RDFL ROUND UP 7/4/24

Roscommon and District League
Round Up 7th April 2024
The Joe’s Bar Challenge Cup took centre stage over the weekend with two big surprise results. Division 1 side Moylough 79 beat Premier side Boyle Celtic at Boyle to advance to the quarter finals. Moylough started the better side and James Foley saw a shot come back off the Boyle goalpost early in the game. Ian Fahy was in control in the middle of the field and he carved out chances for the Moylough strikers Foley and Donnellan. Boyle came more into the game but Thomas Shaughnessy in the Moylough goals dealt at anything Boyle could throw at him. With forty two played James foley opened the scoring for Moylough after latching on to an Ian fahy pass and beat the advancing keeper. Boyle made changes at half time and only some good saves by Thomas Shaughnessy kept his side in the game. Leo Donnellan burst through the Boyle defence and won a penalty kick. Michael Foley scored his fourth goal in four matches when he converted the penalty kick. Michael Kelly and Mathew Cheevers came on for the winners and with the help of some last ditch defending they held on for a good win.
Shiven Rovers beat fellow Premier Division side Ballinasloe Town 6 – 0 at Newbridge. Playing with a strong wind Shiven were 2 – 0 up after fourteen minutes of play. Michael Doyle and Padraig Delaney scored for the Newbridge side. Ballinasloe failed to convert a penalty kick before Padraig Delaney made it 3 – 0 for Shiven just before half time. Frank Kilcommins Michael Doyle and young Sean Lohan added three more to give Shiven a comfortable win.
Premier side C P Ajax beat Division 1 leader’s Skyvalley Rovers 1 - 0 at Onagh Park Taughmaconnell on Friday evening. Both teams created a host of chances and the game could have been won by either side. The game was decided by a goal scored by the Castleplunket player Rowan Warner with fourteen played and a great save by their keeper Killian Higgins just before the end of the game to deny Mike Harvey an equaliser.
In an all Premier Division game at Ballaghaderreen Premier Leaders Ballaghaderreen were beaten by last seasons finalists Moore United. The game went to extra time and penalties with Moore winning 9 – 8 in a thrilling shoot out. The Home side played with a strong wind in the first half but could not break down a well organised defence. The second half was the very opposite with Ballaghaderreen defending in numbers. Playing with the wind in the first period of extra time Cormack Rushe gave the home side a 1 – 0 lead and it looked like it was enough to decide the game. However near the end of the second per of extra time Charles Nevin got in behind the defence and he made no mistake. The penalty shoot out was full of drama with twenty penalty kicks being taken. The Moore keeper saved two while the Ballaghaderreen keeper saved one.
The Division 1 Championship is finely balanced with Skyvalley Rovers Ballymoe F C and Dunmore Town battling for the title. Ballymoe FC and Dunmore Town won their games last weekend and they will clash next Sunday at 11.00 am at Ballymoe with the losers of that game out of the running.
Ballymoe F C beat Ballinagare /Manor United 3 – 0 at Ballymoe on Sunday. With twelve minutes played Paul Flannagan opened the scoring from close range following a corner kick. Pat Flynn added a second with twenty-four played after latching on to a through ball. Damien Goggins sealed the three points for Ballymoe when he added a third with twenty left to play.
A young Dunmore Town side had a very convincing 5 – 0 win over Glen Celtic at Glenamaddy. Young Raman Saman scored three in the first half for the winners. He was replaced by his younger brother Mirran at the break and he setup Declan Forde to make it 4 – 0 with seventy played. Declan Forde completed the scoring for Dunmore with eight minutes left to play.
Castlerea Celtic advanced to the Women’s Challenge Cup final following a 2 – 0 win over Boyle Celtic at Castlerea. Overall, it was a cracking game of football with two really well taken gaols by Aoife Smyth and Reece Higgins the difference between the sides.
Cam Celtic are also through to the final thanks to a hard earned 3 – 2 win over Shiven Rovers at Newbridge. Playing with the aid of storm Kathleen Lucy Duncan gave Shiven a 1 – 0 lead with twenty-eight played thanks to a great volley. Six minutes later they increased their lead with Sarah Gavin scoring direct from a corner kick. With just ten played in the second half Aisling Byrne got on the end of a Marian Nolan cross to pull one back for Cam. Halfway through the half Aimee O Connor volleyed a second to level the game. Aimee O Connor struck again in time added on at the end of the game to secure a place in the final for Cam Celtic against Castlerea Celtic
In the Women’s Shield Kilkerrin United advanced to the final after beating Ballinasloe Town 2 – 1 at Ballinasloe. Caitlin Boyle and Myra Grogan scored for the winners.
They will meet Ballaghaderreen in the final after they beat St Cuans / Ahascragh united 5 – 0 at Ahascragh.
In the Reserve Division Ballinagare / Manor Utd beat Dunmore Town 3 – 1 at Dunmore. Aaron Dowd scored two and Johns Stokes one for the winners with Raman Saman pulling a goal back for the losers.
Roscommon United beat Skyvalley Rovers 3 – 2 at Taughmaconnell. The strong winds made good football very difficult but both teams tried their best. Warlens Marques Kavana Donlon and Marcel Gala scored for the winners. Cormack Moore replied for the losers.
Boyle Celtic beat C P Ajax 4 – 2. Luka Roddy scored two and Mark Battles and Conor Tivnan one each for the winners,