Match Reports Sunday 23rd February
Jackie Crossan Premier Division
Carn FC 1
Greencastle FC 6
Greencastle broke the deadlock on 14 minutes when a Darragh Browne pass from midfield found Nigel McMonagle one on one with Gerard Crossan and he slotted the ball low past Crossan from 15 yards.
Carn went close on midway through the half when Brandon Browne crossed from the right for Darragh Deery but his low effort was turned round the post by Dylan Doherty in the Greencastle goal. Greencastle doubled their lead on 35 minutes after a Jason Dickson corner rebounded off the defender and in to the centre of the net from 10 yards. Carn pulled one back on 44 minutes when Cade Cooke fired a twenty five yards free to the top corner . But Greencastle made it 3-1 just passed the hour mark after a long kick out from Dylan Doherty found Nigel McMonagle unmarked and he went on a great run beating the defender and slotting the ball past Crossan from 15 yards. Greencastle made it 4-1 minutes later after Jamie McCormack broke on the right wing and crossed to McMonagle who completed his hat trick by driving a powerful shot to the bottom right corner of the net from 16 yards. Greencastle were rampant and increased their their lead on 79 minutes when Nigel McMonagle broke on the left wing and laid it off for Jason Dickson who shot low to the right corner of the net from 20 yards. Dickson got a second goal two minutes later when he received a Darragh Browne pass and went on a great run beating two defenders and slot it to the bottom corner of the net from outside the six yard box.
Moville Celtic 3
Buncrana Hearts 2
Moville got off to the best start in the 3rd minute when Conor Doherty’s free kick from the left deceived everyone and finished up in the back of the Buncrana net. Visiting keeper Eoghan O Doherty did well to parry Caolan Doherty’s 30 yard piledriver minutes later but Moville increased their lead when the ensuing corner was not properly cleared and Marc Bell steered the ball home through a ruck of players from the edge of the area. Jonathan Havlin then had an effort for the home side in the 20th minute only to see his 40 yard free come off the post and away. On the half hour Moville keeper Seamus Houghton’s quick reactions saved an own goal from a misplaced defenders’ clearance. Buncrana had their first shot on target in the 44th minute from Bart Wesolowski but Houghton gathered easily.
Buncrana began the second half brightly with sub Kieran McDaid earning a penalty in the first minute after being fouled in the box which Calvin Gallagher dispatched high into the roof of the net. Minutes later Buncrana were reduced to 10 men after McDaid received 2 yellow cards and Moville compounded the situation when Stephen Harley scored from the spot after a hand ball in the area. The 10 men of Buncrana continued to press and it took a brilliant Pauric Skelly block to deny Wesolowski after he was put in the clear from Gerard McLaughlin’s nod back. Minutes later Houghton saved well at his near post when sub Kevin O Loughlin was given time and space to control fellow sub Stephen McHugh’s free kick. Houghton produced a flying save in the 80th minute to keep the score 3-1 when Darragh O Connor found himself free in the Moville box and lashed a rising shot goal wards. Buncrana pulled a goal back in the 83rd minute through Paul McDermott when he headed in at the far post from a cross from the right by James Adair. In added on time Darragh O Connor had a chance to equalise but his snapshot from the 18 yard line was held by Houghton.
Ulster Junior Shield
Aileach Res 0
Glencar Celtic 1
Both teams served a quality game in windy conditions. The opening period was fiercely contested with no side giving an inch. On the half hour, Aileach almost took the lead when Shane McMonagle rode two challenges before firing a shot to the bottom corner but Blake Forkan in the Glencar goal got a fingertip to the shot diverting it just past the post. The very experienced Glencar team where always dangerous and thought the took the lead just before half time when Rory Gallaghers cross fell to Graham Cullen and his shot was deflected into the net via Paddy Collins who was in an offside position. Aileach started the second half brightly and Stephen Doherty had a shot which just cleared the bar. The game was a battle throughout and not until the latter stages did the game open up. With 10 minutes to go a Pajo Rafferty cross was just out of reach for Collins at the back post. Glencar took the lead with four minutes to go when Collins controlled a diagonal ball cut inside and fired a shot towards the far corner, McGeady made a great save but the ball rebounded straight into the path of Rafferty to slot into the unguarded net. Aileach threw caution to the wind from then on and almost got an equaliser when McMonagles cross found Sean McHugh at the back post who fired a shot past the keeper but an alert defender slid across the line and cleared to save a certain goal. Aileach pressed in injury time but the Glencar defence stood firm.
