THE DONEGAL Junior League swung back into action today with a busy schedule, including a draw in Letterkenny as Kilmacrennan brought an end to Cappry’s 100 per cent record in a 1-1 draw in the big top-flight clash.
Brian McCormick Sports Premier Division
Drumkeen United 2 Cranford United 1
A late second-half winner from Aaron Doherty claimed all three points for Drumkeen after yet another tight encounter with Cranford on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors got off to a dream start when Kevin Doherty fired them ahead in the opening minutes of the game.
Despite the early setback Drumkeen responded well and Jamie Gallagher should have equalised but his effort hit the post.
Drumkeen dominated most of the first-half but could not find an equaliser. Despite all their dominance they nearly fell further behind late in the half when Kevin Doherty nearly had his and Cranford’s second but this time he fired wide of the post.
Drumkeen did get back on level terms just before half time when Gary Patton headed home from a Benny Bonner free kick.
The home team started the second half well and forced a series of corners during which Aidan Martin headed narrowly wide. J
ust after that Benny Bonner also saw a great free kick strike the crossbar. As the second half wore on Cranford began to get a foothold in the game and they were getting chances, the best of which was one that hit the inside of the Drumkeen post and bounced out.
At a goal apiece this game was still very much in the balance and could have gone either way but then Aaron Doherty poked home a Benny Bonner corner to give the home team the lead and what would prove to be the winning goal. T
here were still a few minutes left at that stage but Drumkeen did enough to hold on and secure the victory. As expected this was a very well contested game played in a good sporting manner on a cold day in Drumkeen.
Keadue Rovers 2 Castlefin Celtic 1
Keadue Rovers maintained their excellent home form with this vital victory over Castlefin at Central Park on Sunday to move up close to mid-table after what was a full blooded, entertaining encounter.
In decent conditions, Keadue had a good opening few minutes, though the visitors were starting to get on top after five minutes.
Both teams were beginning to cancel each other out by the fifteenth minute and it was a tense, nervy encounter by that point.
On 17 minutes, following a slip in the home defence, Castlefin were through but shot wide, while a minute later, Shaun Yank Boyle had an effort over the bar from inside the box.
On 23 minutes, another chance for the visitors from a defensive mix-up was well saved by Danny Rodgers.
Then, on 25 minutes, Raymond Foy was just wide after a good move. Keadue did settle into the game after that and after good work from Shaun Yank Boyle, Aidan Mc Hugh was just wide from the edge of the box.
Ten minutes later, following a long ball, Aidan Mc Hugh’s header was flicked wide excellently by Castlefin keeper Christopher O’Donnell.
Following this good spell, Keadue took the lead on 40 minutes. A good cross from Hugh Moy was brilliantly dispatched by a Shaun Yank Boyle header to the corner of the net.
A few minutes later it should’ve been two when Boyle was wide with another good header. The visitors were unlucky not to be level a minute from half time following a goalmouth scramble.
At the start of the second half Castlefin were pining Keadue back but the home side were content to hit on the break with Aidan Mc Hugh’s effort going over.
The game around the hour mark was becoming scrappy but after the hour Castlefin upped things with a header wide on sixty-two minutes from a corner.
They began to move things around well and had several headed chances coming up to 75 minutes and following a free kick which was well parried by Danny Rodgers, a penalty was awarded to Castlefin following an infringement.
Emmet White stepped up to take the penalty but Danny Rodgers pulled off a good save.
Two minutes later the visitors were level following a pacey move with a cross from the right well converted by Emmet White.
Following a number of substitutions on both sides, openings were still being made and when it looked like finishing a draw, an excellent run from Adam Neely broke through the home defence, took it past the keeper and it rolled into the corner for a great winning goal.
Castlefin pushed everything forward in the last few minutes but Keadue held on for a vital and just about deserved victory.
Best for Castlefin were Emmet White, Marty Owens and Raymond Foy while best for Keadue were Shaun Yank Boyle, Hugh Moy, Adam Neely and Aidan McHugh.
Referee: Andrew Mullin.
Kilmacrennan Celtic 1 Cappry Rovers 1
Click here to read Charlie Collins’ match report from the game
Kildrum Tigers 4 Milford United 0
Click here to read a report from this game
Donegal Town 1 Bonagee United 1
(No Report Submitted)
Temple Domestic Appliances Division One
Ballybofey United 0 Rathmullan Celtic 2
Rathmullan Celtic have pulled level on points with Ballybofey United after this away win on Sunday at Dreenan.
