Inishowen Football League Match Reports from Donegal Signs Cup Final & Hannon Greene Insurances Fr O’Gara Cup Final
Inishowen Football League Reports 
Clubman Shirts League Cup Final
Buncrana Hearts 0
Cockhill Celtic 2
On an excellent surface at Maginn Park on Saturday afternoon there was a frantic start to this final played at a high tempo. Cockhill took an early lead in the tenth minute after a Tiernan Ruddy cross from the left found the unmarked Luke Rudden at the back post to head past Taylor Clarke from eight yards.
Cockhill were doing a lot of the pressing and from a Brendan McLaughlin right wing corner Jason Breslin under pressure headed narrowly wide. Shortly after this Jay Bradley cut in from the right and unleashed a left footed effort which Clarke parried away at full stretch. The Hearts were forced into a reshuffle then with goalkeeper Clarke picking up an injury and replaced by Eoghan O Doherty. But Cockhill continued to make the running and when Bradley broke on the right again his cross was met by the inrushing James Bradley who glanced a header wide. Buncrana gradually got into the game leading up to half time and when Liam Quigley broke on the left his superb cross was eventually scramble clear just as Liam Jordan looked set to pounce. Cockhill were first to show after the break in the 53rd minute when Bradley raced onto Bradley’s pass and bore down on goal but his attempted lob was easily gathered by O’Doherty. They had an even better chance minutes later after McLaughlin fed Bradley whose flick sent Garbhan Friel racing into the area but his effort was superbly blocked by O’Doherty with the ball clipping the outside of the post. There was a lull in the action then until the 80th minute when Buncrana had two clear sights of goal in a two minute spell. Firstly Quigley’s cross broke inside the area to Liam Jordan who blazed over the bar from ten yards. Then minutes later Keelan Doherty sidestepped a man and unleashed a powerful twenty yards effort which stung the palms of Harry Doherty who recovered to gather at the second attempt. Cockhill clinched victory in the 85th minute after Bradley picked a defenders pocket on the right and raced forward before his cross saw a combination of Rudden and a defender challenge for the ball with the ball looping over the stranded O’Doherty. It got a bit fractious in the closing stages and Hearts Quigley collected a second yellow card before the final whistle which ended with Cockhill bouncing back from last season’s disappointment to clinch a domestic treble this season.
MAN OF THE MATCH
For Buncrana substitute Eoghan O’Doherty, Kevin O’Loughlin and Kevin Jordan all had excellent games. For the winners James Bradley, Jason Breslin and Jay Bradley were always prominent but the old adage of goals win games saw Luke Rudden ,(Pictured right) ,claim the award with his brace settling the issue.
(Cockhill Capt. James Bradley receiving the Donegal Signs Cup from League Secretary Diarmuid O’Brien, pictured below)
Hannon Greene Insurances Fr O’Gara Cup
Cockhill Youths 2
Moville Celtic 1 AET
Having been abandoned after twenty one minutes two weeks ago due to incessant rain these two sides returned to Maginn Park on Sunday where the rain also returned in the second half. As in the original game Moville began well and in the third minute a cushioned header from a throw-in by Norbert Indyka to Joshua Lafferty who fired across goal and wide. Lafferty was then off target with a twenty two yards free kick before a looping free kick from the left by Lee McColgan saw Dermot Harkin bundle the ball just past the post. Somewhat against the run of play Cockhill opened the scoring in the 22nd minute after a headed defensive clearance fell to Conor McDaid who drilled a superb effort low into the bottom corner from twenty yards. But Moville equalized seven minutes later after a Lafferty free found the unmarked Harkin who headed superbly into the ground and past Darragh O’Donnell. Cockhill had the last sniff of a goal before the break when Darragh McDermott sidestepped a defender inside the area but his left footed effort was cleared by a defender. Cockhill started the second half on top with a Dean O’Donnell effort from outside the area going wide and then Conor McDaid curling a twenty yards effort just over the bar. They continued to press and midway through the half a Mason McDaid shot also just cleared the bar. Moville then went close twice in the final five minutes of the game. Firstly substitute released Michael McNaught on the right and continued his run to get on the end of McNaught’s cross to the back post but his goalbound header was brilliantly blocked by Mason McDaid. On the stroke of full time McNaught broke into the area and poked the ball over the advancing keeper O’Donnell but again Mason McDaid was on hand to avert the danger. In the opening minutes of extra time both sides had a sight of goal. Cockhill’s substitute Conor Allen broke on the right side but failed to hit the target from the edge of the area. Immediately at the other end Lafferty slipped the ball into the path of McNaught but Cockhill captain Ryan Downey came across to block the effort. The definitive moment arrived two minutes into the second half of extra time after Conor McDaid advanced on the left into the area before seeing his cross cleared to the edge of the area where substitute Christopher Duffy hammered the ball low past Jordan McLaughlin to the bottom right hand corner. Moville threw caution to the wind and tried to respond but Cockhill saw out the remaining time to clinch a league and cup double.
MAN OF THE MATCH
For Moville captain Dermot Harkin, Joshua Lafferty and Deaglan Lynch all performed superbly. Foe the winners Ryan Downey, Conor McDaid and Paul Mullan were prominent but the award goes to Mason McDaid,(pictured right), who drove forward at every opportunity and crucially provided two goal saving clearances.
(Cockhill Capt. Ryan Downey receiving the Hannon Greene Insurances Fr O’Gara Cup from Paddy Hannon ,pictured below.)
