Soccer Round Up with Mike Rafferty

Castlebar Celtic are believed to have won their appeal over Villa FC’s victory over them in FAI Junior Cup, so as things stand, it is the Mayo side who will face Salthill Devon in the last eight of the competition.

The defending Connacht Junior Cup champions lost 3-0 to the Waterford side in the Last 16 of the competition in February, but subsequently appealed that result on the basis that Villa FC allegedly fielded a player who had played in the League of Ireland after the FAI Junior Cup had begun, and was therefore ineligible for the competition.

That appeal was upheld this week, but the outstanding quarter-final doesn’t look like being played any time soon as it is understood that the Munster outfit, who lifted the cup in 2022, is set to appeal the outcome of Celtic’s objection.

The other three quarter-finals went ahead as planned at the weekend, where there were wins for Fairview Rangers from Limerick, North End United from Wexford, and Dublin’s Lucan United.

Premier League

Mervue United maintained their unbeaten league campaign with a 3-2 away win over Renmore. However, it was at a price as they lost leading scorer Aaron Neary to an opening-half injury and he could be out for some time.

Neary got his side’s second goal from the penalty spot, after an own goal had put them ahead. The home side pulled one back through a Kieran McGinry header, before Lewis Waweu made it more comfortable for Mervue at 3-1.

A late Cian Specht goal for Renmore kept it competitive until the final whistle as Ollie Neary’s charges move to within four points of leaders Salthill Devon, with both sides having played the same amount of games.

University of Galway secured a second win in 10 games with a 2-0 victory over Colga thanks to goals from Leon Daly and Ger O’Riordan, and in the process have widened the gap between themselves and second from bottom Hibernians to seven points.

Maree-Oranmore dismissed Loughrea 6-1 as Gavin Smyth, Liam McDonagh, Butros Faiyoud, Iffy Osogu, Ciaran Black and an own goal helped them over the line, with just a Bruno Henrique response for the home side.

Athenry’s much improved form continued with a 5-1 success over a depleted Moyne Villa side. The home outfit were three up at the break as the veteran trio of Cathal Fahy (2), Adam Duffy (2) and Ray Moran took the scoring honours. Adam Barrett got the lone reply for the visitors.

Pictured: The Bearna na Forbacha side that started in the Division 2 clash withKiltullagh Pioneers at the weekend before the game was abandoned due to a serious injury. Back row, from left: Ronan Bates, Sam O’Gorman, Martin Conneely, James Langan, Andrew McGee, and Aaron Kavanagh. Front: Luan O’Shea, Tadhg Flanagan, Sam Golden, Oisin Keane, and Ciaran Walsh.