Several huge games took place in the Donegal Junior League this weekend. Full round-up below.
Saturday 13th April 2019
Glencar Inn Saturday Division One
Oldtown Celtic 0 v 3 Arranmore United
A good game, played in tough windy conditions in Rathmullan, saw Arranmore race out of the blocks and into the lead when a free kick was given and fired home from the edge of the area.
They soon doubled the lead from a free header at the back post.
Oldtown grew into the game and had chances to equalise but Arranmore stood strong at the back and added a third from close range with 10 minutes to go.
Castlefin Celtic Reserves 0 v 4 Strand Rovers
Strand Rovers kept their title aspirations on track with this victory over an under strength Castlefin at a stormy Park View.
Dylan Boyle put the visitors ahead in the 5th minute with a wind assisted chip over the keeper.
The same player doubled the advantage shortly afterwards with a fine finish from an acute angle.
Brendan Glackin made it three from close range just before half-time.
Castlefin battled hard in the second half but the result was sealed when Dylan Boyle completed his hat-trick in the 60th minute with an exquisite finish from just inside the box.
Best for Castlefin were Lee Mc Laughlin and Pauric Lafferty while Dylan Boyle and Doalty Boyle impressed for Strand.
Referee: Barry Hunter
Dunlewey Celtic 1 v 5 Donegal Town Reserves
Donegal Town took full advantage of the gale force conditions at Glentornan Park and in the first half they went 5-0 up before the break with the wind causing havoc for a make shift Dunlewey side.
Dunlewey pulled one back in the second half but it was too little too late. Donegal Town defended well to hold out for the 3 points.
St. Catherines Reserves 1 v 4 Glencar Celtic
This was an evenly contested game for the first 30 minutes.
St. Catherine’s scored first when Steven Anderson’s free-kick on the edge of the box found the Glencar net. St. Catherine’s went in at the break one up.
Early in the second half Glencar scored a penalty.
They then pressed on and added three more before the end. Best for St. Catherines were Nathan Byrne and Shane O’ Gara.
Old Orchard Saturday Division Two
Milford United Reserves 1 v 1 Drumoghill F.C. Reserves
Milford had the advantage of a strong wind in the first half and took the lead after 15 minutes.
A Milford corner was headed into the net by a Drumoghill defender for an own goal.
Milford had more chances to double their lead but some good defending kept them out.
With the wind behind Drumoghill in the second half it was all Drumoghill and they finally got the equaliser on 75 minutes.
Milford held out till the final whistle to make it to the final 3-1 on aggregate. A good team performance from both teams.
Referee: Brian O’Kane
Sunday 14th April 2019
Brian Mc Cormick Sports Premier Division
Cappry Rovers 0 v 2 Kilmacrennan Celtic
Kilmacrennan Celtic extended their lead at the top of the table to 6 points with this win over Cappry Rovers in perfect conditions at Cappry Park.
Kilmacrennan started the brighter and should have gone ahead on 5 minutes when Semi Friel put it over.
Caolan Mc Daid had a chance later when he lobbed the keeper only for ball to go wide of post. Cappry came more into the game as it went on and it evened out without any goals at half time. Kilmacrennan edged it in the second half and were awarded a penalty in the 50th minute when Caolan Mc Daid was brought down. Michael Mc Laughlin scored from the spot.
As Cappry pushed forward, they were stretched at the back and Seimi Friel added a 2nd on 65 minutes. Kilmacrennan then hung on comfortably to take all 3 points. Team performance from both sides.
Referee: Liam Mc Laughlin
Donegal Town 2 v 5 Castlefin Celtic
Castlefin came out on top in this highly entertaining encounter at the Hospital Field. Donegal were very slow out of the blocks and the visitors took full advantage of some lacklustre defending to race into a two-goal lead, the first through Emmet Whyte with Ronan Tourish adding the second.
Donegal settled after their poor start and began to play some good football. They deservedly found themselves back in contention when Ben Sweeney fired home, after good work from Ronan McHugh and Joe McIntyre.
