Drumoghill cut gap at the top of the Donegal League Premier Division

CHAMPIONS DRUMOGHILL FC moved to within a point of Glenea United at the summit of the Brian McCormick Sports Premier Division this afternoon.

Sunday 22nd January 2017

Brian Mc Cormick Sports Premier Division

St. Catherines 1     Milford United 2

Milford started the brightest and exposed the St. Catherines defence within two minutes of the start when Johnnie Logue pounced on a loose ball from close range to score.

Milford should have gone 2 up as the saints struggled to get with the pace of the game and we’re lucky only to be 1 down at the break . The ref Patrick Martin had a busier second half as the tackles started flying in.

Milford made some substitutions and looked an even stronger outfit and their dominance in mid field paid off as Joey Cullen broke through to slot the ball low under Michael Mullen to make it 2-0 on 72 minutes.

Results

Brian Mc Cormick Sports Premier Division
St. Catherines 1-2 Milford United
Kilmacrennan Celtic 4-4 Castlefin Celtic
Convoy Arsenal 0-3 Drumoghill F.C.
Kildrum Tigers 0-1 Lagan Harps

Temple Domestic Appliances Division One
Erne Wanderers 1-0 Gweedore Celtic
Raphoe Town 5-2 Glenree United
Deele Harps 1-2 Gweedore United
Keadue Rovers 3-0 Donegal Town
Bonagee United 0-3 Cappry Rovers

CT Ball Division Two
Kerrykeel ’71 F.C. 2-3 Cranford United
Curragh Athletic 1-2 Lifford Celtic
Eany Celtic 0-2 Dunkineely Celtic
Letterbarrow Celtic 5-0 Copany Rovers
Drumkeen United 1-1 Ballybofey United

Barry Rose had come on for the saints replacing Stephen Muirhead and he started to make the home team more threatening going forward.  Barry Cannon also came off the bench to replace Christopher Cunningham who had received a head injury while clearing his lines for the home team .

The saints pushed to try and salvage something from the game and Barry Cannon slotted a fine header passed the Milford keeper on 85 minutes to set up a nail biting finish. Milford survived some late penalty box scrambles to hold on for the win and 3 points. Joey Cullen impressed for Milford.

Kilmacrennan Celtic 4     Castlefin Celtic 4

Please click here to read Charlie Collins’ match report

Kildrum Tigers 0     Lagan Harps 1

Please click here to read Chris McNulty’s match report

Temple Domestic Appliances Division One

Erne Wanderers 1     Gweedore Celtic 0

Erne Wanderers hosted Gweedore Celtic in glorious conditions at the Lakeside Centre on Sunday and came out 1-0 winners.

A minute;s silence was impeccably carried out before kick off in memory of Erne footballer Shane Goan who tragically passed away last weekend.

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In truth Wanderers made hard work of getting the three points and should have been comfortably ahead before the final whistle but none the less will be delighted to get the three points after a horrendous run of six league games without a win. The goal came on twenty minutes when Alan Russell played a delightful ball over the top for David Dolan to run on to and dispatch it into the net.

Erne missed some glorious chances after this to add to the scoreline but couldn’t finish and Celtic were always in the game when it stayed just the one. The second half was again bossed by the home team with David Dorrian rattling the bar from 25 yards out the closest they got and Gweedore looked very dangerous from set pieces but Wanderers’ defence held firm.

Best for Erne was David Dorrian, Alan Russell and Ryan O’ Brien while Gweedore’s keeper had a good day between the sticks.

Raphoe Town 5     Glenree United 2

An entertaining game at Deele College saw Raphoe take the lead through a Christy Bogle penalty.

In the 26th minute Glenree equalised with a goal by Andrew Kelly. Glenree went in front with a Joe Bray shot. Raphoe’s Stephen Laird levelled things with a header in the 66th minute. Oliver Quinn put Raphoe back in front in the 75th minute.

Raphoe’s Tom Mc Hugh got a 4th goal before Ryan Mc Cullagh made sure of the points with a great strike from 25 yards. Great game from both teams.

Deele Harps 1     Gweedore United 2

Deele welcomed Gweedore United to The Athletic Grounds on a fine day for football and it was the home side who were on the front foot from the start.  

Chances came and went for the home side and those missed opportunities would come back to haunt Deele. It took until the 30th minute for Deele to open the scoring when Jordon Duffy finished well.

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The introduction of young Brandon Connolly at half time, making his home debut, gave Deele another attacking spark but more poor choices from Deele in the final third kept the game alive. A free kick was awarded to Gweedore United and Jamie McGee stepped up to equalise on 75 minutes. As Deele were rocked by this, things got worse 2 minutes later, Deele lost the ball on the halfway line and Daniel Devlin raced through a few lame challenges to finish well.  

Deele rallied again and had some good chances at the end, Darren Gillespie with the best chance firing wide when well placed. Team performance from Gweedore with Brandon Connolly the only positive for Deele on the day.  

Keadue Rovers 3     Donegal Town 0

Keadue continued their recent fine run with an impressive win over league leaders Donegal Town at Central Park on Sunday.

It was perfect conditions for a game and the visitors started the better, moving the ball round well in the first five minutes pushing up on the Keadue defence.

After a scoreless first half, on 51 minutes Ryan Greene’s fine effort hit the bar and the follow up was missed by Shaun Yank Boyle. However on fifty three minutes, Donegal Town on their first attack of the half were awarded a penalty after a foul in the box but the resultant penalty from Raymond Mc Groary was well saved by Hugh Yank Boyle.

