Match Reports for Week Ending Sunday 19th May
Tuesday 14th May
Buncrana Credit Union Cup Semi Final
Clonmany Shamrocks 3
Greencastle FC 3 AET Greencastle win 3-1 on penalties
In a pulsating cup match some early pressure from Greencastle forced two successive corners which Matty Henry took.
The first from the left side was cleared by the Clonmany defence but Matty’s second from the right was whipped in to find Shaun Doherty’s run to the six yard line and he bulleted a header to the net giving Clonmany keeper Patrick Harkin no chance.Clonmany raised their game and equalised in the 22nd minute when Jason Devlin retrieved a cross from the right of the Greencastle box on the left byline and swung in a measured cross for Clonmany midfielder Jake Harkin to stretch out a leg and divert the ball past Dylan Doherty in the Greencastle goals. Greencastle forward Nigel Monagle caused some panic in the Clonmany defence in the 30th minute with a surging run down the right but Patrck Harkin was out quickly to avert the danger.Four minutes later it was Dylan Doherty’s turn to come to the rescue when Jason Devlin burst through the Greencastle back line on to his own ball and strode though on goal but Dylan came off his line quickly and blocked Jason’s shot just inside the Greencastle box and the ball was cleared to safety.With the score 1-1 at half-time Greencastle came out strongly at the start of the second half and regained the lead when McMonagle jinked his way into the box from the left wing and slid a ball across the front of the six yard line for the in-rushing James Henry to slide in between two Clonmany defenders to touch the ball home.Clonmany lifted their game again and good work down the right wing by Declan McLaughlin in the 52nd minute saw him get to the byline where he sent over a tantalising cross which had Mark McLaughlin stretching but just unable to connect. Mark readjusted and retrieved the ball on the left side of the box and jinked past Stephen Grant but his shot from an acute angle went just over the crossbar.Mark went close again in the 62nd minute when he broke through down the right flank and progressed into the box but a fine tackle from Greencastle central defender Mark Henry won the ball cleanly and Dylan Doherty gathered the loose ball. The Clonmany pressure finally told in the 70th minute when midfielder Steve
Harkin found space and time on the edge of the box to put through a ball for Jason Devlin on the left and he squared the ball to Mark McLaughlin on the six yard line who calmly took a touch to control the ball before blasting past Dylan Doherty to the net.Greencastle pressed to find a winner in normal time but with score remaining level the match went into extra time. In the first minute of the first period Greencastle’s right back Stephen Grant found himself in space in the Clonmany box on receiving a pull back from Jamie McCormick but his shot went narrowly wide of Patrick Harkin’s left hand post. Clonmany took the lead for the first time in the 97th minute after good inter-play from Jason Devlin and Mark McLaughlin down the left flank. Jason started the move on the half-way line,sending a pass forward for Mark to run onto. Mark controlled the ball well and waited for the right moment to pass and find Jason’s run past the Greencastle defence and he guided the ball past Dylan Doherty to the bottom corner of the net and make the score 3-2 . Greencastle fought back and with tiredness setting in for Clonmany ,they camped in the Clonmany half for the remainder of the game and their pressure finally told in the 106th minute when after a Stephen Grant shot was deflected behind for a corner from the left which Matty Henry swung in another dangerous ball and Greencastle’s Michael Barr rose to direct his header past Patrick Harkin to the net.With Clonmany holding on for the final minutes this sent the game to penalty kicks with the full time score level at 3-3. Dylan Doherty turned out to be the hero for Greencastle saving Clonmany’s first two kicks and the Greencastle players scoring theirs. With Clonmany missing the third penalty too, this left Greencastle with a chance to win with their third kick but Patrick Harkin saved it and then scored Clonmany’s fourth penalty to leave the tally at 2-1 for Greencastle. Nigel Monagle then stepped up to stroke home Greencastle’s fourth penalty and send Greencastle through to the Credit Union final where they will face Cockhill Celtic Youth.
Friday 17th May
Knockalla Caravans Cup Final 
Bonagee United 3
Glengad United 0
While few will argue that Bonagee were deserving winners the final scoreline is harsh on a Glengad side who more than held their own especially in a tight first half. Bonagee got off to a dream start on 5 minutes when Mark Harkin combined with ex Finn Harps star Michael Funston on the right and pulled the ball back for the unmarked Jordan Armstrong to slam the ball home from ten yards.There were very few chances for a long spell with Dillon Ruddy seeing one effort deflected behind for a corner while at the other end an acrobatic Michael Doherty effort flew high over the bar. On 40 minutes Bonagee keeper Eugene Ferry’s clearance was seized on by Stephen McLaughlin who advanced into the middle of the pitch and from the edge of the area his powerful effort was straight at a relieved Ferry. Before the break Ruddy picked out McLaughlin on the left hand side of the area and his first time lay off to Matthew Byrne saw his angled effort fly past the angle . Glengad had a good opening minutes into the second period also when after a good move Mclaughlin’s ball across was dummied by two players to Ruddy but from the edge of the area his effort lacked the power to trouble Ferry. Bonagee his back and sealed the game in a five minute spell before the hour. Glengad conceded a soft penalty on 54 minutes when Lynagh was upended allowing Michael Doherty to fire past Kevin Mclaughlin. Then minutes later Funstons’ cross from the right found Ryan Rainey who gleefully headed home from six yards. Glengad kept trying to get back into the game and substitute Seamus Doherty had one effort on target before drilling another just wide after good build up. On 87 minutes Ruddy fed another substitute Joe Doherty who turned well inside the area and his low effort was well saved by Ferry low to his left. With Glengad pushing they were always liable to be caught on the break and when substitutes Chris Flanagan send Darren McFadden clear his powerful effort was well saved by McLaughlin. Bonagee saw out the remaining time to claim the Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup.
