Match Reports Sunday 17th November
OSCAR TRAYNOR INTER LEAGUE FIRST LEG
Donegal League 2
Inishowen League 1
In cold dry conditions at the Diamond Park Ballyare it is the Donegal League who take the advantage going into the return on Wednesday 27th November in Maginn Park.
Inishowen started well with good interplay and fast movement but really failed to create clear openings. Darren McMonagle broke on the right but his cross was gathered by Christopher O’Donnell. James Henry then lifted a delightful ball over the top for Terence Doherty who just failed to take the ball under control at full stretch. Then a Christy McLaughlin corner found James Henry at the front post but his glancing header flashed wide. Donegal got a grip then for a period and when Daire McDaid ran onto Kevin McHugh’s dummy his effort was well saved by Dylan Doherty. The same player then cut in from the left and unleashed a low effort which Doherty held before McHugh had an effort from distance gathered at the second attempt by Doherty. Inishowen regained control before the break with some good interplay but good defending and poor decision making meant it was scoreless at the break. Donegal started the second period better and took the lead on 52 minutes after centre half Matthew Crossan advanced and played a one two at the edge of the area before seeing his effort blocked by Doherty but after a bit of a scramble on the edge of the area the ball fell to McHugh who executed a perfect lob which dipped under the bar. It got worse for Inishowen on the hour mark when McHugh’s inswinging free as touched home by McDaid with the Inishowen defence appealing in vain for offside. Inishowen responded and reduced the deficit on 72 minutes after Matthew Byrne lifted a free kick over the home defence into the path of John G McLaughlin who brilliantly chested the ball past the advancing O’Donnell. Donegal were dealt a big blow then when McHugh was red carded for an off the ball incident and Inishowen dominated the remainder of the game. Darren McMonagle saw a cross shot from the right brilliantly clawed away from beneath the bar by O’Donnell before Dillon Ruddy had a twenty yards effort deflected wide. Inishowen’s final chance fell to James Henry who advanced and unleashed a twenty yards effort which O Donnell gathered well. With the return leg to come Inishowen will have to up their performance if they are to advance in the competition this year.
SUNDAY 17th November
Strand Hotel Division One 
Rasheney FC 2
Glengad Res 2
Glengad started the game well and twice in the opening quarter Paul McDermott was denied by home keeper Paddy McGilloway. Rasheney replied on 19 minutes with a David McLaughlin effort deflected over and from the corner Shane Credgan also headed over Glengad got on top then with Paul McGonagle controlling well inside the area before turning and driving the ball over before a Niall McColgan diagonal cross found McDermott whose diving header went just wide. They broke the deadlock on 34 minutes when McDermott pulled the ball back from the right for Gary Kelly to score with a low angled drive to the bottom corner. The home side had a let off on the stroke of half time after John McDaid ‘s free went through the legs of McGilloway but rebounded off the post into the keepers arms. Glengad had the first opportunity of the second half saw Gary Kelly advance but his dangerous cross had no takers. Rasheney responded and levelled the game on 55 minutes when a John McLaughlin free was headed home by Paul McConalogue. Both sides had chances then with a McDermott header saved by McGilloway while at the other end David McLaughlin pounced on a defensive error but Michael Mclaughlin saved well at the post. The visitors took the lead on 84 minutes when a McDermott cross was sliced into his own net by an unfortunate defender. But the home side responded within minutes and salvaged a point when Cormac Dillon’s snapshot from the edge of the area dipped just under the bar.
Redcastle United 4
Gleneely Colts 3
The game started with neither side having any control. Eventually Gleneely took control and took the lead when a cross on the 7th minute from Keelan Hegarty beat Michael McCole and hit the inside of the post and went in. Gleneely continued to dominate the play and were unlucky not to score a second when JJ Doherty turned and shot but it was parried away by McCole. Redcastle had their first chance in the 28th minute when Brendan Murphy played Daragh McConway in but his shot was straight at the keeper. Redcastle thought they had equalised against the run of play in the 41st minute when a free kick was headed clear by the Gleneely defence as far as Evan Craig who volleyed past the keeper but it was ruled out for offside. Gleneely took the free kick quickly and worked it to JJ Doherty who skipped past the Redcastle defence and slotted past the on-rushing keeper.Redcastle started the second half well and had one back within a minute when Jack Ferry and Evan Craig played a one-two which got Ferry outside the box he then played it off to Murphy who skipped past one defender and played it off to the left back Ferry who had continued his run into the box and he slotted past keeper. Within minutes Redcastle were awarded a penalty when Ronan Hoy was fouled in the area. Murphy stepped up and slotted into the bottom corner giving the keeper no chance. In the 55th minute Redcastle took the lead after Daragh McConway’s cross found Murphy who flicked it over the keeper and found the bottom corner. With an hour played Redcastle were awarded a free kick on the half way line. Rhys Davenport sent the ball into the box, Murphy headed it onto Hoy who controlled the ball on his chest and volleyed past the keeper. Gleneely were handed a life line in the 66th minute when a free kick from Keelan Hegarty was headed into the bottom corner by John Doherty. With 3 minutes to go Gleneely should have scored when Keelan Hegarty got in behind the defence but Jack Ferry just did enough to put him off and he blazed his shot over. With the last kick of the game Redcastle had the chance to make it five but Craig saw his effort from thirty yards hit the post.
