Big wins for local teams in Leinster Junior Shield

THE Leinster Junior Shield took place at the weekend with big wins for Belgard Athletic, Esker Celtic, Firhouse United, Kingswood Castle, Clondalkin Celtic and Marks Celtic, reports Joohn Mooney.

A Darragh Murphy hat-trick for Belgard Athletic saw last season’s semifinalists safely through to round two of the competition with a 3-2 win over Hot Press.

Murphy has been in flying form this season with 14 goals in six league games, including nine in his last three.

Glenmalure Rovers came from 2-0 down to book their place in the second round of the LFA Junior Shield with a 3-2 victory over Templeogue United.

Goals from Ryan Hyland, two, and Eoin Leonard did the trick after they had fallen behind.

Three goals in four minutes just after the opening whistle had Esker Celtic in charge of their Shield game with Oldbury FC, winning out 5-0.

Even though the Bury pulled one back on 65 minutes the Celts had enough in the tank to add two more to stroll into round two. Scorers for the winners were Robert Bolton, two, Ben Quinn, Zane Khan and Jeff Iguo.

Clondalkin Celtic saw off Tallaght United in the Junior Shield

Firhouse saw off the challenge of Stella Maris in the Dublin Port Stadium when they ran out 4-1 winners.

Ray Singleton netted a hat-trick and Devin Brady the other, as the newly formed Tallaght outfit moved on to round two.

Kingswood Castle proved to be too strong for Rathcoole FC when they met in their Shield encounter with the Castle running out 4-0 winners, with goals from Burns, two, Leigh and Delaney.

A goal in added time wasn’t enough to save Tallaght United from going out of the Junior Shield, to Clondalkin Celtic last Saturday, as they went down 2-1.

Darragh Murphy scored a hatrick for Belgard Athletic

Gavin Greene did the damage for the Celts as his two goals gave them enough of a cushion to see the game out.

Marks Celtic welcomed Ballyfermot based Decies Celtic to Tallaght last Saturday and bagged a 5-2 win in their Shield clash.

Leading 2-0 at the break Marks shipped a goal early in the second half and it gave the Celts hope.

However, that was dashed with three in a ten-minute spell to put the icing on the cake, even though Decies scored a second in the dying minutes.