Athenry slip up in derby tie with Colemanstown United

Galway Soccer Wrap-up with Mike Rafferty

AH complacancy! They are separated by 35 points in the Premier Division as defending champions Athenry are table toppers while Colemanstown United are on the way back to the First Division and in the relegation zone.

The title holders have a plus 35 goal difference, while Colemanstown have a minus 46. However, all that counted for little on Saturday afternoon in a real derby clash when Athenry required a late penalty converted by Adam Duffy to rescue a point in a 3-3 draw.

It certainly was not a performance that Athenry would be proud of, but then the visitors have not made it easy for anyone in recent games and despite their lowly position (10th of 12), Colemanstown have secure two wins and three draws from their last seven games.

After a Tomas Flannery goal put the underdogs ahead, it is ironic that Colemanstown native and ex-player Ray Moran should score twice against his former side as Seamie Crowe’s side led by 2-1 at the break.

Niall Rohan’s team responded in kind as scores by Tomas Carr and Richie Lally had them ahead, before Duffy’s late spot kick levelled matters and moved Athenry five points ahead of Salthill Devon – but the City side do enjoy two games in hand and the teams still have to meet in a head to head in the coming weeks.

In midweek, aided by a Ryan Shaughnessy hat trick, Athenry were 6-2 winners over Maree/Oranmore, with Cathal Fahy, Declan Cullen and newcomer Callum Carroll also finding the net.

Elsewhere in the top flight, Maree/Oranmore almost certainly guaranteed their survival following a 7-0 home win over an already relegated Tuam Celtic. Corrib Celtic kept themselves a few points clear of the danger area with a 3-1 win over St Bernard’s as Shane Concannon, Ciran Nugent and Enda Callanan were all on the mark for the home side in Annaghdown. In the remaining game, Robert Carroll got a late winner for Mervue United as they defeated West United by 1-0 in South Park.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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