LOCAL SOCCER WRAP with Mike Rafferty

Colga B were promotion from Division Two last season, and on Sunday last they made it back-to-back promotions when a 3-0 away win over St Patrick’s guaranteed them the top spot in Division One.

They are almost certainly guaranteed to be confirmed as champions, as just Cois Fharraige can match their total points, but it is long odds on the Connemara side winning all their remaining games to do just that.

Having suffered just one loss all season, they were making it 10 wins in succession on this occasion as goals from Lucas Sheedy, Kevin Finnegan, and Connor Tyler eased them to a comfortable success in Sylane.

They travel to play Cois Fharraige on Saturday, as the contest for the second promotion position will no doubt run to the end of the season.

Athenry B moved into second position following a 1-0 win over Cois Fharraige, Alex Park getting the only goal of the game as they overtook Salthill Devon B who have a game in hand on them.

In the remaining game in Division One, Oughterard moved into a more comfortable mid-table position as goals from Diarmuid Wickenden, Ronan Caldwell, and James Walsh helped them a 3-1 home win over Cregmore-Claregalway.

Division Two

Bearna Na Forbacha 0

Kiltullagh 0

(match abandoned)

On Saturday afternoon in An Sportslann in Na Forbacha, 22 two lads went out for some recreational activity as they did their damndest to try and secure a win for their respective sides.

Unfortunately, one Kiltullagh player didn’t make it home that night as he spent the night in a corridor in the hospital with a serious leg injury.

There was no malice in the challenge that resulted in him departing the fray in an ambulance, and by that stage referee Marc Lynch had decided to call a halt to proceedings with the two teams having already departed the pitch by then. The player did get a bed on Sunday evening and underwent surgery on Monday.

Kiltullagh and Bearna Na Forbacha have set the standard in Division Two all season as they have raced clear at the top of the table and are well clear of third placed East Galway United. Both are on impressive winning streaks, but on this occasion, neither side could break the other down.

It was the visitors who enjoyed the advantage of the elements in the opening half, but for all their forward action they struggled to get a sight of Martin Conneely’s goal.

A good punch did clear away a Chris Burke set-piece delivery; while the custodian wasn’t overworked by a Mike Hardiman effort after the striker got on the end of a Paul Madden knockdown.

The experienced Madden was certainly a handful for the duration, but was well marshalled by central defenders Luan O’Shea and Sam O’Gorman.

Like Kiltullagh, Bearna Na Forbacha are young and adventurous and they played some smart football. Impressive full-backs Ciaran Walsh and Aaron Kavanagh provided plenty of support to an attack where Oisin Keane, Sam Golden and Andrew McGee looked busy and threatening.

They certainly created the better chances in the half, but with Joe Keown, Joe Dervan, Adam Johnson, and Dean Tracey defending solidly at the back for Kiltullagh, chances were at a premium.

A powerful header over the bar by Ronan Bates, and a shot driven wide by James Langan, was the closest the game got to a breakthrough in a scoreless opening half. A smashing block on the resumption by Tracey prevented Golden getting a shot on target and at the other end, when the Kiltullagh player suffered his injury in pursuit of a goal on 58 minutes, it brought proceedings to a unfortunate untimely halt.

Well done to the two medical teams who arrived promptly and gave the injured player the top-class attention he required.

Bearna Na Forbacha: Conneely, Walsh, Kavanagh, O’Shea, O’Gorman, Flanagan, McGee, Bates, Langan (Folen h-t), Keane, Golden.

Kiltullagh: Davey, Keown, Dervan, Johnson, Tracey, Maher, Evans, O’Brien, Hardiman (Trehy h-t), Madden, Burke.

Referee: Marc Lynch.

Pictured: The Kiltullagh Pioneers side that started in the Division 2 clash with Bearna na Forbacha at the weekend before the game was abandoned due to a serious injury. Back row, from left: Paul Madden, Adam Johnson, Joe Dervan, Jack O’Brien, Dean Treacy, and Adam Davey. Front: Mike Hardiman, Oisin Maher, Alex Evans, Chris Burke,