OLBC produce shock on good weekend for local clubs in Cup

Mike Rafferty

While more than half the Connacht Junior Cup programme was wiped out over the weekend, it was a reasonably successful one from a Galway point of view as six local sides advanced with just West United the only team to fall to outside opposition.

OLBC certainly produced a shock when seeing off high flying Sligo Super League side City United with four opening half goals, while East United, Corrib Rangers and Mervue United all comfortably saw off Mayo opposition to advance to the Fourth Round.

While three cup games were postponed locally, all the programme in the Sligo/Leitrim League was cancelled and as a result five Galway sides never got the opportunity to head to Yeats country.

OLBC 4City United 2

Four goals in a rich 15 minute spell in the opening half shocked the visitors and gave Boys’ Club a little bit of a cushion to see off the expected recovery by City United on the resumption.

It was the front two of Jimmy Jennings and Ronan Caldwell who did all the damage as they notched a brace apiece, but this win was about more than just the goalscorers as a solid team performance carried them to victory.

Visiting custodian Tony Clarke was less than impressive for the opening two goals as he allowed a Jennings cross shot past him for the opener and then the front man drilled home the second from inside the box. Geoffrey Power set up the next following a good run, with Neil Rabbitte providing the final link as Caldwell made it 3-0.The impressive Caldwell made it 4-0 after seeing off a few token challenges outside the box and firing into the bottom corner.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.