By Mike Rafferty

LAST season Moyne Villa won the Connacht Shield with a final victory over Westport and completing a great double, they also won the Championship league title with a bit to spare.

Promotion to the top flight and Premier League football didn’t affect them in the slightest, as they have contended in the top half of the table all season and currently lie joint third with three games remaining.

While a title challenge is beyond them, Moyne Villa are contending for cup honours on two fronts, with upcoming semi-finals in both the Michael Byrne and Connacht Junior Cups. At the weekend, they faced Colga in the Byrne Cup quarter-final and in a blistering display dismissed the visitors by 7-0. Though both teams are capable of mixing good and bad performances, Colga are going through a difficult patch as they were suffering a fourth defeat in their last five outings.

On this occasion, Aidan Coyle (two), Kyle Greaney, Padraig Cunningham, Adam Nugent, Adam Barrett and Gusi Khumalo took the scoring honours for the home side in Headford and, in the process, set up a semi-final meeting with Mervue United this Saturday.

Indeed, these two sides who shared two league draws between them this season, will be sick of the sight of one another as they will also go head to head in a Connacht Junior Cup last four contest a week later.

Elsewhere in the Michael Byrne Cup, Athenry came from behind to defeat University of Galway by 4-1 to set up a Saturday semi-final meeting with Hibernians. Though an Ethan Fiorentini goal gave the College side the lead, efforts from Ryan Corcoran (two), Corey Walker and Mehidi Moulaoui eventually gave the hosts a winning advantage. In the remaining game and in the shock of the day, a Joe Hynes penalty gave Hibernians a 1-0 victory over Salthill Devon.

Joe Ryan Cup    

Corofin United’s form of late has shown an upward surge and a 3-2 extra time away win over Corrib Celtic set them up for the Joe Ryan Cup semi-finals. Cathal Silke, Liam Eugo and Nathan Kearney got the visitors’ goals, with Eoin Reddington and John O’Donnell finding the net for Celtic.

Thomas Pierce got the match winner for Maree-Oranmore B as they defeated Knocknacarra by 1-0 at Cappagh Park, while Darragh O’Connor set up Ruairi McArdle to head the winner as Craughwell United recorded a 1-0 away success over Dynamo Blues.

There was no shortage of goals in Carraroe as Corrib Rangers defeated Mac Dara by 5-3, with James Nolan, Geoffrey Power (pen), Nazim Ismailov, Aaron Canavan and Joao Henrique finding the net for the City side.

Premier League

For the second time in a month, Mervue United got the better of Renmore in the Premier League as a late Adam Healy goal gave them a 1-0 win in a midweek contest. The victory moved them to within five points of leaders Salthill Devon, but Mervue still enjoy a game in hand.

Pictured: Mikayla Cawldwell-Shields of West United in a race for possession with Kiltullagh’s Emily McDonagh during the clubs’ GFA Division One tie at South Park. Photos: Joe O’Shaughnessy.