CCFL Roundup Week 6
This was the busiest weekend of the season to date with a full programme of league games in all 14 Divisions.
The womens campaign got off the ground with two games decided on Sunday afternoon. Champions Mullingar Athletic got off to a winning start when they edged out a plucky Killeigh team in Gainstown.
In the other game Gallen United hosted Tullamore Town in what was the very first game of competitive football that Gallen ladies have ever played. While some of the ladies did play last season with Riverside, the new girls were certainly not overawed by the occasion and were unlucky to go down by the odd goal in three against a very experienced Tullamore side. Melissa Gannon fired home Gallens goal. Tullamore had a little too much on the day however. Jenny Cornally gave them a half time lead and Ruth Monahan scored the second while Irene Cornally was another of their heroines when she saved a penalty at a crucial stage of the game.
In the Senior Division Arlington certainly put the cat among the pigeons when they scored a courageous 1-0 win over champions and hot favourites Willow Park in Portarlington. Perhaps it was not a complete surprise as this was Arlington’s third league win on the bounce and confidence is sky high as they begin their Leinster Junior Cup campaign next weekend. The hero of the day for Arlington was Joe Tully who volleyed home a superb winner direct from a corner kick.
Monkslands good recent form took a nosedive when they lost out 3-2 to Mullingar Athletic in one of the games of the day. Goals from Robbie Connaughton and Cian Duffy were not enough for Monksland to get anything out of the game.
In the Premier Division, C.K United are now odds on to take the title. They made it five wins from five outings last Sunday when they took the scalp of one of their biggest rivals Willow Park in Athlone. C.K have to thank Mark Dunne and Ger Ward for scoring the goals to keep them on track.
Abbeyleix Athletic have got their act together though in this division and on Sunday they enjoyed a good victory over Mullingar Town by two goals to nil with Ger Fennelly and Niall Wallace firing home to winning goals.
In Division 1, league leaders Gracefield were held to a one all draw at home to Temple Villa in a tight, well contested game of football. Richie Porter bagged the goal for Gracefield to keep them at the top.
Division 1 Saturday looks like it will be a very competitive competition this season with at least three or four teams well in contention. Leaders Mostrim United were held to a one all draw by Inny FC. Camlin United made the most of Mostrim’s slip up when they defeated Grange United 3-2, the goals coming from Shane O’brien, Paul Kane and Pajo Gill.
The battle for supremacy in Division 2 looks like it will be a shootout between Raharney and Dynamoe Town. Both sides were successful on Sunday. Dynamoe accounted for Edenderry Town by three goals to nil in the afternoon. Earlier in the day Raharney were also in action in County Laois when they travelled to Castletown and defeated Noreside Celtic by four goals to two, the Westmeath men’s goals coming from Seanie Mulready, Brian Thorpe, Mick McAdden and Kieran Treanor.
Newtown FC are blazing a trail in Division 3 Saturday after they took all three points in their tricky encounter with Colmcille Celtic. This turned out to be a cracking game with Newtown coming out on the right side of a nine-goal thriller.
With Chris McKenna pulling the strings, the hosts raced into a four goal lead on 40 minutes with George Bell firing in two in quick succession quickly followed by strikes from David Woods and John Carter. Colmcille pulled one back before the break, but further goals in the second half from Peter Nevin and Conor Quinn saw them safely over the line in spite of a spirited second half performance from the visitors.
Division 3A is wide open with almost every team in the division still in with a chance. Daingean did themselves no harm at all on Sunday when they took care of Ballybrittas by two goals to nil. Paul O’Rourke and Ian Dunne did all the damage for the Offaly men with two well taken goals.
In Division 3B Ericssons received a welcome shot in the arm when goals from Gary Sturgeon, John McIntyre and a brace from Tony O’Keefe saw them defeat Gallen United 4-3.
Rosenallis second team had their best result of the season to date in Division 4A when they defeated an off colour Maryborough outfit 5-1. Maryborough never gave up trying, but a solitary strike from Adam Mulhall was all they had to show for their efforts.
In the same division Abbeyleix continue to power ahead at the top of the table. Their victims this time were Portlaoise side Tower Hill Rovers when goals from Shane Fennelly and Daithi Brennan secured all three points for the south Laois men.
Division 4B is another section that could go anyway at this stage of the season. Leaders Killoe were shocked in Longford on Sunday when St Carthages made the long trip well worthwhile winning 3-2 with Anto Doyle, Willie Clear and Jesse Morris banged in the goals for Carthages.
Raharney are beginiing to look very strong. They followed up last weekends good result in Monksland with a comprehensive 5-1 win over St James. Kevin Flynn, Brian Faughnan, Darren Lynan and an impressive double from Andrew Evans saw the Westmeath outfit race to the top of the table.
Monksland had a fruitful trip to Edenderry on Saturday evening when they took home all the points against an out of sorts Derry Rovers. It finished one nil to the Athlone men with the vital strike coming from Cathal Ryan following excellent approach work from Alan Cormican.
The Under 18 Division of the CCFL this season looks to be a class division with most of the teams well capable of playing great football.
None more so than Abbeyleix Athletic who set out their stall with an impressive 5-1 win over a gallant Gallen United team. Lee Bergin, Dean Byrne, Connolly Egan and Eoghan Fennelly all found the net for a well-drilled Abbeyleix outfit.
In the same division Killavilla and Newbridge Town played out an excellent two all draw in Roscrea. Newbridge raced into a two goal lead early on with well taken goals from Kevin Edmonds and Jamie Evans. The hosts regained their composure however and pulled one back before half time. With Robbie Ryan pulling the strings in midfield they took a hold of the game early in the second half and equalised through Ian McCarthy. It could have gone either way after this as both sides had chances to win the game but a draw was a fair result in the end.
In the Under 19 Division favourites Tullamore Town looked as though they had an easy afternoon against Ballinahown when they raced into an unassailable four goal lead before the break. Eric Dolan, Matthew Hynes, McDarragh O’Neill and Mark Casey all capped good performances with a goal apiece. In the second half however Ballinahown showed great character and made a real game of it scoring two excellent goals to leave it 4-2 at the final whistle.
