The last sixteen of the Roscommon and District Football League Challenge Cup took centre stage over the weekend and there were a few surprise results.
By Vincent Brooks
Roscommon and District Football League Challenge Cup holders Castlerea Celtic beat Skyvalley Rovers 5 – 1 at Castlerea. The home side scored the all-important second goal before half time and while John Galvin pulled a goal back for the losers Castlerea added two more near the end. Peter Farrell scored three and Dominic Bligh and Oisin Ward added one each.
Division 2 side Moylough beat Premier side Ballaghaderreen in a penalty shoot-out after the game finished level at 3 – 3 after extra time. On two occasions Ballaghaderreen were within minutes of winning but Moylough fought back to win 3 – 0 in the penalty shoot-out. Darragh Geraghty and Marcus Finn scored for the winners in normal time and a stunning Marcus Finn free kick near the end of extra time sent the game to penalty shoot out. Gerry Ward scored two and Lee Keenan one for the losers. Sean Kelly saved two penalties for Moylough in the shoot-out.
Last Season’s runners-up Ballymoe FC were made to battle all the way before they beat fellow Premier side Shiven Rovers 1 – 0 at Newbridge. Daniel Malone headed the only goal of the game after sixty minutes of play.
A struggling Brazukas side were surprise 2 – 1 winners over St Johns Athletic at Lecarrow. Shane Heffernan scored for the home side after fifteen minutes of play and Marcos Silva replied with two for the Brazilian side before half time.
Division 1 side Lough Harps beat Premier side Ahascragh United 3 – 1 at Ahascragh. Sean Moran gave the Ballinlough side a half time lead and Michael Goulding headed a second and Caoileann Fitzmaurice added a third before Darragh Cunningham pulled a goal back for Ahascragh with a well struck volley near the end.
The Castleplunket side CP Ajax and Strokestown United were involved in a seven goal thriller at Tarmon before Strokestown United won 4 – 3 after extra time. Robert Regan and Aidan Dooney scored two each for Strokestown United. Darren Boyle, Brendan Kilkenny and Sean Joyce scored for the losers.
Premier side Moore United beat Division 1 Champions Dysart 4–1 at Dysart. David O Brien scored early for the winners and Paddy Neary had the sides level at half time. Kevin Brennan and David O’Brien added two more before Liam Ryan set up Paul Kelly to add a fourth for Moore United.
Ballinasloe Town received a walk over when drawn against their second side.
Boyle Celtic are through to the Quarter-Finals of the Connacht Cup following a 3 – 0 win over Iorras Aontaithe. Aaron Calpin, Mick Corrigan and Danny Browne scored for Boyle Celtic.
In the Roscommon and District Football League Division 2 Hodson Bay Athletic beat Castlerea Celtic 3 – 1 at Castlerea.
Darragh Sheehy gave Hodson Bay Athletic a 1 – 0 lead. Patrick Egan scored for the home side to level the game before Cormac Sheehy added two more for the winners.
Cloonfad United and Dunmore drew 1 – 1 in their game at Cloonfad. Daryl Geraghty gave the home side a 1- 0 lead after eighteen minutes of play and Anthony Broderick levelled the game eight minutes later. Cloonfad saw two shots come back off the Dunmore post in the closing stages but the game finished level.
Skyvalley Rovers beat Roscommon United 1 – 0 at Roscommon. Ronan Grehan scored for the winners early in the game and they held out to take the three points.