NUIG spot on in Cup but OLBC and Bohs bow out

NUIGalway, Mervue United, Colmanstown and Corrib Celtic are the four Galway sides who have advanced to the national open draw of the FAI Junior Cup following a weekend of action which saw four very well contested games with two of them eventually being decided on penalties.It was also a good few days for Galway representative sides as the U15, U16 and U18 teams scored seventeen goals in the process of wins over Mayo, Athlone and Clare sides.

FAI JUNIOR CUPNUI Galway      3Dynamo Blues 3

(NUIG won 3-1 on pens)

On three occasions the students led in this cup tie, but on each occasion the Tuam side responded and eventually it was the quality of the penalty taking that was to be the visitor’s downfall as they could just convert one of the efforts as Derek O’Flaherty, Billy Clery and Ciaran Foley were all spot on for the students as they advanced 3-1 in the shootout.

Despite six goals being scored, another feature of the contest was the quality of goalkeeping provided by Liam Grant and Tom Noone.Now it was the students who led on three occasions-only to be pegged back each time by a competitive Blues. Gareth Gorman set up the opener for O’Flaherty, with Dave Shallow providing the assist as Mark Sweeney levelled matters before the break.

The resumption saw Noone keep out a Martin Conneely header, but Gorman was first to the rebound to make it 2-1. John Farragher levelled matters with a close range finish as it finished 2-2 at the end of ninety minutes.

A smart finish by Philip Reilly restored the home side’s advantage in the first half of extra time, but Farragher rescued Blues once more with a header following a Carton delivery in the closing minutes.They travel to Donegal to face Lagan Harps in the last 64.

OLBC 2Colmanstown 2

(Colmanstown won4-2 on pens)

Boys’ Club will certainly wonder how they managed to lose this one as they led by 2-1 with just five minutes remaining, while their opponents were down to 10 men and then in the shootout it was the visitors who kept their nerve to advance.

It was the home side who took the lead when Jimmy Jennings lobbed the advancing Joe Flannery from close range for the opener, but Ray Moran sat up Colin O’Grady for the equaliser.

Then with just seven minutes left a Kieran Caldwell far post finish restored the city side’s lead, but despite Colmanstown having two players red carded in separate incidents, they somehow tied up matter at 2-2 when Barry Donnellon blasted home from close range. 

The home side could not take advantage of the two man difference in the 20 minutes of extra time and when it came to the penalty contest it was the visitors who prevailed by 4-2.

In the remaining tie, an opening half Chris Greaney goal gave Corrib Celtic a 1-0 away win over Bohemians at Millar’s Lane. 

For more read page 26 of this week's Connacht Sentinel.