Stradbally Town 2-0 Walsh Island Shamrocks
CCFL Division 3
Stradbally started their league campaign at home on Charter Road Sunday morning against a tough opponent in Walsh Island.
The game couldn’t have started any better for the home side when they went ahead after just 35 seconds with a fantastic move ending with Fionn McEvoy slipping in Ciaran O’Neill to side foot home his second of the season.
The away side had barely tipped off again when another great move from the home side saw McEvoy again at hand to make the assist this time to Benny Lawlor to slot home his first of the campaign and all this with barely two minutes on the clock.
Lawlor could have grabbed another on 10 minutes but the away keeper kept his side in the game with a fine save.
The Offaly side dusted themselves down from here on and went very close to grabbing at least one back before the break with the home side riding their luck at times but it remained 2-0 at the break.
The second period was an even enough affair. Walsh Island will wonder how they didn’t score on 60 minutes with their striker blasting over from six yards.
The home side then had the chance to put the game to bed on 66 minutes when they were awarded a penalty however Eoin Buggie seen his spot kick strike the crossbar.
Stradbally then needed Anto Skelly to produce a fine one on one save to keep the two goal cushion intact.
Stradbally could have made it easier for themselves late on when Conor Buggie had good chances to seal the win but in the end the Stradbally backline didn’t give up any goals and the three points were earned.
For the home side James Devoy was outstanding at the back, with Cillian Maher getting through a lot of work in midfield and Eoin Buggie and Fionn McEvoy a constant threat up front.
Stradbally’s thoughts now turn to Round 2 of the LFA Shield next Sunday October 12 when they host Wexford outfit Moyne Rangers on Charter Road at 2pm.
STRADBALLY TOWN: Anto Skelly, John Hayden, Sean Devoy, James Devoy, Podge Fitzpatrick, Ciaran O’Neill, Justin Lalor, Cillian Maher, Benny Lawlor, Foinn McEvoy, Eoin Buggie. Subs: Connor Buggie for J Lalor, Sam Rooney for S Devoy, Ben Dillon for O’Neill, Liam Clancy for McEvoy, Jack Langton, Charlie O’Brien, Noah Delaney, Colin Beale and Jack Larkin.
CCFL RESULTS
U-17 Premier Division
Mullingar Ath 1 Mountmellick Utd 3
Edenderry Town 3 Tullamore Town 4
U-17 Division 1
Abbeyleix Ath 2 St Francis 3
U-17 Sunday
Killoe Celtic 2 Kenagh Utd 1
Brefnie Fermanay 7 Ballymahon 2
Premier Division
Temple Villa 5 Coolraine 1
Clara Town 2 Willow Park 2
St Peter’s 3 Mullingar Ath 1
Mountmellick Utd 4 Clonaslee Utd 3
Division 1
Rosenallis 3 Gallen Utd 4
Mullingar Town 0 Mullingar Celtic 4
Killavilla Utd 4 Ballymahon 1
Highfield Utd 3 Abbeyleix Ath 1
Division 2
Monksland Utd 5 Grange Utd 0
Division 3
Stradbally Town 2 Walsh Island Shamrocks 0
Cloneygowan Celtic 1 Killeigh FC 2
Portlaoise 4 Longford Shamrocks 5
Division 4A
Portlaoise Ramblers 3 Maryborough FC 1
St Aengus 2 Mountmellick Utd 6
Gracefield FC 6 Spink Celtic 0
Division 4B
Clonown Rovers 4 Frankford FC 2
Cloncollig Celtic 4 Temple Villa 3
Clara Town 1 Banagher Utd 2
Womens Div South
Birr Town 1 Ballymackey 8
Banagher Utd 5 Portlaoise 2
SEE ALSO – Laois SHC: Super second half sees Camross ease past Rathdowney-Errill and into the final
