Reports 7th May

Inishowen Football League

Wednesday 3rd May

Jackie Crossan Premier Division    

Aileach FC                    0

Glengad United           1  

Glengad United clinched the victory they needed to claim their third league title in a row at the Lakeside venue on Wednesday evening before a big crowd. It was a close tense affair with few chances at either end and defences on top . In a lethargic first  half the home side almost took an early lead when Caoimhin McFeely lifted the ball past the advancing Kevin McLaughlin but Stephen McLaughlin got back to head the ball off the line. Indeed McFeely and Jordan Mc Geady were causing the Glengad defence some problems but they did struggle to create clear chances. Glengad were always a threat with Seamus Doherty curling the ball wide from twenty yards before Terence Doherty had an effort well saved by David McGeady as the half ended scoreless. Glengad upped the tempo on the restart and a brilliant turn and run along the left saw Terence Doherty pull the ball back but Dermot Doherty intercepted at the expense of a corner. Aileach were playing on the break at this stage and one Anthony Doherty run caused problems before John G McLaughlin cleared the danger. The decisive moment arrived on 68 minutes when Adam Byrne slid the ball into the left hand channel for Seamus Doherty to run onto and slide the ball low past the advancing McGeady. Aileach almost equalised when a deep free kick found McFeely whose header went all the way across goal and just past the back post. Aileach tried to press but were getting caught on the break with Terence Doherty laying the ball off to Nigel McMonagle but his effort was beaten away by McGeady. Doherty then had another late chance  but fired wide from the edge of the area but it mattered little as they secured the  win they needed to record a third league title on the trot and become the first club to do so which is a tremendous reflection on the difficulty on winning  the Inishowen league. Congratulations to the players, management, backroom staff, committee and all their supporters.

 

League Secretary Diarmuid O’ Brien presents the Jackie Crossan Premier Division Trophy to Glengad captain John Gerard Mc laughlin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P W D L F A Pts
Glengad United 16 14 2 0 48 5 44
Buncrana Hearts 16 12 1 3 27 17 37
Clonmany 16 10 1 5 40 20 31
Greencastle  FC 16 8 3 5 32 24 27
Aileach FC 16 6 3 7 27 32 21
Culdaff FC 16 6 2 8 25 37 20
Carn FC 16 3 3 10 24 30 12
QPS 16 2 3 11 15 44 9
Dunree United 16 1 2 13 16 46 5

Saturday 6th May

Hannon Greene Insurances Fr O Gara Cup Final 

Illies Celtic                    3

Moville Celtic               2       (AET)

Mary Hannon Presents the Hannon Greene Fr. O’ Gara Cup to Illies Captain’s Paddy Doherty and Domnick Coyle

In beautiful conditions at Maginn Park on Saturday evening this game ebbed and flowed one way then another before Illies Celtic scored in extra time to clinch a league and cup double. In the early exchanges Charlie Gill headed a Conor Doherty cross over  while at the other end an inswinging Michael Coyle corner was also headed over by Paddy Doherty. The first clear chance arrived on 21 minutes when the ball broke to Dominic Coyle on the egde  of the area but he fired straight at Sean McGuinness. Moville replied and a great run and cross by Finn McLaughlin was superbly gathered by Johnathan Noone in the Illies goal. Illien then took the lead when Coyle collected a William McLaughlin throw in turned smartly and burst between defenders before slotting low past McGuinness. Moville ended the half with a flourish with Michael McNaught seeing a low effort blocked by the legs of Noone and Conor Doherty under pressure fired the rebound high over the bar. Illies started the second half with an attack with Paddy Doherty drilling narrowly wide from the edge of the area. But Moville upped the tempo and equalised on 52minutes after Mclaughlin advanced on the left and fed Conor Doherty who turned well on the edge of the area and saw his shot take a deflection on its way past Noone. A superb through ball by McNaught released Doherty again but his attempted dink was clawed away by Noone when he really should have gone around the keeper. In a rare Illies attack a superb run by Coyle saw his cross deflected wide but Moville replied and spurned another good chance on 71minutes. Good work by Doherty on the right saw him pick out Gill on the edge of  the area but he scuffed his effort and sliced it wide. Almost immediately Illies regained the lead when superb play by Michael Coyle released substitute Liam Grant into the area and his driven cross deflected off a  defender and into the net. Coyle then crossed for another substitute John Campbell but a poor first touch allowed McGuinness to gather. Moville got back on terms again on 78 minutes after a Conor Doherty corner was headed home by the unmarked John Gillen from six yards. Play was swinging from end to end at this stage and on 81 minutes Doherty released Finn McLaughlin on the left but he was denied by a superb David Doherty tackle at the expense of a corner. In the opening minute of extra time Campbell was denied by a superb Ryan Killen tackle as he bore down on goal before Moville substitute Norbert Indyka fired a left footed effort across goal and just past the far post. A quick throw in then by Moville released Conor Doherty who from a tight angle was denied by another save from Noone. Illies then struck for the winner on the stroke of half time in extra time when Liam Grant played a free back to  David Doherty twenty five yards out and he hammered it to the top right hand corner despite the best efforts of McGuinness. There was little chances in the second period but late on a  free kick broke to John Gillen on the edge of the area but he fired over the bar.

Man of the Match

As always there were contenders on both sides. For Moville Ryan Killen, Finn McLaughlin and especially Conor Doherty all had fine matches. For Illies keeper Noone, Michael Coyle and David Doherty played well but the award on the night went to young centre half Stephen Grant who had a fine game from start to finish and kept the Moville attack in check.

Illies Celtic 

Moville Celtic

Sunday  7th May

Jackie Crossan Premier Division     

Glengad  United                    2

Buncrana Hearts                    0

Glengad dominated early on and opened the scoring on 22 minutes when Cathal McDaid fed Patrick McDermott who fired low past Eoghan O Doherty from the edge of the area. Buncrana replied with a long range Stephen McHugh effort gathered safely by Kevin McLaughlin. Glengad doubled their lead on 65 minutes after John G McLaughlin headed a deep John McDaid corner high past O Doherty from eight yards. Glengad continued to dominate possession but created few chances until the 85th minute when McDermott’s twenty five yards effort was well saved by O’Doherty. Glengad saw the game out to go through their league campaign undefeated the first time since their neighbours Culdaff managed it in 1998-99 and complete a hat trick of consecutive league titles for the first time in the history of the league.

Aileach FC

Greencastle  FC 

This game was reversed to Chapel Lane Greencastle due to a death in the vicinity of the Lakeside pitch.  Greencastle started well and took the lead on 20 minutes when Matthew Henry’s cross was sidefooted home by Joe Doherty from eight yards past John Roulstone. On 33 minutes Michael Barr fed Matthew Henry and he fired low past Roulstone from fourteen yards. Henry and Joe Doherty then missed good clear chances and in the end paid the price. Aileach came more into the game in the second half and got one back on 66 minutes when Gavin  Doherty headed home from a corner to the top corner. They equalised on 75 minutes when Doherty crossed for James Wallace to slot home from ten yards. Both teams had chances  in the last fifteen minutes but in the end they had to settle for a point apiece.