Roscommon & District League Round up 24/03/2019

Congratulations are extended to St. Peter’s FC who retained the Raftery’s Oakland Hotel Premier Division of the Roscommon and District League following their 3 - 0 win over Ballymoe FC at Ballymoe. Mark McConnell opened the scoring for St. Peter’s with only four minutes played. Ballymoe then took control but just when it looked like they would get something from the game they had their leading goal scorer sent off for two bookings.
Darragh Concannon added to the winners lead before their leading goal scorer
Mark McConnell added his second near the end of the game. The league champions won eleven of their fifteen league games and were crowned champions with a game left to play.

Ballinasloe Town beat Kilkerrin United 4 – 0 at Ballinasloe but the best they can hope for is the runners up medals. David Cullen opened the scoring after a superb Aidan Dooney through ball. Des Hope headed a Cormack Clogher cross to the net to make it 2 – 0 before Cian Reynolds set up Aidan Dooney for the winner’s third. David Cullen completed the scoring from the penalty spot after Liam Lynch was fouled.

Cloonfad United gave themselves a real chance of avoiding relegation when they beat Strokestown United 3 – 2 at Cloonfad. Strokestown will play in Division One next season following a disappointing campaign. Tiernan Murphy converted two penalties to give the Cloonfad side a 2 – 0 half time lead. Darren Clabby, who was the best player on the field, pulled a goal back for Strokestown with sixty played but within a minute Tiernan Murphy completed his hat trick for the winners. Jason McEvoy scored again for Strokestown with eight minutes left to play but Cloonfad held out for the win.

In round three of the Joe's Bar Challenge Cup, Kilkerrin United advanced at the expense of fellow premier side Shiven Rovers. The game finished at 1- 1 at the end of extra time with Kilkerrin winning the penalty shoot-out on a 4 – 2 score-line. Brian McDermott for the winners and Shane Delaney for the losers scored the goals in normal time.

Castlerea Celtic beat Moore United 1 – 0 at Moore in the first round of the Hanly Quarries Premier Division Cup. Playing with the wind in the first half Castlerea Celtic took the lead after twenty five minutes thanks to Gerry Ward. While they had a player sent off before half time the winners defended well and will now face Cloonfad United at Cloonfad in the next round.

Moylough ‘79 moved within touching distance of the Norio’s Division One Championship following a hard earned 3 – 1 win over Ahascragh United at Ahascragh. Dermott Hughes got on the end of a corner kick to score for Moylough after nine minutes of play. The Moylough keeper and man of the match Sean Kelly saved a penalty kick to deny Ahascragh United an equaliser. Dermott Hughes added his second with ten minutes left to play in the first half but Shane Furey pulled a goal back for the home side before half time. Sean Kelly made a number of good saves in the second half to keep Moylough ahead before Eoin O’Loughlin sealed the three points with a third goal with five minutes left to play.

St. John’s Athletic are on course to win promotion to the Premier Division and finish runners up in this Division following a difficult 2 – 0 win over Ballinasloe Town at Ballinasloe. The sides were level at half time but shortly afterwards the home side had their keeper sent off. Michael Hannon and Derek Doyle scored the goals for St. John’s Athletic.

The Castleplunket side CP Ajax beat Ballaghaderreen FC 3 – 2 at Tarmon to keep their hopes of promotion very much alive. The home side went 1 – 0 up through Daniel Connolly but then missed a penalty kick. Christopher Dunne and Joseph Looby gave Ballaghaderreen a 2 – 1 half time lead. However, Callum Fahy and Daniel Connolly scored for CP Ajax in the last ten minutes to take all three points. They are just two points behind second placed St. John’s Athletic in the race for the promotion play-off place with three games left to play.

In a local derby game at Cam the home side were beaten 2- 1 by Rahara Rovers. Garreth Mulligan converted a penalty kick to give Cam Celtic a 1 – 0 half time lead. The Brazilians Vando and Marcos scored for Rahara Rovers in the second half to take all three points.

In the remaining game, Glen Celtic kept their hopes of promotion from the Killeen Sports Grounds Division Two alive with a 2-1 win over Skyvalley Rovers at Glenamaddy. Micheal Geraghty scored for the home side after ten minutes of play. Skyvalley Rovers levelled the game after sixty five and came close to adding a second before Michael Henegan got the winner for Glen Celtic six minutes later. The winners are now just a single point behind second placed Roscommon United both having only one game left to play.