U16 Div 1 Girls: Colemanstown 3 – 2 East Galway Utd. Our U16 girls welcomed title contenders East Galway Utd (sitting 2nd in the table) for a tough midweek encounter, knowing a big performance would be required. Fielding a strong squad on the night, the girls were more than ready for the challenge. Despite a bright start, it was the visitors who struck first against the run of play on 10mins, leaving Niamh Lally with no chance in goal. Colemanstown responded superbly & were back on level terms just 5 mins later. Excellent work from Shauna McDonagh created the opportunity & Leah Hansberry showed great composure when one-on-one with the keeper to slot home the equaliser. In that opening half, Muireann Roche, Aoife Walsh at left back & Grace Jordan were solid throughout, ensuring the sides went in level at 1-1 at the break.
Colemanstown started the 2nd half with real purpose & were rewarded 20mins after the restart. Following a goalmouth scramble, Muireann Roche reacted quickest to poke the ball home to give us a 2-1 lead. Just 5mins later, Leah Hansberry struck again to make it 3-1, capping a superb 2nd half display from this young side. The final 15 mins were backs-to-the-wall stuff as East Galway pushed hard. Niamh Lally produced a series of top-drawer saves, while Grace Jordan & Ruth Burke defended resolutely under sustained pressure. Although the visitors pulled one back with 5mins to go, Colemanstown held firm to secure a famous 3-2 victory. It was a tremendous squad effort that lifts them off the bottom of the table. Match Report: Niall Rohan
U15 Girls Div 1: Colemanstown 1-3 Merlin Woods FC. Sunday’s league clash saw second place take on third place in what promised to be a tight affair. Playing into a strong 1st half breeze, Colemanstown faced early pressure from Merlin Woods. The visitors opened the scoring on the quarter-hour mark when their pacy striker latched onto a long ball over the top & finished well. However, our response was immediate. Leah Hansberry, playing her second match of the day & in superb form, sprinted onto a perfectly weighted through ball & finished expertly to level matters at 1-1 which was the score at half time.
With the wind at their backs in the 2nd half, Colemanstown pushed forward with attacking intent, spearheaded by Leah Hansberry & Cara Higgins up front. Despite our efforts, it was Merlin Woods who proved clinical. Capitalising on long balls out of defence, their quick strikers added two 2nd half goals from the only real chances they created. Colemanstown battled hard in the final 15mins in search of a breakthrough, but the visitors’ defence held firm. It finished 3-1 to Merlin Woods in what was a hard-fought & fiercely competitive encounter. Match Report: Niall Rohan
Mens Div 1: Oughterard 2-5 Colemanstown. In Sunday’s reversed fixture, Colemanstown produced a clinical attacking display to overcome Oughterard & maintain pole position in Division 1 with 3 games to play. The breakthrough arrived on 14mins when Aironas Kantauskas unleashed a superb strike into the top corner after being set up by Ray Moran. Just 4mins later, Oughterard responded through their No.10, who controlled brilliantly with his left foot before finishing past Alan Junior in goals. Colemanstown restored their lead 4mins later from a set piece. James Collevy’s corner caused chaos in the box & Sean Hardiman was on hand at the back post to finish well. 5mins before the break Tomas Flannery added a 3rd with a composed finish into the bottom left corner to give Colemanstown a 3-1 half-time advantage.
The 2nd half began evenly, with both sides probing. Oughterard reduced the deficit on 70 minutes to set up a tense finale as they committed bodies forward in search of an equaliser. However, Colemanstown sealed the win late on. On 85mins Kyle Madden made an instant impact from the bench when he finished superbly to the keeper’s left after Luke Williams burst through the middle. The goal ended Oughterard’s resistance & deep into stoppage time Madden grabbed his second of the afternoon to cap a super-sub display & put the game beyond doubt. It was a commanding 5-2 victory which ensures Colemanstown remain top of Division 1 with 3 crucial games still to play. Match Report: Kerrill Lally
U17 Boys Div1 : Loughrea 2-2 Colemanstown. The boys U17 Division 1 reverse fixture between Colemanstown United and Loughrea, played on Sunday, March 1st, produced a gripping contest between two well‑matched sides. From the first whistle to the final dramatic kick, the game delivered intensity, momentum swings, and moments of real quality from both teams. Loughrea opened with real purpose, pressing aggressively and moving the ball with confidence. They looked threatening from the outset and came inches from taking the lead when Tadhg Hart unleashed a thunderous free‑kick that rattled the upright. Colemanstown were left stunned that the ball somehow stayed out. Loughrea were quick to capitalise on that moment of disbelief. A swift attacking move cut through the Colemanstown defence, and a well‑struck finish put the visitors 1–0 ahead. While the scoreline favoured Loughrea, it didn’t reflect the full balance of the half—Colemanstown produced some excellent passages of play themselves and maintained strong spells of control. Still, Loughrea’s defensive discipline ensured they carried their lead into the break.
The second half saw a revitalised Colemanstown come out with real urgency. Sharper movement and quicker passing immediately shifted momentum in their favour, pushing Loughrea deep into their own half. Their pressure finally paid off when Patrick Gavin delivered a superb free‑kick into the box, met decisively by Niall Robinson, who powered his effort past the keeper to level the match at 1–1. Buoyed by the equaliser, Colemanstown continued to press, and soon the turnaround was complete. A clever move down the left opened space for another attack, and Gavin—already influential—stepped up again with a precise finish to put Colemanstown 2–1 ahead. At that stage, Colemanstown appeared fully in control and looked poised to take all three points. But Loughrea refused to fade. As the match entered its final minutes, they pushed bodies forward in search of an equaliser. Colemanstown defended bravely, throwing blocks, making challenges, and clearing danger as the pressure mounted. Then came the gut punch. With virtually the last kick of the match, a loose ball fell kindly in the Colemanstown box. Loughrea reacted fastest, firing home a dramatic late equaliser to make it 2–2, sparking jubilant celebrations from the travelling supporters. Moments later, the referee blew for full time, confirming a thrilling draw in a game that could have gone either way. Match Report: Luca Lualdi.
Squad: Tommy Nutley, James Somers, Fionn Proulx, Morgan Keogh, Mike Lally, Patrick Gavin, Noah McDonnell, Tom Holohan, Jamie Lally, Tadhg Hart, Martin Mellody, Niall Robbinson, Stephen Murphy, Sean Keating, Ryan Shaughnessy, Joshua Lualdi, Gearóid Walsh, Fabian Carroll.