Match Reports Sunday 29th April
Sunday 29th April
Ulster Junior Cup Final
Aileach FC 4
Cavan Town 2
In an enthralling encounter few could have predicted the excitement in the second period after Aileach had led three nil at the break
.Played in Bonagee United’s ground in Letterkenny the visitors started better and in the opening 
minutes a dangerous cross from Philip Mullen was punched clear by Peter Devlin under pressure. But Aileach made the break through after a superb solo run by Thomas McMackin through the centre before he neatly tucked the ball low past Gary O’Rourke. They spurned a good chance on 18 minutes after Dermot Doherty free fell to Thomas McMonagle but he totally miskicked when well placed. McMonagle made amends when his well hit corner went all the way to the net at the back post on 23 minutes. Aileach were dominating at this stage and made it three nil on 31minutes McMacken fed Darren McMonagle who beat his man and crossed for Anthony Doherty to head to the roof of the net from six yards. Aileach then had huge penalty claims waved away after Anthony Doherty looked to have been taken down from behind in the area. Cavan made a few changes at the break and they were a different team in the second half. On 51 minutes substitute Brian Dolan fed Jimmy Fallon in a good position but he shot over from ten yards. At the other end a Dermot Doherty cross found Ronan Coyle but he fired wide from close range. Cavan’s Andy Fallon then advanced but fired over from twenty yards while at the other end a weak Anthony Doherty shot was turned round the post by O Rourke. Cavan got a goal back then when Kevin Morris advanced from half way and after his initial shot was blocked by Devlin he fired the rebound home. Cavan then got another goal back with a spectacular overhead kick from Packie Sheridan crept past Devlin. They almost equalised then when a superb twenty two yeards strike from Morris looked to be heading to the top corner but Devlin made a stunning one handed save.Aileach then spurned a great chance then after a brilliant run and cross by Anthony Doherty found Gavin Doherty who blazed over when he should have done better. Anthony Doherty then had a header palmed away by O’Rourke before Thomas McMonagle rounded the keeper but a defender blocked on the line. Cavan replied with Morris seeing an effort well parried by Devlin while Andy Graham fired wide when well placed inside the area. Aileach replied and when Anthony Doherty broke clear he fired staright at O’Rourke. But Aileach settled the nerves of their supporters on 85 minutes a Dermot Doherty cross was headed home by Anthony Doherty from eight yards. Aileach saw out the final minutes of the game to clinch their first ever Ulster Junior cup success.
Aileach :
Peter Devlin, Darren Gallagher, Mark McElhinney, Cathal McElhinney, Thomas McMonagle, Thomas McMackin, Darren McMonagle, Gavin Doherty, Dermot Doherty, Anthony Doherty, Ronan Coyle. SUBS: Gareth McGlynn ( for Ronan Coyle 70), Caoimhin McFeely, Shane McMonagle, Killian O’Rourke ( for Darren McMonagle 85), David McGeady, Damien Barr.
Cavan Town :
Gary O’Rourke, John Heffernan, Philip Mullen, Andy Fallon, Shane Cawley, Greg Meehan, Andy Graham, Jimmy Fallon, Packie Sheridan, Kevin Morris, Martin Dunne. SUBS : Cian Byrne, Oisin Sheridan, Padraic Sheridan, Brian Dolan, Ryan Mararahan, Alpha Ika, Brian Coombes.