McIntyre levelled things fifteen minutes into the second half as the Town began to dominate proceedings.
Donegal pressed on in search of a winning goal, but it was Castlefin who found themselves in front when Rory Dalton reacted quickest to a loose ball in the area.
JP Malley sealed the win for his side a minute later when he finished well to give his side some breathing space. Rory Dalton added another for Castlefin in the dying moments.
Referee: Marty Mc Garrigle
Rathmullan Celtic 0 v 0 Glenea United
Michael Deeney’s Hoops welcomed old foes Glenea to a blustery Seaside in a must win relegation battle for both sides but it turned out to be a goalless game with Shaun Gallagher saving a Padraig McGee Penalty in the first half as a share of the spoils seemed the fairest outcome.
The Hoops were coming into this match on the back of a fine away draw at title chasing Castlefin as their fight for survival has taken somewhat of a Renaissance with two wins and two draws in their last four outings.
Glenea are always the Premier Division perennials but face a huge finale in order to avoid the drop from the top flight like the Hoops and came to the Flagpole with a fully strengthened side driven forward by their talismanic midfielder Darren Ferry.
It was the midfield maestro who was upended on 15 minutes inside the area which resulted in a spot kick for McGee.
The striker’s effort was exquisitely saved by Hoops shot stopper Gallagher much to the thunderous applauds of the Seaside faithful.
The visitors edged the midfield battle in the opening period with Ferry threading through balls and passes to the wingers but no clear chances prevailed with Gallagher handling well from the high balls launched into the area.
The second period saw the Hoops come into the game more with Mark Wilson leading the line well and Eoin Sheridan driving forward more in search of that elusive opener but it simply wasn’t to come.
Reggie Miller went on a mesmerizing run on 86 minutes on the left wing skipping past the defence but his effort, from a very accuse angle, narrowly went over the crossbar in what was the only real clear cut effort of the half.
Glenea United’s Darren Ferry was the stand out player in midfield with his composure on the ball and passing, while Shaun Patton was immense between the posts for the Hoops alongside Mark Wilson up front.
The Hoops now travel to Keene Rovers in their penultimate game of the season followed by a final home game against St Catherine’s in their bid to maintain Premier League status and it’s, quite simply, all to play for.
Referee: Mick Lagan
Bonagee United 5 v 0 Convoy Arsenal
The visitors came close to opening the scoring on four minutes when a good strike from 20 yards by Joe Mc Gill was well saved by the home keeper.
Bonagee should have taken the lead on six minutes when a great ball into the box from the left by Paddy Mc Gowan fell to Aiden Mc Laughlin and the striker shot over from six yards. Carr in the home goal made another good save from Mickey Melaugh from twenty yards on eighteen minutes.
Two minutes later Carr again made a great save from a Joe Mc Gill strike from the edge of the box, the ball broke to Mickey Melaugh and his strike from ten yards was saved on the lone Carr.
Eamon Cannon saw his strike for the home side on twenty-seven minutes just go wide of the post. Aiden Mc Laughlin saw his header from ten yards from a corner saved by Matthew Gallagher in the visitor’s goal on forty minutes.
The home side took the lead on forty-seven minutes when Aiden Mc Laughlin shot home from just inside the box. Eamon Cannon made it two nil when he won the ball on the edge of the box and shot home to the bottom corner of the net on sixty-five minutes.
Joe Mc gill and Mickey Melaugh were always a threat up front for the visitors and the home keeper was called into action on a few occasions. The home side went three up on seventy-three minutes when Aiden Mc Laughlin headed home a Harper corner.
The home side got their fourth and Mc Laughlin his hat-trick on seventy-six minutes when he broke clear and slid the ball past the keeper from fifteen yards. The final goal came on eighty minutes when Mark Hunter shot home from the edge of the box. Team effort by both sides. Man of the match Aiden Mc Laughlin.
Referee: Con Mc Laughlin