Drumbar United 1
QPS 2 AET
The home side made the better start to this game with Vinnie Breslin breaking through the Point defence but Aiden Lynch advanced smartly to smother at his feet. Lynch the produced a fine save at full stretch to tip a Daniel Benett effort from twenty yards around the post. The Point settled and Caoaln McColgan was denied by a superb last ditch James McMullan tackle as he bore down on goal. The visitors opened the scoring on 27 minutes after a Shay Lynch cross was not gathered by Oisin Bryson allowing John McCloskey to slot home from close range. But the home side got back on terms on the half hour after Bennett drove home a penalty awarded after Breslin was deemed to have been impeded in the area. The point with the advantage of the wind in the second half really upped the tempo and Lynch fired over before McColgan was denied by a good save from Bryson. McCloskey was then unlucky with an effort from the edge of the area which crashed off the crossbar before Lee Barr’s free went narrowly wide. Bryson again came to the home sides rescue on 85 minutes when he saved well from Lynch before in the final chance of normal time Ryan McGarvey drove wide from the edge of the area. The only real chance of extra time saw the point strike for the winner when McCloskey went up the left and cut in to drill a low shot across Bryson to the bottom corner from twelve yards to seal their passage to the semi finals.
Strand Hotel Division One
Greencastle Res 2
Gleneely Colts 2
Switched to Gleneely it was Greencastle who started the better and they went in front on 12 minutes when Joe Doherty converted a penalty after David Heuston had been upended. Gleneely responded and Nathan McLaughlin had an effort cleared off the line by Shaun Cavanagh. At the other end then Ben Doherty was denied by a good save from Jordan McLaughlin before Heuston had an effort blocked. Gleneely then equalised on 34 minutes after Eddie McNamee fed Christy McDaid who cut in from the left and unleashed a stunning thirty yards effort which flew into the bottom corner past Seamus Bovaird. Ben Doherty had an effort saved and a Keenan McClaren corner graxed the bar for Greencastle while at the other end Paul Gamble had an effort blocked and Mclaughlin was denied by Bovaird as the half time whistle blew. Within a minute of the restart the Colts took the lead after John Doherty rose unchallenged at the back post to head home. McDaid then saw an effort saved by Bovaird before Greencastle replied withMcClaren firing a thirty yards free kick just over. Gleneely had a purple patch then with Keegan Hegarty firing one shot wide and another saved before both Gambe and Vinny McKenna off target. Greencastle had a good spell themselves after this with Joe Doherty firing over before seeing a header saved and then a Gavin Rowan free was turned round the post by keeper Mclaughlin. On the stroke of full time Greencastle levelled matters after a Shane Deery ball over the top was contolled on his chest by McClaren before he drilled a superb left footed effort past Mclaughlin. In injury time Gleneely had a final chance but McDaid fired wide from the edge of the area.
Inishowen Engineering Division Two A
Dunree Res 3
Moville Res 2
Switched to the Bayfield Moville started well and in the early stages both Pearse Doherty and Danny Murphy had efforts well saved by Philip Doherty. Midway through the half Dunree struck to open the scoring after a David Eccles corner found Ryan Toland to head past Ryan Coyle from eight yards. Moville responded and Murphy had an effort which clipped the crossbar before they equalised on 28 minutes. James Gillen sent Declan McGuinness clear and he advanced to drill the ball low past Doherty from fifteen yards. Dunree responded well and regained the lead shortly afterwards when a Conor Barrett free decived all defenders and Coyle to land in the corner of the net.Before the break Moville went close again after a Jude Harkin shot clipped the bar on the way over. With the wind Moville dominated the second period and McGuinness, Murphy amd Dermot Harkin all went close with good efforts. On 61 minutes Doherty made a brilliant one handed save low to his right to keep out a powerful effort from Murphy. But Moville were caught on the break then in the 73rd minute and Michael Grant took advantage to slot past the stranded Coyle to make it three one. Moville reduced the deficit late on when McGuinness me a corner kick from Michael McNaught to flash a half volley past Doherty. But good defending by William & Philip Doherty ensured Dunree held on for a deserved win.
Inishowen Engineering Division Two B
Illies Res 2
Rasheney Res 1
Illies maintained their title challenge and dominated the early exchanges with Alan Fletcher seeing a close range effort gathered by Roger McGilloway. On the half hour Ronan Hegarty broke through the defence and fired an effort past McGilloway but it crashed off the post. Illies broke the deadlock on 36 minutes after a great through ball from Marty Coyle saw Joe Mclaughlin slot home at the back post. Rasheney had early pressure in the second half but created little in the way of chances. Illies broke midway through the half and increased their lead when McLaughlin rounded a defender and fired high past McGilloway from the edge of the area. A minute later McLaughlin found Hegarty who blazed over from twelve yards. Rasheney got a late consolation after Kevin Gallagher in the home goal failed to collect a high ball allowing substitute Cormac Dillon to slot home .