Aileach Res 3
Greencastle Res 2
Aileach and Greencastle played out another tight encounter on Sunday morning. The opening exchanges were fairly cagey with both team content to keep possession rather than play an incisive pass. Aileach had the first of the openings twenty minutes in when Gareth McGlynn released Paddy Curran. Curran raced clear and seemed to be upended as he was about to shoot but the referees waved away the Aileach protests. On the half hour, Greencastle took the lead when Jude Harkin released Ronan Doherty on the left and he cut inside and placed a shot just inside Ciaran Bradleys far post to give Greencastle the advantage. Aileach pulled level 5 minutes before half time when Killian O’Rourke sent Curran away on the right and he picked out McGlynn in the box to tap home. Aileach kept the pace up and took the lead right on the half time whistle when Jordan McGeady slipped in Curran and he fired the ball past Jack McKenna in the Greencastle goal. Both teams started the second half as they did the first, retaining possession without any real penetration. With 10 minutes to Greencastle pulled level when a long ball over the top was misjudged by Bradley, giving Jamie McCormick a run on goal, his shot was blocked by Mark Taylor but the rebound fell kindly to Mark Doherty who fired into the empty net. Aileach came back and got the winner in injury time when McGlynn released Shane McMonagle on the left and his low cross was slid home at the back post by Paddy Curran.
QPS 3
Clonmany Shamrocks 2
This was an entertaining game at the school field in Muff and Clonmany got a dream start when they took the lead on 6 minutes after a Jason Devlin cross was controlled by Jake Harkin before he slotted low to the corner from fifteen yards past Oisin Burke. But the home side equalised on 21 minutes after a Darragh McIntyre corner found Deaglan Bown creeping in at the back post to score with a firm downward header. Another McIntyre corner fell to David Healy but the shamrocks defence cleared. Before the break the visitors Mark McLaughlin fired a twenty five yards effort just over the bar. Clonmany regained the lead after a Mark McLaughlin cross deflected into the path of Jason Devlin who slotted past substitute Aiden Lynch. Liam Hirrell then tried his luck with an effort from distance but Lynch held at the second attempt. The point rallied and got back on terms on 66 minutes after a Darragh Gillen cross cum shot looped over Paddy Harkin and went in off the far post. Lee Barr then had a shot saved by the legs of Harkin while at the other end Pearse McCarron headed one chance over before being denied by a smart save from Lynch. The point took the lead on 81 minutes after caolan McColgan was upeneded in the area and Barr confidently stepped up to squeeze the ball into the corner despite Harkin getting a hand to it. Clonmany wracked up the pressure and an inswinging Mark McLaughlin corner was headed off the line by McIntyre. Then in injury time Lynch made a superb save to block at the feet of Jake Harkin as he bore down on goal to clinch the points and inflict a first league defeat of the season on the leaders.
Inishowen Engineering Division Two
Carrowmena FC 0
Clonmany Celtic 8
The league leaders proved much too strong for the home side and Gerard McDaid’s cross cum shot lopped over Brian Houghton in the home goal on 6 minutes. McDaid then crossed on 18 minutes for Philip Devlin to superbly volley home. Midway through the half Brian Devlin picked out McDaid with a superb cross and he headed home from ten yards. The home sides woes were compounded when Evan McDermott’s clearance rebounded off Raymond McDaid and past the stranded Houghton. Houghton then made a brilliant save to deny McDaid. But on the stroke of half time the visitors made it five with a brilliant individual goal saw Neil O’Donnell beat three men before slotting home. Eight minutes after the restart the visitors increased their lead when Philip Devlin’s free was headed past replacement keeper Samuel Bredin by Brian Doherty. There was little action then until the 80th minute when Doherty turned provider crossing for Alan Friel to head home. They completed the scoring after a long kick out from Kieran Friel was collected by John Doherty who chipped Bredin.
