Roscommon & District League Round Up 17/02/2019

St. Peter’s FC are three points clear at the top of the Raftery's Oakland Hotel sponsored Premier Division of the Roscommon and District League following a 3 – 1 win over Ballinasloe Town at Willow Park, Athlone. The teams were fairly well matched in the first half but within a minute of the restart Mark Sherlock scored for St. Peter’s. Ballinasloe Town were awarded a penalty kick shortly afterwards when Liam Lynch was fouled and David Cullen levelled the game. With sixteen minutes left to play a fine strike from David Donoghue restored the home sides lead and substitute Luke Francis made sure of all three points when he added a third for St. Peter’s with three minutes left to play.

Ballymoe FC kept their hopes of winning the Premier Division very much alive when they beat the joint leaders Boyle Celtic 2 – 0 at Boyle. The game provided a feast of exciting football from two talented side and at the end of the game Ballymoe deserved to take all three points. With thirty eight minutes played, good work from Mark Kilcommins and David Keegan down the left wing resulted in a neat cross to Damien Goggins and his lay off reached Daniel Malone who side-footed the ball to the Boyle Celtic net. Ballymoe started the second half with a high tempo and won a penalty kick with forty eight played. However a good save by Kyle Saffron denied Damien Goggins his nineteenth league goal of the season. Three minutes later Ballymoe did add a second. Following a Kilcommins free kick James Connaughton headed his side’s second score. The home side’s cause was not helped when they had a player sent off after sixty five but a resolute Ballymoe defence held out to take all 3 points.

Castlerea Celtic recovered from a recent defeat to overwhelm Kilkerrin United 6 – 0 at Kilkerrin. When the sides payed earlier in the season only a late score prevented Castlerea Celtic dropping points. They heeded that warning and raced into a 3 – 0 half time lead. Peter Farrell opened the scoring with twenty nine played and Ronan Curran added a second nine minutes later. Peter Farrell added a third before half time and after the break Damien Freyne and Gerry Ward added two more before Peter Farrell completed his hat- trick.

Moore United beat the Newbridge side Shiven Rovers 4 – 0 at Moore and they will finish the season near mid table. Charles Nevin gave the winners a 1 – 0 half time lead. His brother Andy continued with his run of good form and he added three more before the end of the game.

Skyvalley Rovers eased their relegation worries with a hard earned 2 – 1 win over Dysart in a local derby game played at Dysart. The Taughmaconnell side went 1 – 0 up with twenty four played when an Emmet Kelly cross reached man of the match Cathal Kelly who volleyed to the Dysart net. The home side were quick to respond and six minutes later Niall Corbett won a penalty kick and he then stepped up to level the game. Playing with the wind in the second half Skyvalley Rovers had the majority of play and were rewarded when a deep cross from Adrian Mannion was controlled by Callum O’Brien before beating the talented Nigel Kelly in the Dysart goal. The home side came close to getting an equaliser near the end but good defending by Shane Downey, Keelan Daly and Tom Butler kept them out.

Moylough ‘79 are a step closer to winning the Norio's Division One Championship following their 3 – 1 win over Cam Celtic at Moylough. Sean Kelly headed the winners into a deserved lead with half an hour played. A stunning free kick from Mike Foley made 2 – 0 ten minutes into the second half and eleven minutes later Adam Connolly added a third. Keith McLoughlin pulled a goal back for Cam Celtic.

Ballaghaderreen FC stay in second place thanks to a 4 – 0 win over a young Ballinasloe Town side at Ballaghaderreen. Domhall Forest broke the deadlock after thirty minutes of play when he converted a penalty kick and Rhys Keenan added a second from a corner kick with sixty five played. Cian McCann after seventy five and Christopher Dunne with five to played added two more for Ballaghaderreen.

Rahara Rovers beat Dunmore Town 2 – 1 at Dunmore. Derek Savage scored for Dunmore and Paddy Glennon and Jonathan Glennon accounted for the Rahara Rovers scores.

In the second round of the Joe’s Bar sponsored Challenge Cup, St. John’s Athletic beat the Castleplunket side CP Ajax 2 – 0 at Tarmon. Tommy Hurley scored in each half for the winners and Sean Coyle denied the home side a score when he saved a penalty kick near the end.

Skyvalley Rovers second side are through to the quarter-finals after they beat fellow Division Two side Glen Celtic at Onagh Park, Taughmaconnell. Both teams fielded many young players in their starting eleven. Conal Moore gave the home side a1- 0 lead with twelve played in the second half. Kay Saprong converted a penalty kick for the Glenamaddy side to level the game with seven minutes of normal time left to play. There were no more goals in normal or extra time with Skyvalley Rovers winning the resultant penalty shoot-out 4 – 2.

Castlerea Celtic continue to lead the Killeen Sportsgrounds Division Two following a comfortable 7 – 0 win over bottom side Ballymoe at Ballymoe. There was little between the teams in the early part of the game. The winners won a penalty kick when Martin Foster was fouled and Andrew Lyons converted the resultant penalty kick. After that it was all Castlerea Celtic with Martin Foster, Andrew Lyons, Kevin Lynch, Seamus Stenson and two from Joey Flannagan securing all three points.

Nearest challengers Roscommon United beat Shiven Rovers 4 – 1 at Roscommon. Their star striker Jamie Bracken converted a penalty kick with fifteen played and he added a second with a fine volley shortly afterwards. Shiven pulled a goal back through Shane Delaney before Paul Allen added two more for the winners in the second half.

Manor United drew 1 – 1 with Cloonfad United at Manor in a result that does little for either sides chances of promotion. Sean Burke gave Cloonfad a first half lead and Tom Ward scored for Manor United.