Full round-up of results from Saturday’s action from the Brian Mc Cormick Sports Premier Division as Bonagee United see off Keadue Rovers.
Bonagee United 2-0 Keadue Rovers
The first chance of the game fell to Aiden Mc Laughlin for the home side on ten minutes but his strike from fifteen yards was deflected wide for a corner. He then saw his header cleared off the line from the corner kick.
Mc Laughlin again came close on sixteen minutes from a Jason Ashmore cross from the left but his shot on goal was saved by Ben Boyle. The home side were well on top at this stage and Glen Gallagher saw his strike from twenty-five yards on twenty minutes strike the post.
On the half hour Keadue should have taken the lead when a cross from the left by Daniel Mc Hugh beat the home defence, two Keadue players went for the ball but it went wide of the post from three yards. Mc Hugh then saw his strike from the edge of the box on thirty-six minutes just go over the Bonagee cross bar.
Boyle in goal for the visitors made two more great saves, from Ashmore on forty minutes and two minutes later from an Aiden Mc Laughlin strike from ten yards. Adam Neely for the visitors came close on fifty-three minutes when he shot just wide of the post from the edge of the box.
Daniel Mc Hugh again tested Carr in the home goal with a strike from twenty-five yards on the hour. The home side took the lead two minutes later when Aaron Wasson was put through and was brought down in the box by the defender and Glen Gallagher made no mistake from the spot.
Keadue kept plugging away and Carr in goal had to make a few saves from Daniel Mc Hugh on seventy and seventy-six minutes, both from shots from outside the box. The final goal came on eighty-five minutes when Aaron Wasson broke down the right, beat the defender, and player the ball into the back of the box and Daniel Stolarczyk hammered home from fifteen yards. Team efforts by both sides. Referee: Liam Mc Conigley.
Cappry Rovers 5-2 Castlefin Celtic
Cappry Rovers claimed the points against the reigning Premier League champions in an entertaining game in Cappry Park. Cappry took the game to Castlefin right from the start. The home team took the lead in the twelfth minute when Aaron Kelly headed home from close range. Castlefin got back on level terms in the twenty third minute when Ronan Tourish scored direct from a free kick. Play swung from end to end before Patrick Mc Nulty scored Cappry’s second goal in the thirtieth minute with a header following a corner.
Castlefin went in search of the equaliser after the restart but it was Cappry who increased their lead in the sixty first minute when Patrick Mc Nulty beat the advancing keeper with a low shot to the net. Ronan Tourish got his second and Castlefin’s second in the sixty sixth minute when his shot beat the keeper to score to the top of the net.
Jamie Murray got Cappry’s fourth goal in the sixty ninth minute when he won the ball out on the wing, beat the defender and the keeper to score a wonderful goal to the corner of the net. Castlefin tried to get a goal back but were caught in the eighty ninth minute when the ball broke to Alan Getins and he lobbed the advancing keeper from twelve yards. Team Performance from Cappry.
Ronan Tourish was best for Castlefin. Referee: Paddy Martin.
Kildrum Tigers 4-1 Donegal Town
Kildrum took the lead on 8 minutes through Gary Crossan with a fine finish. On 30 minutes Oran Higgins made it 2-0 after Colhoun rounded two players and crossed for Higgins to slot home.
Donegal Town started the second half much brighter and were rewarded after a neat move down the right, Mc Intyre with a fine finish to beat Lynch in the home goal. Kildrum responded immediately, from a corner Damien Crossan powered his header home to make it 3-1. Kevin Mc Hugh got Kildrum’s fourth and final goal 9 minutes from the end.
Kilmacrennan Celtic 2-1 Drumkeen United
Kilmacrennan started the brighter in the first half with Kevin O’ Donnell playing some good football down the left wing and coming close to netting but the Drumkeen Goalkeeper made a great save.
The next opportunity came when O’ Donnell again found space in behind the defence but this time he hit the woodwork.
The second half started much the same but the chances were few for either side until in the 75th minute Guthrie reacted first in the Kilmacrennan area and tucked the ball home from five yards.
