Leitrim derby opens new Women's Soccer League

Next Friday is an historic day for women's sport in the north west as the first Sligo Bay Lobsters  Women’s League gets underway with Manorhamilton Rangers taking on Carrick Town in a Leitrim derby in the first game of the new Sligo Leitrim competition.

It will be the first Senior teams fielded by both clubs who have been at the forefront of the development of ladies soccer in the county for years and should provide added spice to the historic occasion.

Manorhamilton Rangers warmed up for the new competition with a 6-2 victory over Calry Bohs last week with Erin Somers hitting a hat-trick for the Leitrim team.

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Carrick Town are sponsored by DNG McGill Auctioneers while  HSE Connecting For Life Sligo Leitrim are the sponsors for Manorhamilton Rangers in a unique community partnership. Friday's game will take place under lights at Sligo's Ray Mac Sharry Park with a 7.30 pm kickoff

DEVANEY NETS FOR ATHLONE TOWN

Manorhamilton's Muireann Devaney scored the decisive penalty as Athlone Town knocked Dearbhaile Beirne's Peamount Utd out of the Sports Direct Women's FAI Cup.

The game in Athlone Town Stadium ended scoreless after extra time with Beirne starting for the Dublin side while Devaney came on in extra-time for last year's finalists. Athlone won the shootout 3-2 to set up a semi-final meeting with Sligo Rovers on the weekend ending October 15.

This could mean a clash for Devaney with the Leitrim LGFA Senior A Final against St Joseph's on the same weekend.

MANOR RANGERS HIT FOR SEVEN AS CARRICK PICK UP FIRST WIN

More mixed fortunes for Leitrim teams in the Sligo Leitrim & District Leagues as Carrick Town picked up their first win of the season but both Dromahair and Manorhamilton Rangers suffered losses.

Manor suffered a 7-0 defeat away to Gurteen Celtic in the Sligo Southern Hotel Super League while in the Sligo Pallets Premier League, Carrick Town bounced back from recent defeats with a 3-2 home win over Kilglass Enniscrone while Dromahair lost out 5-3 away to Coolaney Utd.

We're all champions of the world

THE LAST POINT

On foot of last week's column on America's NFL, I didn't expect to get a picture on Sunday evening all the way from the US of four Leitrim lads enjoying the action Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium last Sunday. Making me very envious, Gerry Gallagher from Aughawillan, Tom McCaffrey from Ballinamore, Austin Harkin from Drumkeerin and Sean McCaffrey from Chicago were cheering on the 49ers and they had a lot to cheer about as San Francisco demolished the Steelers 30-7

MANOR GIRLS WIN LEITRIM DERBY

Manorhamilton Rangers claimed the local bragging rights when they scored a 8-0 victory over Dromahair in the opening round of the Naturelles Hair Studio U18 Girls League. Grace Devaney was the star of the show for Rangers as she hit four goals for the dominant victors.

Carrick Town also won on the road with a 4-2 win over St Johns in Ballisodare. Aoife McDwyer gave Carrick an early lead but two for St John’s put them in command before Rachel Quinn tied the scores. McDwyer would go on to complete her hat-trick with two more goals to secure the win for the Leitrim side.