WITH TEN goals and five red cards, this game would seem to have everything, while in truth it was a pretty disappointing affair, both sides doing their best to lose. Villa took a four minute lead when John Miley took advantage of a goalkeeping error to net. Fiacc's recovered well and were back on level terms on eleven minutes. Nicky Brannigan put over a cross which Jamie Parr volleyed home. Nurney regained the lead on 28 minutes, Richard Kearney released Sean Kinsella in space and Kinsella lobbed the Saints keeper from the edge of the area.

Four minutes later and the sides were level again when the Villa keeper raced outside his area to clear the ball but was dispossessed and the ball fell to Matthew Power who put it into an empty net. Just before half time, both teams lost a player to a red card following a v brief altercation.

Fiacc's came out strongly in the second half and tem minutes in were 4-2 ahead. Patrick Scully put a penalty away and Matthew Power scored his second goal of the game. Nurney were then reduced to nine players and it looked as if the game was up for them, however Miley soon pulled a goal back and Val Fleming levelled from close range.

Willie Kearney then put Villa ahead before Fiacc's were reduced to eight players. John Miley closed the scoring for Nurney completing his hat trick on 88 minutes.

Slaney Rovers 2 St. Anne's 2

A STEPHEN Darcy free kick put the home side ahead before Anne's hit back to take the lead before half time. The equaliser came when Ciaran Kelly delivered a free kick to the Rovers box and Andrew Leonard nipped in to finish. Just before the break the Saints tool the lead, Colin Campion was brought down in the area and Gary Walsh converted the resulting penalty kick. Rovers also lost a player who was red carded in that incident, having a player down for the entire second half.

However Rovers pushed on in the second half and were let off when Campion broke through, the Rovers keeper parried his shot which broke to the Saints Joe Murphy but he fired over. Slaney continued to press and they got their reward on 86 minutes, Dominic Byrne got on the end of a free kick to finish from close range to force a draw.

Ballymurphy Celtic 2 Grange F.C. 4

GRANGE GAVE their hopes of staying in Nationalist Division next season a big boost with victory in Ballymurphy.

The visitors settled well and Anthony Kavanagh came close to opening the scoring for Grange before they went ahead when Paddy Byrne broke free but his shot was excellently saved by Willie Hickey in the Celtic goal only for the rebound to be put away by Niall Byrne. Twelve minutes into the second half Grange had raced into a three goal lead. Two goals were put away by Niall Byrne following good work by Anthony Kavanagh for the first and David Cleere for the second which completed Byrne's hat trick. Paul Coady threw Ballymurphy a lifeline with a goal on 63 minutes, however back came Grange and Anthony Kavanagh restored their three goal advantage on 78 minutes. The scoring was completed on 87 minutes, Shem Dwyer got Celtic's second.

Crettyard United 0 Castle Rangers 2

A goal in each half was enough to secure victory for Rangers and move them into second place on the league table.

Both sides cancelled each other out in the opening quarter with chances few and far between. However, on the half hour Rangers took the lead, Cailin Canning's free kick went all the way to the United net. Paddy O'Brien came close to increasing their lead before the break but his header flew over the crossbar.

The visitors continued to press the United defence in the third quarter without any success until 75 minutes, Alan Butler shot low to the net to put Rangers 2-0 up. For the last quarter, Crettyard had their best spell of the game, forcing a number of corners. Also, Eddie O'Brien in the Rangers goal had to pull off a fine save late in the game. Ranger held on to collect maximum points and put pressure on leaders Nurney Villa.