Soccer Wrap with Mike Rafferty

The draws for the last eight of the Connacht Junior Cup and Shield took place on Tuesday evening and the pairings have produced a number of fascinating local contests, with the meetings of Colga and the holders Castlebar Celtic and Maree-Oranmore A and Moyne Villa the most high-profile.

At this stage of the competition all you want is a home draw and Salthill Devon were thus rewarded with a Drom contest against Castlerea Celtic. Mervue United’s Last 16 game away to Conn Rangers was postponed last weekend due to a bereavement, the winners of that tie will take to the road towards Athlone and a meeting with Ballinahown.

Two sides who would certainly fancy their chances of winning the Connacht Shield were drawn against one another as Hibernians will host Corofin United in Bohermore. Kinvara United are the only remaining Galway League side in the Shield, and they were drawn at home for the third round in succession and will face Lough Harps. The games in both competitions are scheduled for the weekend of March 1 2026.

CONNACHT JUNIOR CUP

Salthill Devon advanced to the quarter-finals thanks to a 4-2 away win over Mayo side Ballyglass. Opening half goals from Colin Kelly and Princewell Diala had them two up at the break, before Liam Hughes pulled one back for the home side on the hour mark.

Mikey Fox fired home a cracking effort to restore Devon’s two-goal lead, but Devon once more allowed the home side back into it as Jack Keane made it 3-2. Emlyn Long’s side finally sealed the win with a last-minute effort from Cole Connolly.

Maree-Oranmore produced a sensational four-goal scoring blast just after the interval against Ballinasloe Town as they eventually ran out 5-1 winners. An Adam Lavelle goal gave them a 1-0 interval advantage, before two goals in three minutes just after the restart from Malachy Black and Ger O’Riordan edged them further clear.

Matters got even better for the home side as Gavin Smyth quickly added two more as they made it four goals in eight minutes, before Cameron O’Leary got a late consolation for the visitors.

Colga found themselves 3-0 down midway through the opening half at home to Moore United, but buoyed by their newfound confidence, they recovered to win 5-3. Goals by Josh Lennon, Charles Nevin and former Hibernians player Jason McPhilbin had the visitors well in command by the 20th minute, before Nathan Ward pulled one back when he headed in a Liam Corcoran corner.

It got a bit better just before the break when Neil Greaney slotted home from the spot and matters continued on an upward curve when another Greaney penalty levelled matters at 3-3 on 80 minutes.

Just when it looked like extra time would be required, injury-time goals from Jorge Lopes and Tom Daly eased them to a 5-3 win against the Roscommon League side.

Moyne Villa and Athenry produced a cracking encounter in Headford with the home side prevailing 3-1.

Darragh Forde and Theo Joyce both got on the end of Tommy Doyle corners for a 2-0 lead, before Padraic Cuningham fired them 3-0 in front. Villa’s Aidan Coyle was sent off and Declan Cullen pulled a goal back early in the second-half, but were unable to breach the Villa defence again.

Corrib Celtic were the only local losers as they lost 5-3 defeat away to Ballinahown. They conceded all the goals in the second half, as Darragh McNamara, Eoin Concannon and an own goal rewarded the Annaghdown side for their efforts.

Elsewhere in the competition, the holders Castlebar Celtic scored twice through Jordan Loftus as they emerged 2-1 away winners over Strand Celtic in Sligo; while Castlerea Celtic were 3-2 home victors over Cartron United. The postponed game between Conn Rangers and Mervue United is rescheduled for this Sunday (2pm).

Pictured: The Mervue United squad which beat Corrib Celtic 5-0 in their Women’s Premeir League meeting in Fahy’s Field last Sunday. Back row, from left: Lisa Hernon, Clara Samuels, Emma Burke, Denise Starr, Leanne Regan, Kellie Naughton, Leah Shaughnessy-Creane, Alannah O’Connor, and Aisling Caldwell. Front: Bisola Ashade, Katie Farragher, Meabh Kelly, Elisha Bohan, Eva McLoughlin, Ella Gilmore, and Carmel Heery.  Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.