Report
Rasheney Res 2
Culdaff Res 5
The opening goal in this fixture which was played on Friday night arrived on 13 minutes. Michael Toland played in Nathan Mc Conalogue and the fifteen year old scored his first goal at adult level when he drove past Niall Mc Laughlin from 8 yards. Almost immediately Bryan Mc Candless found himself in a good position in front of goal but he was slow to react and was crowded out. At the other end Toland had a shot from outside the box palmed away by Mc Laughlin – only for Ciaran Dillon to retrieve close to the byeline but the keeper held onto his effort. Then Dillon found himself in the clear but a tame shot was easily claimed by Mc Laughlin. On 35 minutes the visitors equalised. Mc Candless delivered from the left wing into Aiden Cunningham whose flick on was sliced by an unfortunate defender into the path of sub Joe O’ Connor who had the simple task of volleying home from right in front of goal. Culdaff could have moved in front just before the interval but Cunningham volleyed wide when he should have scored. They did lead after 53 minutes when Cathal Mc Granaghan’s low ground shot took a deflection of a home defender, wrong footed keeper Shaun Friel and found the net. Shortly afterwards the lead was increased when Mc Candless, in behind the defence, controlled a delivery from Jack Mc Laughlin and lobbed Friel. Shane Diver then ran powerfully at the home defence and only a saving tackle from Paul Mc Conologue averted the danger. For Rasheney Michael Toland had a long range free held by the keeper and Jonny Toland’s stinging attempt from outside the area was held at the second attempt by replacement keeper Thomas O’ Brien. At the other end Friel made a good save from Niall Fildara with whom O’ Brien had exchanged places. The home side then reduced the deficit to 3 – 2 when Jack Mc Laughlin got control of the ball following a block inside the area, advanced to the byeline and drove across goal to the far corner of the net. Culdaff scored two further goals in the final 5 minutes. Diver, benefitting from slackness in the home defence, outpaced some defenders, rounded the keeper and scored from an acute angle and Niall Fildara sidestepped a defender on the 6 yard line and drove to the net to complete the scoring
over newly promoted Carn at Castle Park. Carn had an early chance after Lorcan Bradley saw a twenty yards effort well saved by Taylor Clarke.Buncrana opened the scoring on 8 minutes with James Adair finding Aaron McDaid who beat a defender and pulled the ball back for Matthew Brown to shoot low past Daniel McDaid.