Clubman Shirts League Cup Match Reports
Friday 23rd August
Clubman Shirts League Cup 
Buncrana Hearts 2
Carn FC 0
Carn had an early chance when Christy McDaid found space and unleashed an effort which Eoghan O Doherty saved well. But Buncrana took a firm grip on the game then with James Adair and Eoin Murphy both denied by Craig Doherty in the Carn goal.
Midway through the half after a good move Declan Fullerton saw his effort turned round the post and from the corner Kevin O’Loughlin saw his header crash off the post. The Hearts went close again but Gerard McLaughlin’s effort was deflected over the bar. The home side took the lead on 33 minutes when Fullerton fed Kieran McDaid and he left three defenders in his wake before slotting past Doherty. The first opportunity of the second half did not arrive until the 57th minute when McDaid fed Mclaughlin whose effort once again was blocked and eventually cleared. O’Loughlin then headed wide from close range before the home side made it two nil on 66 minutes. Bart Wesoloski gained possession on the edge of the area and laid it back to Michael Carroll who drilled a superb effort into the bottom corner. McDaid then took one touch too many but got a shot away which Doherty saved well. Carn battled well to the end and were denied a late consolation after Tiernan Coyne’s effort crashed off the post.
Cockhill Celtic Yths 2
Greencastle FC 2
The game started brightly with Cockhill on the front foot. They forced thefirst chance on 4minutes when good work on the left from Bradley Callaghan & Darragh McDermott found Shane Doherty who dragged his shot wide. A mix up in the Cockhill defence allowed Stephen Grant down the right but his dangerous cross was intercepted by David Laird. Cockhill should have hit the front when Mark McDaid was played through on goal but shot straight at Dylan Doherty. Cockhill s Darragh McDermott had a similar chance on 29minutes when Shane Doherty won a tackle in midfield and sent McDermott clear but Dylan Doherty stood tall and easily claimed an attempted chip. Greencastle took the lead on 37minutes when Nigel McMonagle escaped down the right and pulled the ball back to the edge of the box for the arriving James Henry to slam home low past Michael Owen Doherty. Cockhill were rattled and Greencastle took full advantage doubling their lead on 42 minutes. Grant again found space on the right and played a great ball to McMonagle but the ball stuck under his feet. Cockhill half cleared but James Henry smashed home his second goal. Cockhill, to their credit, came out positively at the start of the second half. A Shane Doherty shot was deflected straight at Doherty. They halved the deficit on 56minutes when Adam McLaughlin’s cross evaded the home defence and was finished by McDermott at the back post. They had further efforts from McDermott and Jack McDaid before equalising on 68minutes. Keegan Hegarty crossed from the right finding Jack McDaid. His flick found Adam McLaughlin who played in Darragh McDermott for a first time finish past Doherty. Greencastle almost replied immediately when McMonagle made ground in the right channel. He took his shot early but was out of luck as it clipped the outside of the post. The last attack of the game almost saw Cockhill snatch all three points after McLaughlin released Bobby Bradley down the left but his tempting cross was expertly defended by Mark Henry facing his own goal clearing the ball for a corner.
Sunday 25th August
Clubman Shirts League Cup
Carn FC 3
Culdaff FC 1
Tiernan Coyne had the first chance for the home side when he raced onto a ball over the top and ran diagonally past advancing keeper Martin McLaughlin but was too wide and the chance was lost. The home side took the lead on 9minutes after a Christy McDaid cross from the right found the unmarked Darragh Deery to head home from eight yards. Culdaff replied and both Aiden Cunningham and Conor Keddy had shots on target. Their best chance came on 35minutes when Bryan McCandless turned his man on the left and advanced into the area but his low shot was blocked by the legs of Craig Doherty. Carn then increased their lead before the break after McLaughlin parried Cade Cooke’s free for Christopher Doherty to force the ball home from close range.Culdaff started the second half well and Cunningham curled a twenty yards free just over. They got a goal back on 57minutes when Damian Duffy fed Conor Doherty on the left and he fired a shot over the keeper to the far corner. Carn hit back and substitute Matthew McLaughlin had a header well saved by McLaughlin . Culdaff had another good spell then with Cunningham denied by Doherty before the keeper made an excellent save from McCandless with Keddy just failing to turn the ball home at full stretch. Carn broke on 75 minutes then and a sublime Cade Cooke cross found Matthew McLaughlin to power a header to the roof of the net. They added a fourth late on
Greencastle FC 1
Aileach FC 2
After the euphoria of last season the home side, holders of the league cup, find themselves out of the competition after this defeat. Aileach had the first chance but Dermot Doherty fires just wide after a corner broke nicely for him while at the other end Nigel McMonagle had an effort saved by Kyle Dougal. Aileach broke the deadlock on 12 minutes when with the home side appealing for offside Gavin Doherty broke clear to keep his nerve ad slot low past Dylan Doherty. Aileach were on top and Greencastle’s Doherty denied Anthony Doherty and Denim McLaughlin with Darren McMonagle shooting wide in between those saves.Greencastle hit back and McMonagle had a shot blocked before on 38 minutes McMonagle converted a penalty low to the left hand corer after he had been upended.Aileach finished the half well with Ethan canning firing just wide from the edge of the area. Greencastle upped the tempo on the restart with Christy Hegarty & McMonagle seeing shots blocked before Gerry Gill fired a free kick just over. McMonagle then rounded the advancing Dougal but saw his effort cleared off the line by Cathal McElhinney. Aileach then went close but from an acute angle Gavin Doherty fired into the side netting. Greencastle sent close on 77 minutes after Gill’s corner bounced goalwards but was cleared off the line before the same player was denied by a stunning finger tip save from Dougal. Aileach struck for the winner on 83 minutes after Anthony Doherty broke away on the right ,advanced to the byeline and squared the ball across for substitute Aaron Nash to slot home. Greencastle did push hard with Gill firing a free over the bar and McMonagle seeing an effort blocked but Aileach got the vital points to leave them on the verge of the semi finals.
Illies Celtic 4
Moville Celtic 3
Moville had the first chance after Norbert Indyka flicked on for Conor Doherty to race clear but he hammered the ball over the bar. Illies replied with Michael Coyle rounding the keeper but from an acute angle he hit the side netting. Coyle made amends on 22 minutes when he met a James McGonagle cross from the left to head past Ryan Coyle from ten yards. Minutes later it was two nil when Liam Grant beat a defender and put it on a plate for Coyle to slot home. Before the break Grant then had a low shot through a crowd of players brilliantly saved by Coyle.It looked all over on 55 minutes when Illies made it three nil after Paddy Doherty headed home another McGonagle cross. However a defensive slip allowed Michael McNaught through to slam the ball high past Johnathan Noone . Five minutes later McNaught was upended in the area allowing Caolan Doherty to convert and reduce the deficit to the minimum. Illies replied and when Gavin Doherty broke on the left his cross was steered home by john Campbell. Moville had the last say on the stroke of full time when Conor Doherty burst into the area to fire high past Noone but the home side held on.