All-Galway affair in last four of cup

Two Galway League sides have made the last four of the Connacht Shield as Hibernians will travel to face Cloonfad in the semi-final, with Kinvara United on the way to Sligo and a meeting with Ballymote Celtic.

CONNACHT JUNIOR CUP

Ballinhown 4

Mervue United 5

Mervue United thought their number was up on a few occasions in this contest, but displaying their usual grit and commitment, they recovered from a two-goal deficit and eventually advanced as Jason Molloy scored his second of the game for the winner.

The Athlone side, who saw off Corrib 1Celtic in the last round, took an early lead through Terry Byrne, but that was quickly cancelled out by Dave Tarmey, before an own-goal and another by David Harrington eased Ballinahown 3-1clear.

An Oisin Coyne finish before the break cut the gap, and Molloy struck for his first of the day a minute after the restart to level matters at 3-3. The home side regained their advantage on the hour mark when former Treaty United defender Oisin O'Reilly put them 4-3 up. However, it was the Galway side who finished the stronger as a Kody McCann goal levelled matters, before the long serving Molloy saved the day with the winner on 87 minutes.

The game also saw the return following injury of Lewis Waweru and he will be a big addition to the side in the closing months of the season.

Salthill Devon 3

Castlerea Celtic 0

Despite the closing scoreline giving an impression that this contest in Drom was a comfortable affair, matters were a little different on the park.

Salthill Devon were the better side, but despite enjoying the advantage of the opening-half elements, they only enjoyed a 1-0 interval advantage courtesy of a Mikey Fox goal and then had to live dangerously at times before two late goals sealed their passage.

Enda Curran made it 2-0 from the penalty spot, after he was fouled in the box, before Colin Kelly set up Cole Connolly to seal the win with the third.

Colga 1

Castlebar Celtic 0

The home side left it late in Clarinbridge on Sunday before a 93rd minute Nathan Ward goal eventually allowed them to see off the two-time defending champions.

With the wind a considerable factor, both sides enjoyed supremacy with the elements in their favour, but the impressive performances of the respective goalkeepers Mark Greaney and Peter Basquille ensured the contest was kept alive from both sides' point of view.

With Colga facing the wind and hardly having a chance of note throughout, they timed their strike with perfection, as Mark Greaney clipped a free-kick towards the far post and where Tom Daly knocked it down.

The ball fell kindly for Calum Browne in the box, and while his shot brought a fantastic save from Basquille, the rebound was bundled to the net by Ward for a dramatic late winner.

Maree-Oranmore 1

Moyne Villa 2

In what has to be considered a surprise, Moyne Villa struck a 91st minute winner from David Quinn in a contest in which plenty of chances presented themselves.

It was the visitors who struck early when Padraic Cunningham got on the end of a Tom Doyle layoff to make it 1-0. However, that was cancelled out on the half hour mark when Colm Whelan applied a finish to a Gavin Smyth pass to tie up matters at 1-1.

The Headford side suffered a blow when they lost Cunningham to injury in the second-half, but it was his replacement who struck for the winner when Quinn was left alone at the far post to finish off a Theo Joyce cross.

The drama did not end there however, as Maree-Oranmore were awarded a penalty deep into additional time, but unfortunately for Whelan as Moyne Villa advanced to the semi-final for the second year in succession.

CONNACHT SHIELD

Aided by the opening half elements, Hibernians opened up a two goal advantage at home against Corofin United, but a concession before the break left matters in the balance in Bohermore, before the home side eventually held on for a 2-1 win.

The home side struck early when Jack Flaherty applied a close-range finish when he got on the end of a Dan Duffy knockdown, before Jason McDonagh broke through from half way in a one-on-one situation to make it 2-0.

A Barry O'Donovan goal rewarded the visitors before the break, but they seldom troubled the home side on the resumption as Darren Sinton's goal survived with little difficulty.

The other quarter-final game played in Kiltullagh and goals from Pearse Doherty, Finn McLoughlin, Jamie Fenning and Nathan Smith saw Kinvara United run out 4-0 winners over Lough Harps.

JACK LILLIS CUP

Mervue United B looked like they were going to spring a surprise when goals from Tommy Molloy and Scott Rigney put them them 2-0 up against Bearna Na Forbacha, before an Aaron Kavanagh brace levelled matters at 2-2 and sent the tie to extra-time.

Again it was the city side who struck first through Keith O'Connor, but that was again cancelled out by Kavanagh, who completed his hat-trick with a header. Then with the game in the balance, a Jordan Powell header settled matters in favour of the Connemara side. In the only other game played, there was no joy for West United as a Seamus De Burca goal gave Cois Fharraige a 1-0 victory in a game played in Carraroe.

CONNACHT YOUTH CUP

The Connacht Youth Cup final will be a repeat of last year as both Mervue United and Castlebar Celtic recorded victories over the weekend. Mervue did not exactly have matters all their own way in a 2-1 semi-final success over Kinvara United as Kalem Ainsworth and Mike Shaughnessy found the net for the home side in Fahy's Field; while Castlebar Celtic defeated Dunmore Town 4-0. The final is scheduled for Headford on Sunday, March 29.

FAI JUNIOR CUP

The first round of the FAI Junior Cup kicks-off this weekend, with the meeting of Salthill Devon and Athenry in Dorm on Sunday (2pm) the only all top-flight head-to-head.

The contest in Furbo on Saturday at 2pm will see a clash of brothers Caimin, Liam and Niall Rooney as they line out for their respective sides in the meeting of Bearna Na Forbacha and Hibernians; while Mervue United won't get it too easy in Abbeyknockmoy when they face St Bernard's at 11am on Sunday.

SCHOOLS

Salerno take on Carrigtwohill Community College from Cork in the FAIS Junior Girls National Cup final in Ballingarry in Limerick on Wednesday next, March 11 (1pm); while the following week, Coláiste Bhaile Chláir take on either CBC Cork or Wexford CBS in the Dr Tony O'Neill Senior Boys National Cup Final on Thursday March 19.