The Ulster Junior Cup was in full flow again at the weekend – here’s how the action panned out:
Ulster Junior Cup
Gweedore Celtic 3 Monaghan Town 1
Gweedore Celtic played well in the early stages but Monaghan started to come into the game more as the first half progressed.
Monaghan had the opening goal of the first half on 32 minutes but unfortunately it was a Gweedore Celtic man that found the back of the net for them.
Gweedore Celtic started the better team in the second half with a goal on 56 minutes scored by Jamie Boyle from a free kick 35 yards out into the top corner.
On 60 minutes Gweedore found the back of the net again to make it 2-1 when a cross by Kevin Friel was headed on by Tomas Diver and scored by Eamon McGee.
Gweedore wrapped up the game on the 85th minute when a long kick out by Chris Sweeney found Odhran Mac Niallais who took on both defender’s to bury the ball in the bottom corner.
Referee: Joe mc Hugh.
Buncrana Harps 1 Kilmacrennan Celtic 3
An understrength Buncrana side were no match for a slick Kilmacrennan on a perfect Maginn Park surface on Wednesday night.
The Hearts started well and on five minutes Stephen McHugh fired narrowly wide.
It was the brilliance of Corey Wilson in the Hearts goal who kept Kilmacrennan at bay as he made two superb saves to deny Christy Dillon and Caolan McDaid.
A defensive error in the hearts defence on 38 minutes allowed Dillon to open the scoring giving Wilson no chance.
On 55 minutes the unmarked Ryan Shields headed home a free kick from 12 yards to make it two-nil.
Buncrana rallied and reduced the deficit on 74 minutes when Stephen McHugh fired home from the edge of the area.
On 82 minutes Caolan McDaid wrapped things up when he beat three defenders before firing low past Wilson.
[adrotate group=”88″]Aileach F.C. 3 Cranford United 0
After an even opening Aileach took the lead after 20minutes when a Darren Mc Monagle free was turned past Sean Gallagher from six yards by Ciaran McGrory.
Cranford replied and Philip Buchanan rattled the bar with a fine strike from the edge of the area before the same player saw a free kick well saved low to his right by John Roulstone.
Aileach regained the supremacy and made it two nil when Thomas McMonagle found Jordan McGeady to fire high past Gallagher from 12 yards.
Aileach dominated long periods of the second period but had few chances.
On 55 minutes Thomas McMonagle and Darren Gallagher combined but the former ‘s effort lacked power to trouble Gallagher.
They eventually got a third on 75 minutes when Stephen McKendry beat a man and crossed for McGrory to glance a header past Gallagher from eight yards.
[adrotate group=”76″]St. Catherine’s 4 Clones Town 0
St. Catherines started the brighter of the two sides passing the ball crisply through the Clones defence and their pressure paid off when debutant 16-year-old Ryan Cunningham crossed superbly for Daniel Breslin to nod home on 6 minutes. Cunningham continued to haunt the Clones’ defence and David Conwell latched on to another of his crosses on 16 minutes to make it 2-0.
Breslin again rose highest to meet a superb corner ball and it was 3-0 at the break.
Clones applied more pressure in the second half with Sean McDonald and Simon Douglas pushing the visitors on but it was all to no avail as again another assist from Man of the match Ryan Cunningham provided an easy finish for Daniel Breslin to complete his hat-Trick.
Odhran McGuinness, another 16-year-old making his home debut, impressed along with Evan Broderick in Defence.
Cootehill Harps 1 Illies Celtic 3
Illies started well and were out of luck when Paddy Doherty unleashd an effort from twenty yards which crashed off the bar.
They were dealt a blow on 11 minutes when after a melee in the visitors area Cootehill opened the scoring.
Illies responded with Dominic Coyle, JP Donaghey and Stephen Doherty all going close. In the second half Cootehill increased their lead when a low cross came off a defender and went past Johnathan Noone.
The home side added a third with a cross cum shot that nestled in the far top corner before Illies reduced the deficit after David Doherty beat three men before unleashing an effort which was parried and Shane Devlin slotted home. Illies had another chance when Devlin saw his effort smothered at the second attempt.
[adrotate group=”46″]QPS 2 Culdaff FC 5
Culdaff advanced to the next round of the Ulster Junior Cup with a win over Quigley’s Point Swifts in Muff.
The away side opened their account in the second minute. Darren Mullarkey’s long free-kick into the Swifts penalty area was palmed away by keeper Oisin Burke, but Michael Coyle was on hand to finish from eight yards.
Quigley’s Point equalised three minutes later when Karl Donnelly sprinted through the Culdaff defence to latch on to Denim McLaughlin’s through ball and finish into the bottom left corner.
On 17 minutes, Chris Montieth had an effort well saved by Culdaff keeper Darragh McLaughlin.
Eugene McLaughlin should have restored the visitors lead on twenty-two minutes, but he sliced his shot over the bar from six yards.
The game continued at a fast pace for the rest of the half. Point defender Brian McColgan headed straight McLaughlin after a good free-kick from Sean Martin, while Denim McLaughlin’s shot was deflected just wide after Connor Barron won the ball deep in the Culdaff half.
At the other end, a long diagonal pass from midfielder William Hutchinson was brilliantly controlled by Eugene McLaughlin but his left-footed effort went wide. On 38 minutes, Donnelly had a good chance to put the hosts in front after being played through by Martin, but McLaughlin made a great save to deny him his second.
[adrotate group=”80″]Four minutes before the interval the visitors restored their lead. Hutchinson collected the ball deep on the right hand side, swinging in a long cross and Eugene McLaughlin drifted into the Point penalty area unmarked to nod the ball into the bottom-left corner.
Culdaff started the second-half brighter, with Brendan McLaughlin’s low curling effort on 47 minutes forcing Burke into a good save.
Quigley’s Point were then presented with a great chance to level on 53 minutes. An excellent passage of possession play was capped when Denim McLaughlin slipped Donnelly through with a lovely pass, but keeper McLaughlin once again denied the Point man with an excellent save.
It would prove to be a vital moment in the contest as three minutes later, Culdaff extended their lead.
A free-kick from Brendan McLaughlin on the right flank found Michael Coyle unmarked in the six yard box, who headed the ball past Burke into the net. Quigley’s Point maintained their composure and attempted to get back into the game but for a lack of quality in the final third.
On 65 minutes, Culdaff dealt the killer blow when Brendan McLaughlin’s long through ball was collected on the right by Coyle, who completed his hat-trick with a good finish into the bottom left corner.
The Muff side lost momentum after that, and it was the visiting side who looked more likely to score again.
[adrotate group=”81″]Eugene McLaughlin’s 20-yard drive was well held by Burke, while Brendan McLaughlin, who put in a commanding second-half performance, was unlucky to see his shot from the edge of the box hit the outside of the post. Some good link-up play between Brendan McLaughlin and substitute Brian McCandless presented McCandless with a glorious chance but he scuffed his shot from six yards out. Oisin Burke then produced another quality stop to deny McCandless on eighty-three minutes.
Quigley’s Point added a late consolation goal when Chris O’Donnell’s cross from the right side was headed home from ten yards by Chris Montieth.
Qith the last action of the game, Culdaff completed the scoring when Brendan McLaughlin picked up the ball from McCandless on the left hand side of the box before unleashing an unstoppable right-footed drive into the top right corner.
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