Goals galore in the Carnbane League but Ashgrove Rovers fold
Carnbane League Round-up
There were seven Carnbane League games and a Gerald Kennedy Cup Semi-final played this past weekend, and every game had at least three goals.
However, there was some disappointing news in the Carnbane League as Premier Division side Ashgrove Rovers made the decision to fold, just two games into the season.
The club put out a statement on social media which read:
‘Breaks my heart to write this about the Senior team but unfortunately the past few months have been tough for the players and management with dwindling numbers and after much deliberation, they have been forced to fold.
‘With a great youth set-up in place hopefully one day we will see and Ashgrove Senior team back in the Carnbane League’.
Premier Division
Millburn United 2 Rossowen 3
South Down rivals Millburn United and Rossowen renewed acquaintances once more, having met in the Gerald Kennedy Cup two weeks ago.
Once again it was a close game, and once again it was Rossowen who were victorious by the narrowest of margins.
Both sides found the net inside the opening 15 minutes, with Jordan Fegan putting the Rostrevor men ahead, before Thomas Travers equalised for the home side.
Ryan White restored Rossowen’s advantage shortly after half-time, but once again Millburn had a response, with Jason Kelly making it 2-2 on 73 minutes.
It looked like the local rivals were set to share the points, but Rossowen found a dramatic winner, with JJ Ucar hitting the target four minutes into stoppage time.
Orchard United 3 Villa Rovers 5
It was a goal bonanza in Derrybeg, with eight goals being split 5-3 in Villa Rovers’ favour against Orchard United.
It looked as though Villa were going to stroll to victory after they made a bright start and found the back of the Orchard net three times in the first half via Aaron Devlin, Kyle Brennan and Joe Campbell.
Orchard opened the second half’s scoring however, but Rovers soon restored their three-goal cushion with Campbell netting a brace.
Villa weren’t home and dry yet though, and Orchard gave them plenty to think about when Calllum Donnan scored twice in the space of three minutes to pull the deficit back to one.
But Villa steadied the ship, and Devlin put the result beyond all doubt with his second goal on 84 minutes.
Ballyholland 4 Ashgrove Rovers 0
Ashgrove’s final game proved to be a difficult task, as they were heavily defeated by Ballyholland at Olympic Park.
Ballyholland had the ball in the back of the net twice in the first half, and doubled their tally in the second half to run out comfortable winners.
Division 1
Cartwheel United 2 Newry Rovers 5
Having been the whipping boys of the Carnbane League Division 1 in previous seasons, Newry Rovers laid down a marker this past weekend that suggest this year could be different, as they trounced Sean Havern Cup champions Cartwheel United 5-2.
Rovers raced into a dream start with Jack Turley and Jack Hoben putting them into a 2-0 lead just minutes into the game.
Carthweel answered back through an Oisin McClelland goal, but in a half where momentum swung back and forth, Newry Rovers went 3-1 up via Turley’s second.
A Patrick Kelly goal for the hosts brought the deficit back to one at half-time, but Newry Rovers put in a strong second half showing and ran out 5-2 winners following further finishes from Piaras Woods and Conor Kavanagh.
Killeavy United 1 Archview United 7
Killeavy United suffered a heavy defeat in the club’s second match since re-forming at the start of the season. Archview United were on fire and rattled in seven goals. Stephen Daly netted a hat trick, Tomas Marks scored two, and Nathan McClorey and Gary Fitzmaurice also got in on the act. Jack Ridley was the lone goalscorer for Killeavy.
Parkview 0 Rockview 5
Rockview put in a five-star display on Saturday, hammering Parkview at Artie Green Park.
Rockview led by two at the break, and pushed their lead out with three more goals to run out comfortable 5-0 winners.
Greenfield Park 1 Mayobridge 2
Mayobridge continued their strong start to the season with a 2-1 win over Greenfield Park.
Kevin O’Rourke hit the net twice for the victors, and although Greenfield pulled one back late on, the Bridge held on for the win.
Gerald Kennedy Cup
Semi-final
Hill Street 2 Cleary Celtic 1 (AET)
Cleary Celtic relinquished their grip of the Gerald Kennedy Cup, as they suffered a 2-1 loss to Hill Street after extra-time in the semi-final.
Marty Havern had put the Carnbane League side ahead shortly after half-time, but the Lurgan men replied through Dylan McKerr.
Locked at 1-1, extra-time was needed to separate the two sides and it was Hill Street who netted the winner, with David Fitzpatrick the match-winning hero.