Sligo-Leitrim Soccer - weekend round-up

Sligo Leitrim DSL

Carbury FC take poll position in the Sligo Southern Hotel Super League with an emphatic win against Ballisodare United on Thursday evening. Gareth Kelly hitting a hat trick, missing a penalty and bringing his tally to twenty league goals while Mark Mc Goldrick scored a wonder goal to wrap up the points and leave Carbury Top of the table.

St Johns in desperate need of points entertained Ballymote Celtic at the Astro in Cleveragh Ballymote also in the hunt for points to secure Super League status for next season. Ballymote took the lead seven minutes from the break when Brendan Fitzsimons netted an own goal. This was a small setback as St Johns were playing well within themselves but  just on the stroke of referee Paul Kilcoyne rightly so gave Killian Sweeney his marching orders reducing St Johns to ten men. The second half was six minutes old when the hitman Mark Irwin struck a devasting second goal for Ballymote four minutes later and the lethal boot of Jack Hever made in three nil then on sixty minutes a rush of blood to the head seen Malachy Spratt dismissed and St Johns were now on damage limitation. They held out until minutes from full time when Jack Heaver slammed home the fourth goal that seen Ballymote Celtic go fourth I the league table while St Johns linger second from bottom.

Arrow Harps welcomed Strand Celtic to Riverstown and were two goals up after twenty minutes first was a screamer from Frankie Quinn on ten minutes and Ben Touhy added the second. Strand pulled a goal back five minutes from half time when Lee Marshall scored. The second half was nip and tuck until sixteen minutes from time when Fearghal O Hara cracked home the equaliser and a minute from full time Kyle Harrigan rocketed home a glorious winner for the Beachboys.

In the Andrew Mullen Premier League Merville travelled to Coolaney and they were made to fight all the way against a gallant Coolaney United. Stephen Hansberry put Merville ahead on twenty minutes and Coolaney hit back five minutes later with a goal from James Ellis.  Merville restored their lead just before half time courtesy of a fine goal from Niall Feehily. Coolaney defence were rock solid in the second half conceding only one more goal on seventy minutes from Ace marksman and leading scorer Ryan Mc Manus.

The local derby game between North Sligo rivals proved an exciting affair with Benbulben FC welcoming Cliffoney Celtic to Grange. Alan Harrison opened the account for Cliffoney after ten minutes and they held this lead until ten minutes into the second half when Donal Gallagher hit a thirty-yard screamer high into the roof of the Cliffoney net. Both sides continued to attack but it looked like ending a draw but ten minutes from time a rash challenge gave Cliffoney Celtic a penalty that Christy Keaney dispatched to the back of the Benbulben onion bag. Then four minutes from time up stepped Chris Mc Laughlin to hit the third goal for a jubilant Cliffoney Celtic who now sit in second spot on the leader board but make no mistake they had to fight all the way thanks to a brilliant display by the young guns of Benbulben.

Race Night:

Saturday night last at the Glasshouse Hotel Swan Point Hyde Bridge Sligo was a great success and a sincere thanks to all the clubs Arrow Harps, Ballisodare Utd, Ballymote Celtic, Cartron Utd, Carbury FC, Calry Bohs, Coolaney Utd, Dromore Villa, Glenview Stars, Gurteen Celtic, Manor Rangers, Real Tubber, Strand Celtic, Aughanagh Celtic, Cliffoney Celtic, MCR FC, Chaffpool Utd.

The Draw for the Football Strip sponsored by Peter Carpenter of Teamsport and drawn by Des Kavanagh the winning club was Real Tubber. While Arrow Harps won Two Tickets for a Match of their Choice sponsored by the Football Association of Ireland.

Cups:

All Cups presented for last season to be returned to the Hon Secretary in Pristine condition by the 30^th April.

Sligo-Leitrim DSL will now play Carlow in the semi-final of the Oscar Traynor at the Institute of Technology Astro Pitch date is Saturday 28^th April Kick Off 3pm.

Provisional Panel:

Sligo-Leitrim: Mark Rooney, Killian Sweeney, Conor Griffin, Steve Feeney, Aaron Murren, Aaron O'Boyle, Ross McLoughlin (c), Mark Mc Callion, Christopher Kelly, Ryan McManus, Mark McGoldrick, Ibrahim Savage, Shay Doherty, Gary Finan, Tony Clarke (gk), Stephen Armstrong, Keith Nibbs, Darragh Healy

Management Staff and Players will all meet for departure at 8.30am sharp in the Ray Mac Sharry Complex next Saturday morning.

Results Sunday 22^ndApril

Sligo Southern Hotel Super League

Andrew Mullen Premier League

Fixture Friday 27^th April

Andrew Mullen Premier League KO 16.30pm

Real Tubber v Benbulben FC

Fixture Saturday 28^th April

Oscar Traynor Semi Final IT Carlow KO 3pm

Carlow DSL v Sligo Leitrim DSL

League Tables Sunday 22^nd April 2018

Sligo Southern Hotel Super League

 Ej’s Leading Scorers: (20) Gareth Kelly Carbury FC (17) Ibrahim Savage Carbury FC (16) Andrew Patton Ballisodare Utd (15) Seamus Ryder Manor Rangers Malachy Spratt St. John's FC Lee Marshall Strand Celtic (13) Niall Walsh Manor Rangers Mark Irwin Ballymote Celtic (9) Jack Hever Ballymote Celtic (7) Conor Davey Ballisodare Utd Vincent Sweeney Manor Rangers (6) Seamus Hailstones Arrow Harps Dermot Beggan Aughanagh Celtic Anthony Elding Arrow Harps (5) Paul McTiernan Aughanagh Celtic Ben Touhy Arrow Harps Kevin Coen Calry Bohs Steve Feeney Carbury FC Matthew Conlon Oates Strand Celtic

Sligo Pallets Premier League

Ej’s Leading Scorers: (26) Keith Nibbs MCR FC (19) Ryan Mc Manus Merville Utd Kevin Buckley Cartron Utd F.C (17) Keith Carty Glenview Stars, (12) Jack Walsh Real Tubber Bartley Clancy Cliffoney Celtic Alan Harrison Cliffoney Celtic (11) Joe Kilcullen Coolaney Utd Stephen Feeney Dromore Villa (10) Eoin Walsh Real Tubber (9) Ciaran Harvey MCR (8) Gavin Mc Donagh Cartron Utd (6) Colin Feehily Cartron Utd Criostoir Davey Chaffpool Utd Niall Thomas Cliffoney Celtic Niall Sheerin Cliffoney Celtic