Buncrana Credit Union Cup Semi Final
Glengad United 2
Greencastle FC 0
In a close hard fought encounter chances were at a premium and defences generally on top. The first real chance fell midway through the half to the home side after a superb cross field pass from Seamus Doherty sent Michael Byrne into the area and he cut inside a defender but fired over. Greencastle responded and on 33 minutes Gavin Harkin fed Matthew Henry who played a superb reverse pass into the path of Nigel McMonagle but Kevin McLaughlin spread himself well to block. Before the break McLaughlin was called into action again when he dived full length to his left to push away McMonagle’s left footed effort. Two minutes into the second period James Henry unleashed a powerful driven effort from twenty yards which was beaten away by McLaughlin. On 67 minutes Matthew Bryne tried to catch Dylan Doherty off his line with a quick free but it sailed over the bar. Glengad upped the tempo and james McKinney ran onto Terence Doherty’s flick but his attempted lob was clawed away by Doherty. McKinney then broke the deadlock on 77 minutes when he advanced into the area after a one two with substitute Patrick McDermott before slotting low past Doherty. McDermott then was red carded after reacting to the ball being thrown at him but within minutes the home side had sealed victory when a superb burst down the right by McKinney saw him cross to Doherty who wriggled past the keeper and slotted home. Greencastle threw caution to the wind but found the home defence impossible to break down and in a late break Seamus Doherty released namesake Terence but Greencastle’s Doherty saved.
Hannon Greene Insurances Fr O Gara Cup ½ Final 11am ET & Pens
Glengad Res 1
Rasheney FC 2
Rasheney started well and on 2 minutes David McLaughlin flashed an effort just wide from the edge of the area before the same player flicked on for Matthew McLaughlin to round a defender and slot low past Michael McLaughlin from ten yards. On 19 minutes David McLaughlin had an attempted lob well tipped over by keeper McLaughlin. Glengad came more into the game and equalised on 27 minutes when Joe Doherty’s deep cross was headed home by Mark Smith at the back post. On 39 minutes Charlie Doherty for the visitors had a snapshot well saved by McLaughlin. Glengad started the second period well with Cathal Doherty seeing an overhead kick well saved by Sean Friel before Gary Kelly rounded a defender but fired wide. Rasheney took the lead in fortuitous fashion on 63 minutes when a Matthew McLaughlin cross was headed past his own keeper by an unfortunate defender. Glengad pressed hard and were unlucky when a Paul McGonigle corner found PJ McDaid but his header crashed off the bar. In the latter stages both Kelly and Christopher Doherty fired over the bar as the Rasheney defence stood firm to advance to a final meeting with Dunree United.
Strand Hotel Division One
Redcastle United 6
Cockhill Youths 2
Redcastle broke the deadlock on twenty minutes when Gavin Grant got on the end of Aaron Nash’s low cross to blast home from six yards. Two minutes later it was two when a Conor McNamee corner was headed powerfully home by Denin McLaughlin. On the half hour a Brendan Murphy flick released Darragh McConway and he advanced and slotted home under Cockhill keeper Herrity. Adam McLaughlin reduced the defect on the stroke of halftime when he played the ball beyond the advancing McCole and into the empty net. McLaughlin got his second for the visitors early in the second half , drilling home from twelve yards when the Redcastle defence failed to clear. Redcastle restored their two goal cushion twelve minutes into the half when Odie McColgan collected a McConway pass and curled home despite Herrity getting a touch to the ball. McColgan then dispossessed Herrity and rolled home to restore a three goal advantage.Redcastle completed the scoring on the
stroke of full time when Nash converted a Brendan Murphy cross.
Strand Hotel Division One Promotion/ Relegation Play Off
Sea Rovers 1
Redcastle Res 0
Rovers guaranteed their division one status in a game played in beautiful conditions in Maginn Park on Sunday morning. Rovers had the first chance on 3 minutes after a superb Damien Ward run took him past three defenders and when his effort was parried by Paul Doherty the ball fell to Evan McLaughlin who looked certain to score but Doherty blocked again. Redcastle created a gilt edged chance on 15 minutes when Evan Craig floated a ball into the unmarked Terry McColgan who controlled on his chest but saw his left footed effort blocked by the advancing Watson.Rovers spurned another clear chance in the 19th minute when Ward played a fine through ball to Conor Gallagher but he fired wide from the edge of the area with Doherty advancing. Redcastle replied and a good effort from twenty yards by Rory Hirrell was well saved by Watson before a long range Shane McColgan effort sailed over the bar.Rovers replied with a well struck effort from Gallagher saved by Doherty before Rovers took the lead on 38 minutes when Ward released McLaughlin on the right and his cross was knocked home by Gallagher from six yards despite being under pressure from a defender and keeper Doherty. Minutes later they had another opening after a good advantage was played but ward fired high and wide from twenty yards. Redcastle came close on 40 minutes when an inswinging Evan Craig corner came off the face of the crossbar before being cleared. Redcastle had a great chance on the stroke of half time after Craig headed through for McColgan but his shot was well saved by Watson who recovered to gather the loose ball. Redcastle had the first chance of the second period on 54 minutes after Watson failed to hold a cross and the ball fell to Cathal Crumlish but his effort was brilliantly blocked by William Logan. At the other end Keelan Doherty flicked on for Gallagher but Doherty advanced to block well at the expense of a corner. After neat build up by Rovers Doherty fed Gallagher on the left hand side of the area but he fired narrowly over. Redcastle had half an opening from a corner but the unmarked Alan Clarke headed narrowly wide. Redcastle pressed hard in the closing stages but the rovers defence with Mark Doherty and Martin Lafferty superb stood firm.
