Celtic and Crossmolina advance to provincial semi-finals
Castlebar Celtic reached the Connacht Cup semi-finals with a win over NUIG while Westport United B come close to causing a major shock as they were beaten by Mervue United in a penalty shootout.
Castlebar Celtic made it through to the Connacht Cup semi-finals for the second year in a row with a comfortable 5-1 win over NUIG on Sunday afternoon.
Neil Douglas headed Celic into the lead inside ten minutes and Paul Walsh doubled their lead on 16 minutes with a close range finish before Jason Hunt made it three before half-time.
Walsh got the fourth with his second of the day before Dylan Edwards got in on the scoring to add a fifth and Celtic cruised into the semi-finals despite NUIG getting a consolation goal late on.
Westport United B nearly caused the shock of the round and came very close to joining Celtic in the semi-finals but exited the competition as they lost 7-6 on penalties to a much fancied Mervue United side after the game finished 1-1 after extra-time.
Mervue took the lead midway through the first half as Adam Healy’s excellent free-kick from twenty five yards found the top corner of Micheal Gibbons net but Michael Horan’s side forced the game into extra-time when Jack Dawson equalised at the second attempt with seven minutes to go.
The sides couldn’t be separated in extra time and the dreaded penalty shootout was needed to determine a winner.
In a epic shootout it went all the way to eleven penalties each as Micheal Gibbons seen his penalty saved by Robert Carr before Carr stepped up to score the winner seconds later.
Crossmolina also had to face a penalty shootout in the Connacht Shield quarterfinal after a 5-5 draw with Athenry B but in this instance it was the Mayo side that progressed to the semi final.
Athenry B raced into an early two goal lead only for Crossmolina to hit a purple patch in the match as they hit back to lead 4-2 at the break thanks to goals from Kevin Campbell, Niall Coggins, Edward Gough and Shane Hennigan.
Athenry struck twice in the second half to send the game into extra time and Crossmolina needed a late equaliser from Kevin Campbell to send the game to penalties.
It was Campbell who was the hero in the shootout as he hit the winning penalty to send the home side into the semi finals after he was presented with the chance thanks to keeper Sean Gallagher penalty save from Athenry’s fifth taker.
On Saturday evening ten man Manulla scored a late goal to deny Straide & Foxford United their first win of the season in the Elverys Sports Super League as the sides finished one a piece in Carramore. Manulla looked in real trouble when Dylan Padden seen red just moments after Straide & Foxfor took the lead through Connor Hanahoe on fifty two minutes. Despite having the man advantage the away side were unable to add a second goal and they were made to pay when Rian O’Connor struck the equaliser with seven minutes to go.
Ballyheane moved to the top of the table after a 1-0 win over Westport United in United Park on Saturday evening. The home side will feel a little bit hard done by as they had some very good chances to have taken at least a point from the match but it was Ballyheane that dug out the win thanks to Cillian Redmond’s headed goal from a corner inside the first ten minutes. Dylan O’Malley came closest to finding an equaliser when his first time volley came back of the post and Pj Calvey follow up found the back of the net but the goal was ruled out for offside.
On Sunday morning, Ballina Town moved level with Ballyheane and Castlebar Celtic with a hard fought 2-1 win over neighbours Conn Rangers.
Ballina led by a solitary goal at the break as Brendan Lavelle slotted home a penalty after 18 minutes before David McCracken added a second to put some daylight between the teams on 53 minutes.
PJ Gilmartin made it an interesting last fifteen minutes as he made no mistake from the penalty spot but despite a big effort they just couldn’t find an equaliser as they lay siege to the Ballina goal while Brian McMahon made a few outstanding saves at the other end as Ballina had some chances to kill off the game on the counter attack.
In the CastleCourt Hotel Premier Division, Ballyglass made it three wins from four as they moved to the top of the table with a comfortable 4-1 win over Swinford.
Ryan Connolly opened the scoring on twelve minutes as he scored his first goal of the season and then the talented Jack Keane doubled their lead on the half hour mark.
Connolly and Keane combined to make it three on fifty-six minutes as the youngster got his second of the day and despite Adorn Biju pulling a goal back with 20 minutes to go, the home side completed the scoring through John Walsh in injury time.
Two of the sides struggling for points at the bottom of the table earned a point apiece on Saturday evening as Kiltimagh/Knock United and Fahy Rovers played out a 1-1 draw in CMS Park.
The sides went in level at the break after Simon Duffy missed a penalty on 34 minutes but we didn’t have to wait too long in the second half for the opener as Patrick O’Connell scored for Fahy. Dylan Webb scored the equaliser for the home side midway through the second half as he converted a penalty but neither side could find a crucial second goal as their search for a first win of the season continues for another week.
On Sunday morning Ballinrobe Town needed a goal inside the final ten minutes from JP O’Gorman to earn a 1-1 draw against Moy Villa who are a much improved side from the start of the season.
Moy Villa took the lead on ten minutes through Luke Ruane and they must have thought they would take all three points when Jp O’Gorman missed a spot-kick with 20 minutes to go but the veteran striker made up for that miss when he hit the equaliser ten minutes later.
Kilmore made the long journey to Ballyhaunis Town on Sunday morning and made a return to winning ways after three first half goals saw them take all three points from Station Rise.
Mark Gilbert scored twice inside the opening 20 minutes and Padraig Doherty added a third before the half hour mark to end the game as a contest. Gilbert’s first goal came on eight minutes as he finished from ten yards after the impressive Patrick Sweeney laid the ball off to him from just outside the area.
Ballyhaunis were cursing their luck five minutes later when Patrick McHale made an excellent save from James Reynolds first time volley and a few minutes later Kilmore made it two as Sweeney sent Evan Ivers clear down the right wing and the young striker picked out Gilbert with a superb ball across the box and his strike partner made no mistake from six yards.
Gilbert and Ivers combined again for the third goal as they combined on the left wing before Ivers played another precision pass across the box for right winger Padraig Doherty who calmly finished past Adam Noone in the Ballyhaunis goal.
There were very few talking points in the second half as Kilmore made it three wins from four to join Ballyglass on nine points at the top of the table.
- Report courtesy of the Mayo Football League.
*Full match reports from Castlebar Celtic v NUIG, Westport Utd B v Mervue Utd, Westport Utd v Ballyheane and Manulla v S&F in tomorrow's print edition of The Connaught Telegraph.