Five minutes from the end Enda Mc Cormick received the ball in midfield, attempted to cross the ball into the box, but the over-cooked cross ended up in the top corner of the Drumkeen net. In the dying minutes of the game Chris Dillon smashed the ball into the Drumkeen net to seal the win for the home side.
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Ballybofey United 6-2 Letterbarrow Celtic
Letterbarrow Celtic Goalkeeper Gary Blaine will not want to see Ballybofey United Striker Damien Glackin for quite some time, and it could have been much worse for the men from Tymeen. That said, the first half was fairly level until Ballybofey went in front on forty minutes.
Until then, despite having the Lion’s Share of possession, the home side could find no way through the visiting defence.
But once they made the breakthrough the Flood-Gates opened and it was one-way traffic for the majority of the second half. Glackin got the opener when he stole in at the back post to finish off a right-wing move that started with Michael Lafferty at Right-Back.
John Lynch then made it two before match referee Sean O’ Donnell called for the interval. Stunned by the two late goals prior to the break, Letterbarrow looked shell-shocked as they struggled to contain the Ballybofey front-men. Glackin made it three from the Penalty-Spot after he was hauled down by a retreating defender.
He soon made it four when he pounced on a loose ball to give Blaine no chance. Dillon Mc Groary got one back when his perseverance was rewarded when he looked to have lost out in the battle for possession just outside the Ballybofey Box. Glackin restored the four goal cushion however when he hit the net for the fifth time on the day. Ballybofey also hit the Goal-Frame six times during the half as the laid siege on the Letterbarrow net. A late thunderbolt from the left foot of James Mc Groary gave Letterbarrow another moment to enjoy, which they deserved for their first half display, but that’s as good as it got for Denis Gorman’s side and Ballybofey began life at their new ground with a much deserved victory. Referee: Sean O’ Donnell.
Lifford Celtic 3-4 Kerrykeel ‘71 F.C.
Lifford welcomed newly promoted Kerrykeel to the Greenbrae and the visitors stormed out of the blocks to an early three goal advantage in the opening fifteen minutes with goals coming from Bernard Mc Gettigan, Connor Mc Gonagle and Paddy Carr.
Lifford responded rapidly and had the game level by the half hour mark, Brian Breslin with a quick-fire hat-trick. The second half was the opposite from the first as the defences gradually got on top.
Kerrykeel grabbed the three points late in the game as substitute Paul Friel headed home from 10 yards. Battling performances from both sides.
Rathmullan Celtic 3-0 Gweedore Celtic
Three second-half goals have Rathmullan the points and their opening win of the new league season against a youthful Gweedore team at the Flagpole Field. Michael Deeney’s side deservedly took the three points with goals from Reggie Miller, an own-goal and Adam Salhi’s delightful free kick. Gweedore will no doubt be a strong force to reckon with as the season progresses.
After a lacklustre opening 45 minutes, Rathmullan went in front having upped the tempo after the break. Reggie Miller, who marshalled the Hoop’s defence superbly, was quickest to react inside the box following a scramble and he drove the ball into the net on 49 minutes. It was 2-0 to the home side 15 minutes later, Miller’s cross this time being sliced into the net in an unfortunate attempted clearance.
The pick of the goals arrived late on, Salhi’s left-footed free-kick picking out the top corner. The three-goal margin was perhaps a harsh reflection on the visiting Gweedore team. Referee: Con McLaughlin
St. Catherines 0-7 Glenea United
This proved to be a very one sided affair. Glenea showed great strength and experience to overpower a very young and light St. Catherine’s team. The first goal came from a corner that beat everyone in the box and went into the net. A goal from Darren Mc Geever and one from Sean Coll made it 3-0 at half time.
The home team tried to stem the tide by playing neat passing football, but on the day Glenea had too much power and pace. Goals from Sean Mc Bride, Michael Barry, Ryan Tannahill and another from Darren Mc Geever made it 7-0 at full time. Darren Mc Geever put in a good shift for Glenea while the young guns, Tom Daly at right back and Niall Campbell in midfield showed brightest for St. Catherine’s.