Sea Rovers
Redcastle Reserves
Inishowen Engineering Division 2 A 11am
Cockhill Res 3
Moville Res 2
Moville started this match on the front foot dominating the early stages and deservedly took the lead on 20 minutes when a good passing move was well finished by Connor Lafferty who fired his shot low past Cockhill keeper, Stephen Porter. Cockhill started to find a way in to the game and almost equalised on the half hour mark when Tristan Donaghy broke down the right and his driven cross found Kevin Donohoe and his excellent first time effort looked in all
the way until Moville keeper, Pauric Doherty, produced a great save to deny Cockhill an equaliser.Moville kept Cockhill pinned back for the rest of the half with their quick passing and movement but Cockhill held firm to go in at half time just one down. Cockhill started the second half well and got themselves level 10 minutes in when a sublime pass by Tristan Donaghy found Ryan Mallett who broke in
to the box and kept his composure to slot past Pauric Doherty to level the match. Five minutes later the same combination gave Cockhill the lead when another great pass by Tristan Donaghy on to the perfectly timed run from Ryan Mallett split the Moville defence and he again kept his cool in front of goal to finish well past Pauric Doherty for his and Cockhill’s second goal of the match.Cockhill looked to see the game out and be heading for a win but on 85 minutes a high, deep cross in to the Cockhill box got lost in the
sun by the Cockhill defence and PJ Barr was on hand to bundle the breaking ball in to the net to level the match. However, with almost the last attack of the match Cockhill broke quickly down the right with James Barber feeding in Sean Bradley who made a great
run from midfield down the channel and his first time cross was slotted home by Wes Doherty seal a dramatic late win for Cockhill.
Inishowen Engineering Division 2 B 11am
Rasheney Res 2
Carrowmena Res 3
The visitors began well and on 8 minutes Gerard Gill crossed for James McDermott whose looping header dropped over the bar. Midway through the half Rasheney’s Kieran Friel collected a headed clearance but fired over from sixteen yards. Minutes later at the other end Raymond Campbell hooked wide when well placed inside the area. On 33 minutes a Killian Dougal free was well gathered by Kieran O’Neill in the home goal. Carrowmena broke the deadlock before the interval when Gill fired low past O’Neill from the left hand side of the penalty area. Rasheney had the first chance of the second period after Alan Doherty fed Friel who looked destined to score but Samuel Bredin’s outstretched leg saved the day for Carrowmena. Carrowmena then increased their lead when the totally unmarked Campbell headed high past O’Neill from ten yards. Rasheney reduced the deficit on 59 minutes when Friel surged along the right before crossing for Jack McLaughlin to slot home from close range. But Carrowmena restored their two goal lead when Art Parksinson crossed for McDermott to slot home. Rasheney again reduced the deficit on 82 minutes when Friel converted a penalty after Corny McCole had been upended. In the final five minutes Friel had an effort over Bredin but it crashed off the post. At the other end Carowmena had a clear sight of goal but a combination of forwards failed to hit the target.