St Fiacc’s FC 2

Vale Wanderers 1

St Fiacc’s came out on top in this very competitive game in the Presentation College on Sunday.

The home side took the lead through Courtney Forbes with a well taken goal. Vale came more into the game and put the Saints under pressure. They were rewarded when Susan O’Leary headed home from a Laura Kearney cross just before half time.

The second half was again a tense affair with both sides having great chances. It was the home side that took their chance when Courtney Forbes grabbed her second goal midway through the half to win the game.

Best for Fiaccs Ciara Corcoran, Sara Kerfra and Kelly O’Neill while Shauna Ó Neil, Claudia Earl and Jacinta Kearney stood out for Vale.

ELECTION OF MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 2019 AGM: Executive Committee: Hon. Chairman – Noel Jordan

Ass. Chairman – Bernard Mullen

Hon. Secretary – Michael Gorman

Hon. Treasurer – Tina McDermott

Child Welfare Officer – Bernard Mullen

Fixtures Secretary – Brian O’Reilly

Registrar – Tina McDermott

DCU Secretary – Noel Jordan

PRO – Bernard Mullen

Non-Executive: Management Committee: Brendan Powell Ian McDonald

Ballymurphy Celtic 0

Mill Celtic 3

Mill made the long journey to Ballymurphy a rewarding one with this good win on Sunday.

The visitors started the brighter and went ahead through Catherine Dempsey after a good through ball from Nicole Heeney Byrne. The Kildare side had chances to extend their lead but couldn’t find a way past the Ballymurphy keeper.

The second half was even enough and the home side almost levelled matters on 20 minutes but Rachel Fenin pulled off a fine save in the Mill goals. The winner dominated the final few minutes and sealed victory with two late goals.

Best on the day for Mill were Laura Fenin, Mag Nolan and Chloe Foy.

St Joseph’s 5

Burrin Celtic 1

St Joseph’s started well and dominated the play right from the start but failed to convert their chances with Burrin defending well. Burrin were reduced to ten men and Joeys awarded a penalty thirty minutes in when a defender handled the ball but Caoimhin Treacy’s effort struck the post and went wide. Joeys piled on the pressure but fine saves by the Burrin keeper denied them on several occasions, they finally made the breakthrough just before half time when Padraig Webb was rewarded for his persistence.

Kit Gaffney doubled their lead five minutes into the second half after some good play. Three minutes later Burrin made it two one with a well converted penalty after a foul by the keeper. Joeys got their third on the hour mark when Caoimhin Treacy netted after a long clearance. Daniel Donegan thought he’d made it four five minutes later with a fine header but he was deemed offside. Padraig Webb capped a man of the match performance with his second and Joey’s fourth with twenty minutes left and Tom Mitchell wrapped up the scoring five minutes later with a brilliant header.

Round Tower Rovers 0

St Patrick’s Boys 4

St Pat’s took the lead after Thomas Sheehan finished low to the corner of the net. Conditions played a factor for both teams and Pat’s went into half time with the narrowest of leads.

Round Towers came out in the second half and played some good football and frustrated the away side. It wasn’t until the final ten minutes this game was put to bed when Thomas Sheehan found the net for a second time. After the restart Boys put the pressure on and a Dinny Farrell cross found its way to the back of the Rovers net. Thomas Sheehan rounded off the game with his hat trick which topped off a great away win for the Graiguecullen side.

Best for Pat’s David Pawlowitcz, Denis Byrne and Jamie Malone. Best for Round Tower was Darragh Carolan and William Oxley.

Hanover Harps 3

Nurney Villa 3

Hanover were one up after 38 Seconds when Dillon Murphy played Shane Doolan through and he calmly knocked the ball past the onrushing keeper. Hanover were persistent in attack and had Nurney in all kinds of trouble when Kuba Dobosz almost scored on three minutes from a headed effort and Michael Ryan saw his shot saved on eight minutes. On 11 minutes Shane Kelly was fouled down the right and the resulting Dylan Walsh free kick was met by a Kuba Dobosz bullet header to double Hanover's advantage. From the kick-off Hanover conceded a needless penalty and although Craig Walker saved John Townsend spot kick, the striker was quickest to the rebound and squeezed it past him. Possession was shared for the next 15 minutes after Nurney got their goal against the run of play but Hanover restored their two-goal advantage on 29 minutes when Dylan Walsh through ball sent Shane Doolan on his way and he stuck away his second goal of the game. Craig Walker was called into action on 32 minutes to make a save and Dillon Murphy tested the Visitors Keeper on 35 minutes, leaving the score 3-1 at the break.

