Soccer Wrap with Mike Rafferty

All four men’s divisions of the Galway League shook off the post-Christmas blues when they returned to action over the weekend and it is as you were at the top of the Premier League as Colga and Salthill Devon were comfortable winners.

In Headford, Moyne Villa and Maree-Oranmore dropped slightly off the pace when they shared eight goals in a cracker; while Athenry eased their relegation worries slightly when two late goals gave them a win over Craughwell United.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Knocknacarra 3

St Bernard’s 6

Inconsistent form throughout the season meant Knocknacarra had dropped off the pace for a promotional challenge in the Championship, and with the unbeaten leaders visiting Cappagh Park on Sunday morning, a win was essential to get back on track.

The prospects were good when Rian Kelly delivered a cracking cross from the right and Oriol Prat applied the far post finish to put the home side 1-0 up. However, there was very little time to hang on to their joy as the concession of three goals in an eight-minute spell meant they trailed 3-1 at the break.

Ryan Nolan bagged the first of his hat-trick in the 38th minute when he was first to the rebound after goalkeeper Jack Carroll had kept out his initial header; and close-range finishes by Dean Collins and Conor French made it 3-1 at the break.

The home side cut the deficit three minutes into the second-half when Darcy Ngodjo was upended in the box on 48 minutes, and he duly obliged from the spot to make it 3-2, but any home optimism was quickly quenched when Collins was fouled in the area, and Nolan made it 4-2 from 12 yards.

Knocknacarra were certainly game as Dean Lydon, Luc McHugh and Ethan Fiorentini gave them some momentum and another set piece goal saw Lydon apply a finish to a Kelly corner for 4-3.

While they continued to offer a threat, they struggled to get numbers forward, with just a Karl Bona shot really testing Daire Wynne, and their defensive frailties were exposed when Nolan had a free header at the far post to nod in a Glenn Kelly corner for 5-3; before Cuan Lennon completed the scoring with a close-range finish.

Elsewhere in the Championship, Galway Hibs left it very late to secure a 3-2 away win over Dynamo Blues as a Jason McDonagh penalty helped maintain their second position in the table.

The visitors had taken an early lead when an Evan Browne cross set up Dave Mooney, but goals each side of the break by Eanna Donnellon and Peter Finnerty had put the home side 2-1 up. A Dan Duffy header levelled matters in the latter stages, before McDonagh completed the perfect comeback with the winner.

Corrib Rangers moved to third in the table as a Nazim Ishmolov goal was enough to give them a 1-0 away win over Loughrea; while Maree-Oranmore B caused somewhat of an upset when they came from behind for a 4-1 win over Corofin United. Nathan Kearney gave Corofin the lead, but Padraig Brehony, Joey Kennedy, Sean Fitzgerald, and Steve Matthews all hit the target for the visitors to clinch the win.

Salthill Devon B also moved up the table following a 5-2 away success over Colga B as Dermot Ford (2), Tommy McKeown, Piotrek Skymanski and Ronan Greaney took the scoring honours, while Evan Martin and Stephen Jennings responded for the home side.

Pictured: Rian Kelly of Knocknacarra FC rises above Dean Collins of St Bernard’s in last weekend’s Championship clash between the sides in Cappagh Park. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.