Match Reports Sunday 8th May

Inishowen Football League Fixtures  2021-22

Tuesday  3rd May  

Inishowen Engineering Division Two  A 

Illies Res 2

Rasheney  FC 3

After an even opening with few clear cut chances the home side broke the deadlock  on the half hour when  Adrian Donaghey-Doherty fired a quickly taken free kick through the wall and past Roger McGilloway.

But Rasheney got back on terms before the interval after Declan Mclaughlins deep cross was headed past Graham Doherty by Anthony Doherty from eight yards.  Midway through the second half the visitors went ahead after Illies lost possession inside their own half and Conor McDaid broke clear to shoot low past Doherty  from fifteen yards. They increased their lead minutes later after a good ball from McLaughlin released Cormac Dillon on the right and he squeezed a low ball across the face of goal for McLaughlin who had continued his run to tap home. Illies responded well and reduced the deficit on 81 minutes after Conor Dohertys corner was headed home by Liam O Connor. The home side pressed hard for the remainder of the game but the closest they came was from another Doherty corner but this time O’Connor s header was cleared off the line.

Sunday 8th May  

Ulster Junior Cup  Final

Aileach FC 3

Buncrana Hearts 3 AET    Buncrana win 4.1 on pens.

In beautiful conditions at Maginn Park this all Inishowen clash saw the Ulster Junior cup remain in Inishowen for the sixth time in the last seven seasons.  Aileach will rue the face that they led three one with less than twenty minutes to go. They started well and a long Darragh McLaughlin kick released Caolan Doherty on the left who crossed for Aaron Nash but he fired over the bar from twelve yards. Aileach then took the lead five minutes later after good work on the left from Darren McMonagle saw his low cross deflect off a defender which fell nicely for brother Thomas to fire to the roof of the net from six yards. Buncrana  replied with James Adair seeing a lobbed effort drift just past the post before Kieran McDaid ,picked out by Aaron McDaid, blazed over from fourteen yards. The pressure told on 29 minutes after a superb pass from Michael Mclaughlin found Kieran McDaid on the left and he advanced into the area before cutting back and superbly chipping the stranded McLaughlin from fifteen yards.Plaw swung from end to end and when Ethan Canning played a ball forward for Nash to chase Rory  Kelly was alert to advance and clear. At the other end good work from Bart Wesolowski on the left saw the ball eventually break on the edge of the area to Aaron McDaid but under pressure he fired over. Aileach finished the half well and Caolan Doherty had a thirty yards powerful  effort just clear the bar before they regained  the lead on the stroke of half time. The Hearts defence failed to clear the ball and when Doherty  returned the ball into the area Nash was on hand to fire home from six yards. Aileach  started the second half well and Gavin Doherty slipped the ball across the edge of the area for Jordan McGeady whose low  shot was well turned around the post by Kelly at full stretch. They increased their lead then in the 52nd minute after a superb ball from Darren McMonagle to Gavin Doherty inside the area and he finished superbly past Kelly. After good approach play from Nash he fed the ball across to  Gavin Doherty  but he blazed a good chance over the bar. Buncrana looked down and out at this stage but tried to respond with a Wesolowski header well off target before an Aaron McDaid twenty yards effort was well held by McLaughlin. Aileach hit back and Kelly made a superb save to parry away a Nash close range header from McMonagle ‘s cross before the keeper gathered at the second attempt a Caolan Doherty strike from the edge of the area. Buncrana reduced the deficit on 72 minutes when the Aileach defence  totally switched off allowing Kieran McDaid to collect a  throw in inside the area on the left and cross for the unmarked Wesolowski to head home from six yards. With Buncrana pushing forward Aileachs Caolan Doherty intercepted a defensive pass raced forward and played a ball across to McMonagle but he fired over the bar. With time running out Buncrana equalised with McDaid floating a twenty five yards free kick over McLaughlin and into the net at the back post for a superb finish. The only clear chance in extra time came in the first half after a poor defensive clearance from Buncrana was seized on by Gavin Doherty who fed McMonagle on the right but his low effort was blocked by the legs of Kelly.In the shootout  Kelly emerged the hero  when he saved two Aileach spot kicks before hammering home the winning kick after Ryan Doherty, Kieran McDaid and John Timlin had all converted.

Inishowen Engineering Division Two  A  

Carn  Res 0

Illies Res 1

In their final match of the season Carn had the first chance on 9 minutes when a Dermot Doherty pass from midfield found Conor Mclaughlin on the right wing and he went on a great run beating two defenders but saw his effort well saved by Graham Doherty in the Illies goal. Illies had a chance to break the deadlock on 20 minutes after Liam O’Connor broke on the right wing and crossed it for Alan Fletcher  who fired wide from 15 yards. They had another chance on  just after the half hour when Conor Doherty broke on the left ,beat the defender and laid it off for Nathan McLaughlin who shot wide  from 15 yards. Carn  responded with  Shane McGuinness crosing for Kyran Cantwell  but he failed to hit the target from the edge of the area. Illies broke the deadlock in the 54th  minute when a Nathan McLaughlin corner on the left found Stephen Mcgonagle who shot high to the roof of the net from eight yards. Illies almost doubled their lead on then when an Alan Fletcher free kick on the left  found Stephen McMonagle who shot low to the bottom of the net but was ruled offside by the referee. Carn nearly equalized late on when substitute  Ryan O’Donnell advanced  on the right and crossed for McGuinness whose shot was parried away  around the post by Doherty. 

Buncrana Res 2

Carrowmena FC 2

Fresh from their Ulster Junior Shield victory last weekend Carrowmena travelled to Castle Park  and denied the home side  the victory  they needed to to clinch league honours. Buncrana began well and had a host of  chances in a scoreless first half. Stephen McHugh fired an early chance wide before  Kyle Dougal in the Carrowmena goal saved superbly to deny  Jack Soal and two Liam Jordan efforts.Carrowmena  then stunned the home side in the 52nd minute when they took the lead after Ruairi Dougal fired a powerful low shot past Oran McBride . This stunned the home side into a response and they levelled four minutes later. Liam Jordan advanced on the left and fed the ball inside the area to Soal who controlled and drilled low past  Dougal. Buncrana got on top again but failed to press home their superiority and Carrowmena made them pay when Michael Henry advanced from midfield and fired low past McBride from twenty yards. But the home side responded and salvaged a point when a superb cross from Eoin McNamee found Paul McDaid to fire past Dougal  and salvage a point  and now they need one point from their final two games to clinch the title.