolaney United 1
Connacht FA Men’s Junior Shield
ROUND THREE: Dromahair FC 3,
Ballinasloe Town (Galway) 1
FIXTURES
First named team has home advantage unless otherwise stated. The referee for
Gabriel Gilbride earned a point for Manor when he equalised in the 87th minute – this erased the 3-2 lead for St John’s that Conor Brennan’s goal gave them four minutes earlier.
This was a tit for tat game – Michael Mulholland’s 10th minute goal for Manor kept the Leitrim side in front until the 68th minute when Andre Mills brought St John’s level.
Then St John’s went 2-1 ahead when Killian Sweeney scored. Brian McDonald was the next player to score – for Manor – as two more goals, one for each team, meant it finished all square.
Last Friday night Arrow Harps were 6-0 winners over Glenview Stars at Ballisodare United’s astroturf pitch. There were two goals each from Luke Flynn and Ben Tuohy, and the Barlow brothers, David and George, also scored one apiece.
AUGHANAGH Celtic, who are going full throttle for silverware in the Sligo Pallets Premier League, were 5-1 winners at home against Coolaney United on Sunday last.
Enda Gallagher converted a spot-kick to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage after half an hour but second tier leaders Aughanagh were back in the game when James Kiernan scored in first-half stoppage time. each fixture is denoted in brackets.
Friday, March 15
Sligo Southern Hotel Super League
ROUND 21: Manor Rangers v Strand Celtic (MacSharry Park, 7pm) (S McGarry)
Sligo Pallets Premier League
ROUND FOUR: Valley Rovers v Calry Bohs Reserves (Astroturf pitch, Cleveragh, 8.30pm) (Eric Rainey) ROUND 13: Ballisodare United v
Aughanagh Celtic (8.15pm) (J Griffin)
Saturday, March 16
Sligo Southern Hotel Super League
ROUND 21: MCR FC v St John’s FC (MacSharry
Park, 5pm) (P McLoughlin); Cartron United v Carbury FC (MacSharry Park, 7pm) (O McLoughlin)
FIXTURES
First named team has home advantage unless otherwise stated. The referee for each fixture is denoted in brackets.
Sunday, March 17
Sligo Southern Hotel Super League
ROUND 21 – GAMES START AT 11AM UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED: Gurteen Celtic v Arrow Harps (P Kilcoyne); Ballymote Celtic v Glenview Stars (S Fallon); Cliffoney Celtic v Calry Bohs (R Zoschke)
Aughanagh scored four goals in the second-half to take over. James Kiernan netted again, Darragh Hailstones scored from the spot, Seamus Hailstones scored as did Conor Deery.
Aughanagh’s lead at the top is six points – they have played 20 games as have their nearest challengers, second-placed Merville United.
Also in Premier League last Sunday, Calry Bohs Reserves won 2-1 away to Ballygawley Celtic. The home side were a goal up at the break thanks to Kyle Carty’s goal in first-half stoppage time.
Calry Bohs Reserves turned things around in the second-half, a revival sparked by James Carroll’s own goal after 67 minutes. The recovery was completed three minutes later when Max Farrell scored.
DROMAHAIR FC are through to the Connacht Football Association Men’s Junior Shield quarter-finals thanks to last Sunday’s 3-1 home defeat of Galway’s Ballinasloe Town.
The winners were 2-0 ahead at half-time thanks to first-half goals from Alan Kavanagh and Stephen Mullan.
Ballinasloe halved the deficit in the second period but Dromahair made certain of their
STANDINGS
Gurteen Celtic Cartron Utd MCR FC
Arrow Harps Carbury FC Ballymote Celtic Cliffoney Celtic Glenview Stars Calry Bohs Strand Celtic Manor Rangers St John’s FC
Real Tubber
Aughanagh Celtic Merville Utd Ballisodare Utd Benbulben FC Coolaney Utd Ballygawley Celtic Calry Bohs Res Dromahair FC Kilglass-E’crone Utd Strand Celtic Res Valley Rovers Carrick Town
TOP SCORERS
P W D 14 11 1 14 10 2 13 9 2 14 8 4 11 8 1 15 6 4 16 7 1 15 6 1 15 5 2 14 4 2 15 4 2 16 3 3 18 1 1
P W D 20 18 1 20 16 1 18 14 0 22 11 2 20 11 2 21 10 2 20 8 2 22 8 2 22 6 5 21 6 3 20 6 0 22 0 0
L 2 2 2 2 2 5 8 8 8 8 9 10 16
F 48 47 44 39 43 30 35 32 24 28 29 36 13
A 20 17 24 18 14 26 39 44 32 29 44 53 88
Diff +28 +30 +20 +21 +29 +4 -4 -12 -8 -1 -15 -17 -75
L FA Diff 1 79 24 +55 3 68 33 +35 4 70 28 +42 9 71 51 +20 7 52 44 +8 9 55 47 +8 10 53 56 -3 12 58 83 -25 11 44 65 -21 12 41 62 -21 14 32 64 -32 22 0 66 -66
Pts 34 32 29 28 25 22 22 19 17 14 14 12 4
Pts 55 49 42 35 35 32 32 26 23 21 18 0
SUPER LEAGUE
12 GOALS: Dylan Martin (Strand Celtic), Thomas Sweeney (Gurteen Celtic); 11 GOALS: Jake Drewe (Glenview Stars), Ben Tuohy (Arrow Harps); 9 GOALS: Donal Gallagher (Cartron United), Donagh Crowne (MCR FC); 8 GOALS: Jack Davitt (Cliffoney Celtic), Eoghan Nerney (Gurteen Celtic), Keith Nibbs (MCR FC); 7 GOALS: Clive Brennan (Cartron United), Dylan Walsh (Gurteen Celtic), Cian Kilcoyne (Carbury FC), Malachy Spratt (Carbury FC), Darragh McGoldrick (St John’s FC), Conor Brennan (St John’s FC).
PREMIER LEAGUE
26 GOALS: Tyler Stallard (Merville United); 16
GOALS: Daniel Watters (Benbulben FC); 15 GOALS: Oisin Gilmartin (Benbulben FC); 14 GOALS: James Kiernan (Aughanagh Celtic); 11 GOALS: Adam Grace (Ballisodare United), Andrew Callaghan (Calry Bohs Reserves), Darragh Healy (Ballisodare United), Alan Kavanagh (Dromahair FC), Sean Stenson (Coolaney United), Seamus Hailstones (Aughanagh Celtic).
progress when Donnacha Devaney bagged a goal. Dromahair are the only Sligo-Leitrim side left in this season’s competition.