Soccer Wrap with Mike Rafferty

Three Galway League sides qualified for the last eight of the Connacht Junior Cup with wins over the weekend, and with Maree-Oranmore facing Ballina Town and Mervue United travelling to Sligo for a meeting with Carbury on Saturday, the prospects of more advancement is a possibility.

Salthill Devon were always in control when they saw off Westport United B 7-0 under lights in Drom. Two up at the break, they were in command from the opening exchanges when Matthew Barrett fired them ahead after getting on the end of a Mick Lee cross, and they added the second when Aidan Halloran finished off a Calym Crowe delivery.

While Westport B were competitive, they seldom looked like extending the home side and when Gary Higgins cracked home a long-range effort just after the restart, it was the point of no return for the visitors.

New signing Halloran went on to score two more for Devon to complete his hat-trick, before goals by Conor Barry and Princewell Diala made matters even more comfortable at the end.

University of Galway exited the competition when Shane Dunning got the winner for Moore United in a 2-1 success for the Roscommon League side. Earlier both sides had conceded own goals as matters were level at 1-1 at the break.

Holders Athenry overcame a stiff challenge in Mayo when seeing off Conn Rangers 2-1. An Aidan Coyle free-kick gave the visitors a half-time lead, and Kody McCann applied the finish to an Adam Duffy cross to double their lead in the second-half, before a late penalty offered the home side a late consolation.

Colga had little difficulty in seeing off Castlebar Celtic B as the home side recorded a 5-0 success, as Tom Daly (2), Neil Greaney, Andy Horan, and Jamie Cummins took the scoring honours for the Clarinbridge side.

Following the postponement of the original fixture a week ago, Maree-Oranmore made no mistake in a last 32 contest when they saw off Dunmore Town 2-1, and the home side were generally in control of matters and with a little more clinical finishing might have enjoyed a greater margin of victory.

Goals by Ethan McAuley and Malachy Black had them two up, before Tom Gleeson made matters somewhat more competitive in the closing stages when the North Galway side pulled one back.

Pictured: Matthew Barrett (right) celebrates with Aidan Halloran after scoring against Westport United in their Connacht Junior Cup clash last weekend, as Westport United goalkeeper Paddy O’Malley looks on. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.