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Curragh Athletic 2-2 Raphoe Town
(No Report Submitted)
Lagan Harps 4-1 Dunkineely Celtic
Vinny Mc Laughlin and John Rodgers started their management career at Lagan with a win. Dunkineely took an early lead on five minutes when Jamie Kelly got in round the back and finished well.
Lagan responded and when Ross Hamlyn was fouled in the area, he scored the resulting penalty. Ross then set up Ronan Carlin to tap home Lagan’s second.
A cross from Shane Meehan was headed home by Ross Hamlyn minutes later. Lagan made it 4-1 just before half-time when Ciaran Cunningham finished at the back post. Dunkineely never gave up and created chances in the second half with Dermot Mc Glynn bursting through but shooting just wide.
Murray came on late in for Lagan and went close on three occasions. Dunkineely went close again when their left back struck the post. In the final minute, Lagan went close with a free from Ciaran Quinn striking the top of the bar. Referee: Barry Hunter
Swilly Rovers 5-1 Deele Harps
It was a scrappy opening 20 minutes at Swilly Park when the hosts faced Deele Harps in their opening home fixture of the new season. Once Swilly got a foothold in the game they started to string passes together without much threat. In the 21st minute a half chance fell to the mercurial Ryan Mc Daid who just pulled his shot wide. At this point Swilly were starting to take a grip of the proceedings with the midfield duo of Matthew Sweeney and James Mc Cahill dominating. Swilly broke the deadlock from a Tyler Durning delivery from a corner kick that was met with a bullet header from Damian Friel.
Friel was at it again when he strolled out of defence in the 42nd minute only to be dragged down on edge of the box. A few minutes later Swilly doubled their lead with a mazy run from Ryan Mc Daid taking him past three defenders leaving with him only the goalkeeper to calmly slot the ball past. The opening stages of the 2nd half were like the end of first. Swilly were on top and looking the more likely to score. The 3rd goal duly came and this was down to the ingenuity of Tyler Durning and Ryan Mc Daid who played a nice short corner routine which resulted in a dangerous ball being put into the box that was flicked into the top corner by the head of club stalwart Marty Mc Daid.
Tyler Durning then made it 4-0 on the 63rd minute with a free kick from around 35 yards into top corner. After this Deele came into the game and their perseverance was rewarded with a brilliant goal by Adrian Gallagher on the 74th minute, a superb free kick. As the game was heading towards the 82nd minute the outstanding James Mc Cahill waltzed past three players and neatly placed the ball into the bottom corner. The score-line may have been harsh on the visitors but on the day Swilly were far too clinical in the opposition final third and that was the telling difference. Deele battled valiantly and never gave up all game.
Whitestrand United 6-3 Gweedore United
An entertaining first half saw Whitestrand start the brighter. In the second minute of the game Liam O’Riordan scored when he latched onto a through ball from Darren Ferry. In the 7th minute Liam O’Riordan got his second goal when he tapped in a Trearty pass.
The game was end to end at this stage and in the 14th minute Gweedore were awarded a penalty which was dispatched easily to the keeper’s right by Ownie Gallagher. On twenty-one minutes Gweedore equalised when Kieran Mc Fadden headed in after a great cross from the right.
On thirty-one minutes the ball bounced dangerously in the Gweedore box and Darren Ferry was first to react heading it past the keeper. In the forty third minute Kieran Mc Fadden finished off a great move from Gweedore. It was 3 – 3 at the break. Paddy Kelly pulled off a great save four minutes into the second half to keep the game level. In the fifty fourth minute Paul Ferry split the defence with a great through ball and Liam O’Riordan finished from close range for his hat-trick.
Ryan Mc Cleary played a good pass for Darren Ferry to finish to the bottom corner in the sixty seventh minute. In the seventieth minute Darren Ferry killed the game off when he got his hat-trick with another great finish from inside the box. Team performance from Gweedore United. Paul Ferry, Liam O’Riordan and Darren Ferry were excellent for Whitestrand United.
