Carnbane League Round-up: ​Newry Celtic lay down a marker ahead of Mid Ulster Shield Final

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Kehoe Kars Bessbrook Cup

Quarter-finals

Cleary Celtic 1 Newry Celtic 2 (AET)

Newry Celtic got one over on Cleary Celtic in a preview for next month’s Mid Ulster Shield Final.

It was a meeting between the 2022 and the 2023 Bessbrook Cup Champions, played at Olympic Park.

After a goalless first half, Newry Celtic’s Keith Johnston scored the opener on 54 minutes. However, their lead lasted less than a quarter of an hour, as Cleary Celtic’s Stephen Quinn found an equaliser.

After neither side could find a winning goal, into extra-time the game went. And with 103 minutes on the clock, Johnston scored his second and secured the win for the Newry Celts.

Ashgrove Rovers 1 Mayobridge 4

Mayobridge’s fantastic season added a new chapter on Saturday, as they booked their place in the last four of the Bessbrook Cup with a resounding 4-1 win over Ashgrove Rovers.

However, they got off to the worst possible start when Turlough Hunter fired Rovers into the lead just three minutes into the game.

Mayobridge regrouped, and half an hour later they levelled the game via a Brendan Murtagh header.

Two goals 10 minutes apart early in the second half via Brandon Roe and Darren McPolin gave Ashgrove a mountain to climb, and the Bridge put the result beyond all doubt by adding a fourth goal late on.

Orchard United 5 Greenfield Park 2

Mayobridge won’t be the only Division 1 side in the semi-finals of the Bessbrook Cup, as Church Street fired their way through Greenfield Park to take their place in the last four.

It was goals galore in the first half, as momentum swung back and forth. Shane McAteer fired the Orchard men into the lead early on, but Greenfield responded with two goals in the space of five minutes via Aaron Byrne and Peter Markey.

But United went into the half-time break with the lead, as Sean Gorman levelled the game on 34 minutes, then put his side into the lead a minute later.

Orchard added a fourth goal midway through the second half to put some daylight between the teams, before Shay Murdock made sure of the result by adding Orchard’s fifth on 75 minutes.

Ballyholland and Camlough Rovers meet next week in the last of the quarter-final fixtures.

Sean Havern Memorial Cup

Section A

Church Street 2 Cartwheel United 2

Church Street and Cartwheel United played to a 2-2 draw at Willie Davis Park on Saturday.

Sam Bingham scored the only goal of the first half to see Church Street lead at the break. Cartwheel got back on level terms early in the second half, but Church Street thought they had won it when Bingham netted his second on 86 minutes.

However, Caolan Reavey hit the net in the last minute to ensure that the spoils were shared.

Section B

Rockview United 5 Lisdrum 1

Rockview United were much too strong for Lisdrum, hammering them 5-1.

The hit two in the first half, and although Lisdrum scored early in the second half, United weren’t going to be denied and they fired in three more goals to put the icing on the cake.

Greenfield Park hit with points deduction and miss out on promotion

Earlier this month, Greenfield Park and Mayobridge secured their promotion to the Premier Division, having finished in the top two places in Division 1.

However, Greenfield have recently been hit with a 20-point deduction for a breach of IFA Comet Player Registration Regulations in respect of one player. The registration was declared to be invalid by the IFA.

The points deduction sees Greenfield drop three places in the table, and Orchard United have been awarded a top-two spot in their place.

Ashgrove Rovers move up to third and Cartwheel United finish in fourth.