Aileach Youths 1
Illies Res 1
Darren Bradley had the first effort for the home side when his effort was well saved by Graham Doherty. Illies responded with a Gavin Doherty effort from distance which sailed over the bar. Midway through the half the visitors took the lead with a superb John Pio Donaghey effort from twenty five yards to the roof of the net past Dylan Clarke. Aileach replied and Daithi Grant fired just wide before the break. On 55 minutes the home side replied when Mark McElhinney poked home Bradley’s corner from eight yards. The home side got on top and Bradley was denied by the feet of Doherty. Illies broke and had a good chance after a Gavin Doherty cross was palmed away to Dominic Coyle but he fired over with the goal gaping from ten yards. Illies finished the stronger with Gavin Doherty breaking clear but from a tight angle he fired over the bar.
Dunree Res 2
Redcastle Res 1
Dunree kept up their recent good form with a hard fought win over Redcastle at St Egneys Park. The only real chance of the first half, which saw defences dominate, fell to the visitors after Terry McColgan fired over when the ball broke to him from a corner. Dunree broke the deadlock on the our mark after Neil Moran cur inside and fired a stunning twenty yards effort to the top corner giving Ryan McCole no chance. Redcastle responded and got back on terms on 71 minutes when Ryan Duffy ran onto a ball over the top and lifted it over the advancing Philip Doherty from eight yards. Dunree rallied and regained the lead on 85minutes when Moran’s corner deflected off a defender and past McCole. Redcastle threw everything forward and in the final minute Duffy had a shot well saved by Doherty to give the home side the points.
Rasheney Res 1
Culdaff Res 4
Culdaff dominated this game and got off to a great start on 5 minutes when Peter Doherty’s free kick found Michael McLaughlin who scored with a tremendous header to the far corner past Roger McGilloway. Minutes later Damien Duffy despatched a twenty two yards free low to the bottom corner to double the lead. Midway through the half it became three nil after Sean McGrenaghan was left totally unmarked on the right hand side and he advanced to drill low to the far corner. Rasheney’s sole response in the first half came after Corny McCole’s free was well gathered by Martin McLaughlin. Within minutes of the second half starting the visitors added their fourth goal when Ben Curled found Matthew Crampsey inside the area and he calmly slotted home from twelve yards . Jack Mc Laughlin was then denied by a fine save from McGilloway and McGrenaghan ‘s follow up crashed off the post. The home side got a goal back on 54 minutes when Joey Holland fired a twenty two yards free to the bottom corner. McCole then had a long range effort parried by McLaughlin but his defence completed the clearance. Culdaff replied and Reece McDaid crossed for substitute Bryan McCandless but his shot came off the base of the post before the same player broke through the middle but fired just over the bar when well placed. The final chance fell to home substitute Ciaran Dillon after he fired a free kick from the edge of the area narrowly over the bar.
Clonmany Res 3
Carn Res 3
In an entertaining clash the visitors took the lead on 6 minutes after Kyron Cantwell cut in from the left and fired high past Killian McCarron in the home goal. Clonmany equalised ten minutes later after a John Porter free saw a scramble develop in the area and Andrew Doherty poked the ball home from close range. Porter then saw another free crash off the angle of the post and bar before Eamon Doherty fired wide after a lee Coyle free fell to him inside the area. Clonmany took the lead on 33minutes after Eamon Doherty dispossessed a defender and slotted home from ten yards past Kyle Harkin. Within a minute the visitors got back on terms when Cantwell evaded two tackles and advanced into the area to fire high past McCarron again. The home side went close on the stroke of half time when Lee Coyle and Adam McLaughlin combined well but the latter dragged his shot just wide. The second half was a more broken spell with defences on top and the majoity of play bogged down in midfield.The home side took the lead on 82 minutes after an Adam McLaughlin free was not cleared allowing David McGonigle to slam the ball home at the back post. But after a quick break on the left Carn equalised when Sean O Donnell crossed for Aaron McCarron to slot past McCarron from fifteen yards.
Moville Res 2
Cockhill Res 2
Moville started this game well with Graeme Doherty heading over the bar before Matthew McLaughlin blazed over from six yards after good approach play by Danny Murphy. Cockhill replied on 13 minutes with Andy McElhinney feeding Paul Duffy who in turn fed Mark Gillespie but his effort was saved by Ryan Coyle. The home side took the lead on 36 minutes after Murphy collected a long clearance and raced clear to drill past Sean Friel. In the opening minute of the second half Murphy found Kyle Harkin in space on the edge of the area and his powerful effort drew a brilliant save from Friel. Cockhill came more into the game then with both Paul Duffy and Kevin McDaid having efforts saved by Coyle. Moville thought they had sealed the points when they went two up on 79 minutes after Murphy send Joshua Gillen clear and he kept his cool to slot past Friel. But within a minute the visitors got a goal back after Damien Friel brilliantly volleyed to the roof of the net after a Shay McLaughlin corner. On 85 minutes they deservedly got back on terms when Duffy and McLaughlin combined to find McElhinney who slotted home in a crowded area.