Sligo-Leitrim junior soccer round-up

Two of the big hitters in the Andrew Mullen Premier League locked horns on Sunday morning at the Astro in Cleveragh. Merville United and MCR the only two remaining unbeaten clubs in the Premier League. This had all the hallmarks of a great game and so it proved to be. The first half seen both sides thread carefully but just on half time a cross from Stephen Hallahan into the Merville goal mouth resulted in an own goal and MCR were in front. The second half seen a one man show from the clinical feet of Ryan Mc Manus he netted a superb hat trick. His first a header the second a free kick and the third goal a one on one with the brilliant Tony Clarke in the MCR goals. Keith Nibbs pulled another goal back for MCR in the dying minutes but it was just to little to late. This game had it all with both sides highly competitive a result that drives Merville United into second spot on the leader board with goal difference separating them from MCR and a game less played. These two warriors will have to meet again in the course of the season and on this form, they could well be deciding where the silverware goes but Cartron and Cliffoney Celtic still have a major role to play and Glenview Stars on their day can well upset any team.

Mention of Glenview Stars and what a win they had today at home to a very good Gurteen Celtic. Stars scored seven with two goals apiece for Cole Coyle and Daniel Kelly while Damien Shannon Keith Carthy and Ronan O Grady were all on the mark. Gurteen had in Tony Taylor their man of the match netting a superb hat trick with one of his goals believe it or not, a brilliant sixty yard lob that better the keeper all ends up.

Chaffpool United took the bragging rights and all three points in this local derby at home to Real Tubber. Hughie Marren opened the scoring on twenty minutes for Chaffpool and ten minutes later it was all level when Brian Moran crashed home the equaliser. There was twenty minutes to go when Brendan Brogan broke the deadlock with a superb finish that in the end took all three points to the delight of Manager John Scanlon.

On a perfect night for football in the Southern Super League Strand Celtic and Aughanagh done battle for the second time in three weeks at sports Complex Cleveragh on Saturday night.. After sixteen minutes Nigel Hargadon opened the scoring for the visitors, flicking in at the near post. On twenty-five minutes Aughanagh had the chance to double their advantage only for Graham Lee to save a penalty.

After the half time interval Strand came out with more intensity and the brave defensive back line of Aughanagh Celtic finally breached on eighty minutes when Fergal o Hara scored from the penalty spot. The game looked like finishing a draw but Lee Marshall has different ideas scoring two minutes from time and he added his second on the stroke of full time. His first a great strike from just outside the box before sealing the game with an audacious lob from inside his own half . It was a game that Aughanagh will be very disappointed to lose after being the better team for long periods.

In the T P Brennan Connacht Shield 2^nd Round North Sligo side Benbulben FC went down by four goals to one away to Galway league side Corrib Celtic B.

Result Saturday 27^th January

Sligo Southern Hotel Super League

Results Sunday 28^th January

Sligo Southern Hotel Super League

Sligo Pallets Premier League

T P Brennan Connacht Shield 2^nd Round

Fixtures Sunday 4^th February 2018

Sligo Southern Hotel Super League K O 11am

Sligo Pallets Premier League KO 11am

All Cup & Shield Games decided on the day if still a draw after 90 minutes plus one period of extra time (10 minutes E/W) FIFA Rules on Penalty’s to apply. Any Club / Team forfeiting a fixture will be removed from the competition and disciplinary action will follow.

Note:

All results by 1.30pm after game to 087 1417566 Home team responsible for calling in match result with all scorers. Where a ground is deemed unplayable the home team can if possible provide another approved venue otherwise the game must revert to the opponent’s ground. Where both grounds are unplayable the two teams concerned can agree fixture for approved Astro if available, and split the costs 50/50. Home Team responsible to provide at least Four (4) Match Balls for all Home fixtures.

League Tables Sunday 28^th January 2018

Sligo Southern Hotel Super League

Ej’s Leading Scorers: (12) Malachy Spratt St. John's (11) Lee Marshall Strand Celtic (10) Mark Irwin Ballymote Celtic Gareth Kelly Carbury FC Ibrahim Savage Carbury FC Seamus Ryder Manor Rangers (9) Andrew Patton Ballisodare Utd Niall Walsh Manor Rangers (8) (6) Dermot Beggan Aughanagh Celtic Anthony Elding Arrow Harps Conor Davey Ballisodare Utd Matthew Conlon Oates Strand Celtic (5) Paul McTiernan Aughanagh Celtic Jack Hever Ballymote Celtic

Sligo Pallets Premier League

Ej’s Leading Scorers: (16) Ryan Mc Manus Merville Utd (14) Kevin Buckley Cartron Utd F.C. (12) Keith Nibbs MCR FC (10) Alan Harrison Cliffoney Celtic (8) Gavin Mc Donagh Cartron Utd Bartley Clancy Cliffoney Celtic (6) Niall Thomas Cliffoney Celtic Joe Kilcullen Coolaney Utd Ciaran Harvey MCR (5) Alan Mc Gloughlin Benbulben Keith Carty Glenview Stars Stephen Feeney Dromore Villa Ryan Hargadon Merville Utd Tyler Stallard Merville Utd Eoin Walsh Real Matthew Mulhern Real Tubber