Just two minutes later Keadue took the lead when a ball into the box from Calum Boyle was headed in by Shaun Yank Boyle at the near post. Keadue were steady in possession and gaining the upper hand and on sixty three minutes David Ward’s shot from distance hit the bar with the rebound headed home from close range by Ryan Greene.

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Donegal Town did come into things more by the seventieth minute with an effort wide on the left from Ben Sweeney. In the eighty seventh minute Keadue sub Daniel McHugh was fouled by the Donegal Town keeper which resulted in David Ward’s left footed penalty which he slotted coolly in the corner to seal the 3-0 win.

Best for Donegal Town were Aaron Slevin, Raymond Mc Groary and Ben Sweeney while best for Keadue were David Ward, Shaun Yank Boyle, Jack O’Brien and Hugh Moy. 

Fixtures

Brian Mc Cormick Sports Premier Division
Rathmullan Celtic v Kildrum Tigers
Castlefin Celtic v Drumoghill F.C.
Milford United v Glenea United
Kilmacrennan Celtic v Lagan Harps

Temple Domestic Appliances Division One
Gweedore United v Glenree United
Raphoe Town v Erne Wanderers
Gweedore Celtic v Bonagee United
Cappry Rovers v Keadue Rovers
Donegal Town v Deele Harps

CT Ball Division Two
Cranford United v Drumkeen United
Lifford Celtic v Ballybofey United
Whitestrand United v Dunkineely Celtic

Bonagee United 0     Cappry Rovers 3

The visitors took the lead on fifteen minutes when Gerard Mc Laughlin won the ball wide out on the right and his cross into the box was fired home by Darren O’ Leary.

They made it two on thirty minutes when Calvin Bradley broke down the wing and his cross into the box was headed out and the incoming Brendan Mc Laughlin shot home from the edge of the box. The home side kept plugging away and a few strikes on goal was well handled Eoghan Gallen in the visitor’s goal.

The final goal of the game came on sixty five minutes when Calvin Bradley won the ball thirty yards out from goal he beat the defender and hammered home to the bottom corner of the net from outside the box. Team Effort by both teams.

CT Ball Division Two

Curragh Athletic 1     Lifford Celtic 2

This game between Curragh and league contenders Lifford Celtic was played in Killygordon.

The game started with Lifford taking the lead after ten minutes when Jason Mc Brearty scored from close range Curragh fought hard looking for a goal but it was Lifford young gun Daniel Lindsay got one before half time. Second half saw Curragh started really well and in the sixty fifth minute Chris Darby pulled a Goal back and Curragh pushed hard but veteran keeper Lee White was in good form. 

Eany Celtic 0     Dunkineely Celtic 2

It was the away side that came out on top in this battle of the Celtics at Eany.

The visitors started best and went one up when Cian Kennedy found space outside the Eany box and his well-placed shot found the net. The game remained 0-1 until half time.

Eany started the second half best and went close on a few occasions but were caught out by a long ball on the hour. Aaron Byrne read the long ball and found himself in behind the Eany defence. He continued his run to score his side’s second goal from close range. Dunkineely were able to hold on for the win and collect all three points. 

Letterbarrow Celtic 5    Copany Rovers 0

Letterbarrow proved too strong for a very young Copany Rovers side on a beautiful day for football at Tymeen.

The game was evenly contested in the first fifteen minutes until the deadlock was broken when Jamie Coyle latched onto a through ball from Kieran Breslin to slot home under the advancing keeper.

It was two nil ten minutes later when Gerard Mc Brearty slotted home from the edge of the box. The home side started the second half strongly and Christopher Burke powered home a header from a Nathan Carr corner on fifty minutes. Kevin Mc Brearty got the fourth for the home side when he dribbled round the advancing keeper to tap home from close range.

Kevin Mc Brearty added the fifth on eighty minutes when he slotted home after good work from Pauric Coyle. John Kenny was best for Letterbarrow with Rodger Leonard best for Copany.

Drumkeen United 1     Ballybofey United 1

League Leaders Ballybofey were the visitors to a Sunny but cold St Patrick’s Park on Sunday afternoon.

The first half was drawing to a close when the deadlock was finally broken. A Ballybofey clearance fell to Michael Guthrie inside the box, he beat a defender  before firing a great shot with his left foot which flew into the net about a foot inside the bottom of the right hand post giving Keeper Ger Hanley no chance and giving the home team a deserved one goal lead at half time.

As the second half wore on Ballybofey were getting more in to the game and Rory Dunleavy put his shot over the bar under pressure from a Drumkeen defender. Drumkeen were defending pretty well though and were managing to keep their lead intact.

With about ten minutes left the visitors were handed a lifeline when Ballybofey player Damian Glackin was adjudged to have been fouled inside the box and Referee Liam McLaughlin awarded the penalty. Glackin himself stepped up and calmly slotted the ball home past Michael Gibson. The visitors went in search of a winner which made it a tense and nervous last ten minutes for Drumkeen as they forced a series of Corners and Free kicks. Thankfully for the home team they managed to deal with them.

With what was more or less the last kick of the game Ballybofey were awarded a corner and Drumkeen Keeper Michael Gibson showed great bravery as he came out and punched the ball away to safety. The final whistle went shortly after. 

 

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