Combined Counties Football League Roundup Week 36
The C.C.F.L had its busiest weekend of the season in terms of important games with League and Cup winners being decided in no less than seven different competitions.
First up were Willow Park Under 17’s who as expected completed a League and Cup double when they defeated a game Rosenallis side 3-0 in the Cup final played in Villa Park Roscrea, The Athlone lads went into the lead after only 15 minutes, but Rosenallis fought courageously to keep the score at one nil at the break. The Laois men enjoyed their best spell of the game after the restart and a great chance to equalise on 55 minutes went a begging before Willow closed out the game with two late goals.
In the Youths Cup Semi Final a Mickey Cleere goal set Edenderry Town on their way to the final where they also hope to make it a double. It finished 2-0 to Edenderry against a Tullamore team who never gave up the ghost and created several good chances throughout the game.
Ballinahown advanced to the final of the Under 19 Cup where they will face Abbeyleix following their narrow 2-1 victory over Mullingar Athletic.
The Division 3 Cup rests in Longford this season after Colmcille Celtic edged out favourites Clara Town in the final played in Athlone on Saturday evening. The Aughnacliffe based side needed extra time to see off Clara as it finished 3-2.
Meanwhile on Sunday Dynamo Town completed a Division 2 League and Cup double as they were too good for Raharney in the Dennis Delaney Cup final in Tullamore. Two nil was the final score in favour of the Portlaoise men who can be very happy with their accomplishments this season.
The most exciting final however was left until last when Edenderry Town overcame Birr Town in the Billy Hyland Premier Division final played in Mountmellick. It was one all after a close game following extra time, but in an amazing penalty shootout Edenderry prevailed by 21 successful kicks to 20 for Birr.
The two Saturday Divisions Cup Semi Finals were also played on Saturday and it will be Boro versus Inny FC in the final on Saturday week.
A bullet header from Max Brady in extra time saw Inny over the line 2-1 against Ballymahon.
Before that however Boro had edged out Camlin United by a solitary goal to nil where the winning goal was also a header when Harry Kenny headed in a James Hanley corner with ten minutes to go. Both sides had earlier chances to take the lead, but the two keepers were in top class form on the day and in the end Boro qualified for their third final in a row.
In League action wins for C.K United (Premier), Tullamore Town (Division 1) and Derry Rovers (Division 4B) ensured all three would take their respective league titles.
It was not as straightforward as it looked for any of them however.
C.K raced into an early lead against Stradbally Town, but were pulled back before eventually prevailing by five goals to three.
Tullamore were a goal down and a man down after an hour of their game away to Temple Villa, but they somehow managed to pull two goals out of the bag to just pip Clonaslee who won their game four nil against Gracefield.
In Division 4B Derrry Rovers defeated Clonmore United 2-1 to pass out Raharney at the top of the table, but it was backs to the wall stuff in the closing minutes with Clonmore in fact hitting the post in the last minute of a pulsating game.
Ericssons had a good 3-1 win over Horesleap in Division 3B to move away from the foot of the table. John McIntyre, Paul Meeneghan and Cathal Cranney were on target for the Athlone men who have battled away very gamely all season.
The highest scoring game of the weekend was in the last game of Division 4A where Rosenallis and Abbeyleix shared ten goals and in the process ensured that St Aengus would take runners up spot in this division. It was one all at the break with Ronan Murray on target for Rosenallis and Shane Fennelly replying for Abbeyleix. The floodgates opened in the second half though and Ian O’Callaghan had Rosenallis in front before Abbeyleix missed a penalty and then equalised through Daniel Jones. Joe Dooley put Rosenallis back in front and Eugene Conroy added another soon after, but Jones and Danny Mills had Abbeyleix back on terms entering the last quarter of an hour. Murray then put Rosenallis back in front with the goal of the game, but incredibly Abbeyleix equalised again in the dieing minutes from Darren Kelly.