Saturday 18th May
Hannon Greene Insurances Fr O’Gara Cup Final
Cockhill Youths 1
QPS 0
In a closely fought game of few chances Cockhill Celtic Youths struck in the final minute to break QPS hearts before a good crowd at Maginn Park. Having disposed of Moville in the semi final Cockhill went into this game as slight favourites over a QPS side who had beaten them in the league earlier in the season. The first half was especially tight affair and the point had the first opportunity on 8 minutes after Bradley Callaghan fed Josh Boyle who played a one two with Aaron McColgan on the edge of the area before flashing a left footed effort just past Kyle Dougal’s right hand post. Cockhill were finding the point defence a tough obstacle and had to wait until the 37th minute for a sight of goal when Christopher Duffy fed Darragh McDermott on the right hand side of the area and his powerful effort was parried away by Lynch. Just before the break their best chance saw Keegan Hegarty get in behind the point defence on the right and pull the ball back for Eoin Deery but he fired over the bar when well placed. Cockhill had the first chance of the second half after Adam Mclaughlin collected a poor clearance inside the area but his effort was deflected wide.QPS replied with Boyle’s free kick comfortably held by Dougal on 50 minutes. Cockhill created the clearest opening of the game on 57minutes after good work on the right by Hegarty saw his cross find the unmarked Mark McDaid but he headed over the bar from twelve yards.Cockhill upped the tempo at this stage and a well hit effort from McDermott just 
cleared the bar before the same player played a one two with substitute Jack McDaid only to see his twenty yards effort clip the bar on the way over.At the other end a poor clearance by Dougal was collected by John McCluskey who returned the ball goalwards but the keeper got across to save on the line. Great work then by McCluskey on 87 minutes took him into the area where he laid the ball back to Aaron McColgan in space on the edge of the area but he skied his effort high over the bar.The game was flowing from end to end after a good turn by Cockhill’s Jack McDaid he laid the ball across to McDermott but his curling effort was easily gathered. Pictured is both Cockhill Youths and QPS Captains, Shaun Donaghey and Stephen Mc Kendry before the game
With the game heading into injury time Cockhill struck for the winner after a superb move with numerous passes ending with Mark McDaid’s cross finding McDermott who turned onto his left foot and drove the ball low past Lynch with the aid of a slight deflection to spark jubilant scenes in the Cockhill ranks but leave the point players prostrate in dejection.
Man of the Match
For the Point Aiden Lynch was solid in goals while Josh Boyle, Brian McColgan and John McCluskey were prominent. For the winners Adam McCarron, Odhran O’Brien-Daly and Christopher Duffy had solid games but on the night the award goes to the match winner Darragh McDermott who apart from the winning goal caused the Point defence a lot of trouble and whose hold up play was excellent.
Sunday 19th May
Inishowen Engineering Division 2A
Clonmany Res 2
Aileach Youths 1
Played in good conditions, this final league game saw Clonmany needing to win to force a play-off with Greencastle Res. to decide who would be Division 2A Champions. Aileach however were the better team early on and created several chances through good work by Stephen Doherty and Benny Hegarty. Aileach took the lead in the 28th minute when an Aaron Doherty corner from the right was met perfectly by Benny Hegarty at the near post and he powered his header to the net from close range giving Clonmany keeper Liam McGonigle no chance.Two of Clonmany’s best chances in a very disjointed half for them fell to centre-half Philip Devlin .The first in the 34th minute came to him on the Aileach 18 yard line after a Clonmany corner was cleared but his attempted lob was held on the line by Aileach keeper Ryan Fox.Two minutes later a ball was teed up for Philip to run onto on the right side of the box but his shot skimmed the cross bar and went behind for a goal-kick.In the dying minutes of the half Clonmany won a free kick on the half-way line.From this Paul McLaughlin dinked a ball forward for Dessie Doherty to control on the left of Aileach’s box and his cross was flicked goalward by David McGonigle but his effort was blocked on the line by Pol McGrory and cleared. Both teams made changes at half-time with Aileach making a change in goals with Dylan Clarke replacing Ryan Fox and Clonmany replaced forward Thomas Comiskey with Caolan Farrell who would play on the left wing with Conor Doherty now leading the attack.This change turned the game for Clonmany and in the second half they were the dominant team.They equalised in the 58th minute when Dessie Doherty received a pass from David McGonigle on the right side of the box and his cross was headed past Dylan Clarke by Conor Doherty. Clonmany ramped up the pressure in search of a second goal and their good work reaped dividends in the 70th minute when David McGonigle’s curling shot from just outside the box was parried by Dylan Clarke on the Aileach goal-line but he could not gather the loose ball as both Conor Doherty and Paul Devlin for Clonmany pounced on it with Paul Devlin getting the finishing touch.Clonmany could have sealed it shortly afterwards when Paul Devlin released Conor Doherty on the half-way line and although under pressure from Aileach’s Neil McElhinney he managed to advance into the box but Dylan Clarke was off his line quickly and blocked bravely at Conor’s feet and the ball was cleared to safety.Aileach almost made Clonmany rue that missed chance in the dying minutes when Keith McColgan found himself in space on the left of the Clonmany box but he was off balance when shooting and his shot screwed wide.Clonmany held on to see out the match and set up next week’s play-off with Greencastle for the Division 2A title.