Jonathan Keane and Rory Gaffney are rising stars of Galway soccer

By JIM CARNEY TWO of North Galway's most versatile young sportsmen, Jonathan Keane and Rory Gaffney, made key contributions for their soccer clubs last weekend, helping to secure morale-boosting victories for Galway Utd and Mervue Utd, respectively. Less than a week after playing a big part in Killererin's County Senior Football Championship title triumph at Pearse Stadium, Jonathan Keane brought his gear bag up the Galway road again, this time to Terryland Park where the injury-hit home side had a 3-2 shock in store for visitors (and hot favourites) Bohemians, on Friday evening. It was a sensational result, as Bohs could have wrapped up the League of Ireland Premier Division with a win here. Instead, they over-generously handed the initiative back to Shamrock Rovers who defeated Drogheda United 2-0 on the same evening. Almost certainly what'll happen this weekend is that Rovers, two points clear of Bohs since last Friday night, will be crowned champions away to relegation-threatened Bray Wanderers. It would be a first League win in 16 years for Shamrock Rovers, Ireland's most famous soccer club. Also this Friday evening, Bohs will be at home to Dundalk but their goose was surely cooked at Terryland Park last weekend. In reports from this game, the displays of Seamus Conneely, Jonathan Keane and Jason Molloy were highly praised; Conneely is said to be too good to be kept at Galway Utd where financial constraints are getting tighter with each passing year, while it'll also be interesting to see if Keane makes a big move in the next season or two. Galway Bay fm's highly respected soccer commentator Mike Rafferty says Jonathan is a player with creative ability, best suited to a central midfield role as he is a very skilful passer of the ball, but Mike adds that it's impossible to predict the transfer market for any club next season because of the worsening financial state of the domestic soccer scene, and proposed changes in the League structures, which aren't yet sorted out. On Galway Bay fm last Sunday evening, reporter Jason Byrne said Mervue Utd manager Tom French told him he expects the in-form young Tuam man Rory Gaffney to be chased by bigger clubs for next season. Also a talented Gaelic footballer, having played with Galway in the Connacht U-21 Championship last Spring, Rory scored the winning goal for Mervue against Monaghan at Terryland Park last Saturday evening. Like Bohemians at the same venue 24 hours earlier, Monaghan were confident they'd be returning home with their mission for this season accomplished - in their case the First Division title and automatic promotion to the Premiership, but Mervue's 2-1 win probably opens the gate for Derry City to finish on top of the First Division table. Mervue are safely away from the relegation play-off series, but Salthill Devon are trapped there. Despite winning in Cork last Friday night, 2-1, they can only preserve their status by winning a home-and-away play-off with Cobh Ramblers, and then the winner will have to wait for the outcome of the League's proposals to change the structures of the two divisions. It's not certain that the First Division, as currently constituted, will be retained. Galway Utd, meanwhile, will be in a much happier frame of mind for their Premier Division first play-off (one fixture, no second leg) with Bray at Terryland next Tuesday evening. The loser of that one will then have a two-leg play-off with the First Division runner-up.