GLENGAD UNITED CAME from behind to win the Clubman Shirts League Cup final at Maginn Park.
Glengad United 2 Clonmany Shamrocks 1
Michael Byrne and Nigel McMonagle netted in the second half after Jamie Coyle had sent Clonmany had put Clonmany in front late in the opening period.
In front of another big crowd in Buncrana, Glengad secured their third piece of silverware for the season and their fourth League Cup in-a-row. They still have the Charlie O’Donnell Cup final against QPS to come next Saturday.
Four minutes into the second half, they levelled. McMonagle and Matthew Byrne worked the space on the edge of the box and McMonagle’s cross was nodded home by Michael Byrne.
[adrotate group=”46″]Seven days ago, Michael Byrne bagged the only goal of the game as Glengad overcame Clonmany 1-0 at Shamrock Park in a title decider as The Crua men retained the Jackie Crossan Premier Division title.
And they won the day here in some style in the 76th minute.
Man of the Match McMonagle cracked a brilliant left-footed effort into the roof of the net after Christy Fildara cut inside for the Moville man.
Clonmany took the lead against the run of play. Greg Bradley stymied a Glengad attack and set his team on the attack down the right flank. Full-back Aaron Doherty skipped away and his excellent cross was superbly finished by Coyle.
Clonmany had a good chance in the fifth minute. Former Derry City player Aidan Friel got away down the right and swung over a dangerous cross towards the six-yard box, but Jason Doherty cleared.
Glengad came close to opening the scoring, but Terence Doherty flicked wide from Christy Fildara’s cross after good work by Seamus Doherty and McMonagle.
Seamus Doherty set up Terence Doherty soon after but, just as he was pulling the trigger, Fergal Harkin intervened with a saving tackle.
McMonagle flashed a dipping effort just over Harkin’s crossbar and the same player was then denied by the Clonmany ‘keeper with a low shot.
[adrotate group=”43″]Doherty sliced wide from the edge of the box as Glengad turned the screw in search of a breakthrough, but they fell behind when Coyle fired home.
Last weekend, Shane Byrne outlined the mentality of his squad when he said, aftrr their win at Shamrock Park: “If we go a goal down they will say: ‘We’ll get the next goal and win the game’ and they come up trumps.”
They did just that here.
Michael Byrne levelled it before McMonagle won it late on, for Glengad’s 11th title in Shane Byrne’s reign as manager.
They had other opportunities in between the goals, too.
The magnificent McMonagle set up Terence Doherty just after the equaliser, with Paul McLaughlin making a block and Christy Fildara was thwarted by a fine save from goalkeeper Harkin.
[adrotate group=”67″]Glengad keeper Kevin McLaughlin did well to keep out a fine effort from Mark McLaughlin and, while Clonmany mounted the pressure in the closing stage, Glengad held on.
Glengad United: Kevin McLaughlin; Stephen Fildara, John Geard McLaughlin, Jason Doherty, Matthew Byrne; Michael Byrne, Paddy McDermott; Christy Fildara, Seamus Doherty (Adam Byrne 80), Nigel McMonagle; Terence Doherty.
Clonmany Shamrocks: Paddy Harkin; Aaron Harkin (Mark McLaughlin 39), Paul McLaughlin, Conor Bradley, Fergal Harkin; Paddy Doherty, Greg Bradley (Jason Doherty 86), Jason Devlin (Michael Devlin 86), Niall McLaughlin; Jamie Coyle, Aidan Friel.
Referee: Terence Moyne.
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