Early in the second half Hanover lost possession in the middle third of the opposition half and a long Nurney ball saw Joe Byrne bear down on goal and his shot looped into the net off the keeper. With twenty minutes remaining Matthew Doogue and Shane Kelly combined down the right and squared to Dillon Murphy but his effort just too high. Nurney capitalised on another Hanover error with five minutes remaining to level the game when Colin Townsend smashed home. Hanover had another chance to win on 94 minutes when David Akinduro crossed for Shane Kelly who swivelled and shot but it went a yard the wrong side of the post.

Best for Nurney were Andy O’Brien, Joe Byrne and Colin Townsend.

Kilree Celtic 6

Crettyard United 0

Kilree are on track for a league and cup double with this emphatic cup victory over a depleted Cretty on Sunday.

Fresh from their league celebrations they started brightly and Alan Salter scored on eight minutes with a fine effort into the bottom corner. They doubled their lead when the Crettyard keeper failed to hold onto Alan MacDonald’s shot and David MacDonald pounced to score on 29 minutes. They were then awarded a penalty when Alan MacDonald was fouled and Alan Salter coolly slotted home the spot kick just on the stroke of half time.

The second half did not get much better for the Laois visitors as an Eamon Nolan corner was headed home by Paul Kehoe on 65 minutes. Mark MacDonald got in on the scoring act when Alan Salter put him through on goal on 68 minutes before Sean Curran finished off the scoring on 75 minutes and see Kilree through to the next round.

This was an all-round team performance by Kilree while James Sherwood, John Dwyer and Shane Buggy tried hard for Crettyard.

Mill Celtic 3

Castle Rangers 1

Mill Celtic made their final home game of the season a winning one with this victory over the Carlow town side.

The early exchanges were quite tense with neither side threatening. The visitors broke the deadlock with a long ball over the top by Gary Murphy which allowed Martin to race in behind and lob over the advancing Harry Kirwan. The home side created a number of chances through Dylan Wynne, Brian Malone and Shane Molloy but they could find the net with their respective efforts.

The second half began with Mill looking like a team on a mission and their fast start was rewarded after 52 minutes when a long raking pass from Gary Lambe found Daniel Mackey who in turned played through Wynne to slot home the equaliser. With the Mill back four being resolute at the back the same two players combined for Wynne to grab his second with a superb finish on 64 minutes. Daniel O’Boyle was denied by a great save by Kirwan that kept the home side in command and the game was wrapped up with ten minutes to go when Andrew Baldwin grabbed a deserved goal after the Rangers keeper spilled a Brian Mackey free kick.

Best for Mill on the day were Gary Lambe, Brian Malone and Dylan Wynne. For Castle Cian Connolly, Mick McGrath and Alan Butler stood out.

Parkville United 0

Ballymurphy Celtic 1

A lone second half strike from Phil Cresswell was enough to win this tie for Celtic and give their Premier Division survival hopes a huge boost.

The win leaves Celtic just four points from safety and with games in hand on all the clubs above them it drags a host of clubs, including Parkville into a hunt for points to beat the drop. The best chance of a quiet first half fell to Ballymurphy and Cresswell on 26 minutes, his header brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar and away to safety by the Parkville keeper.

Celtic began the second period well but it wasn’t until just after the hour that the only goal of the game arrived. MJ Doran fired a shot on goal, the United 'keeper did well to save it but when the rebound fell to Cresswell he made no mistake as he swept home to make it 1-0. After that it was all Parkville but a combination of solid defending and good goalkeeping from Paul Foley was enough to see Celtic over the line and reward the efforts of Anto Jordan, Tom O’Neill and Paul Foley.

Crettyard United 3

Killeshin FC 1

United hauled themselves right back into the title race as three second half goals saw them claim the points and leave Killeshin looking over their shoulders as Ballymurphy’s win in Tullow leaves them just four points off the bottom.

The first half was a story of missed chances from both sides. Killeshin’s Adam Steed fired over when well-placed after 15 minutes. It was then United’s turn to waste chances, Gearoid Cuddihy and Lee Salter both off target for the hosts. The best chance of the half fell to Killeshin and Michael O’Rourke but he managed to clear the crossbar from six yards.

Crettyard were much better in the second half and opened the scoring on the hour. Danny Doyle raced through midfield before being felled in the box for a penalty which he duly converted to put the hosts 1-0 up. That advantage was doubled 15 minutes later, Craig Comerford’s corner firmly headed to the net by Lee Salter for 2-0. Steed headed narrowly wide as Killeshin tried to respond and with five minutes left they were thrown a lifeline when they were awarded a penalty, converted by Steed. Thoughts of a comeback were dashed almost immediately as Cristoir Maher teed up Salter for his second and United’s third with a neat lob over the advancing keeper to put the result beyond doubt.

Best for Crettyard were Lee Salter, Danny Doyle and Gearoid Cuddihy. Killeshin had good performances from Ian Brennan, Michael O’Rourke, Niall Scully and Brendan McDonald.