Ballybofey will not be happy with the result, gained by two second half goals.
This first half produced no goals and nothing of any note as far as chances were concerned. The most influential occurrence was undoubtable the reduction to ten men of the Ballybofey team.
This gave Rathmullan a distinct advantage and Eoin Sheridan put them into the lead on 62 minutes.
Ballybofey did have two half-chances to get level but it was all over on 82 minutes when Kevin Doran ran through and Chris Patton, the Ballybofey goalkeeper, saw his clearance cannon off the inrushing forward and there was no way he could recover. Doran wheeled away in celebration as the ball ran into the empty net.
Referee: Gerard Devine
St. Catherines 6 Lifford Celtic 1
The home team started the brightest surprising the visitors with some quick direct passing.
This bright start paid off after only seven minutes when a long through ball was latched on to by Paul O’ Hare and he beat the Lifford keeper low to his left.
The teams were evenly matched for the next 35minutes but a two-goal blitz within two minutes from Conor Doherty and Barry Cannon made it 3-0 at the break.
Kevin Lynch scored on 55 minutes for the visitors but this never really sparked a fight-back and a young St. Catherines side we’re hungry for more goals.
Some excellent football produced three more goals for the Saints before the final whistle.
Two individual strikes from sub Ryan Cunningham and an easy tap-in for Cannon leaving the final score 6-1 at Emerald Park. Evan Broderick was excellent in the middle of the field for St. Catherines and orchestrated a vital win.
Convoy Arsenal 4 Letterbarrow Celtic 0
Convoy Arsenal welcomed Letterbarrow Celtic to Orchard Park and the home side dominated possession from the start.
Darren McElwaine opened the scoring in the tenth minute and Macca headed home Anthony Bogle’s cross for his second of the match on the half hour mark.
Convoy pushed on in the second half with Anthony Bogle getting the third from the penalty spot. Macca in search of the hat-trick had a shot rebound off the post and another effort saved.
John Doran got the forth for Convoy in the last five minutes with a fine curling shot from outside the area.
Donegal Physiotherapy & Performance Centre Division Two
Curragh Athletic 5 Lagan Harps 2
The Curragh welcomed Lagan to the sports complex in Killygordan.
The home team started well, passing the ball around nicely and got their reward on seven minutes when captain Mickey O’ Brien headed home from a great corner from Mikey Grant.
Then Lagan started to play well and got their first goal on 25 minutes. It stayed 1-1 until half-time.
The second-half saw Curragh make a few changes and on 60 minutes they got their second, again from a Grant corner that fell nicely for James Sweeney who scored a goal of the season contender.
That was the kick the home side needed and on 70 minutes Tim Callaghan broke through and made it three and two minutes later Callaghan scored again.
It was all Curragh from then, even the old boy Gary Doherty netting a fifth for the home side. Lagan pulls another goal back late in the game.
Whitestrand United 4 Glenree United 0
(No Report Submitted)
Swilly Rovers 3 Gweedore United 1
The match started with a good tempo set by both teams without any meaningful chances being created.
The game was dominated by defences with most of the play being bogged down in midfield. Swilly did have a few gilt-edged chances but were unable to convert.
It took a bit of quality to break the deadlock and it was the hosts who took the lead after 60 minutes when Marty McDaid finished neatly after good build up work from Ryan McDaid out on the wing.
Swilly continued to dominate and as the game headed towards the 70th minute Paddy Sheridan scored a wonder goal from 25 yards.
A goal of the season contender. Gweedore United then started to get a foothold in the game. A few dangerous balls arrived into the Swilly box and only for the defensive qualities of Columba O’ Donnell and Damien Friel the hosts may have found themselves conceding.
Swilly to be fair started to assert themselves again soon after this.
Against the run of play Gweedore scored a fine goal on the counter-attack making it 2-1.
With the points up for grab in last fifteen minutes Swilly upped the tempo and intensity of their play and this created a chance for the skilful Leon Boyce on his senior debut for his hometown club.
The dynamic and dominating James McCahill threaded a great ball through to young Boyce providing an opportunity that he confidently dispatched.
There were no further goal incidents as the game petered out.
Raphoe Town 1 Deele Harps 0
One goal was enough to separate the sides in this hard-fought local derby played at Deele College on Sunday afternoon, but Deele will know had it not been for goalkeeper David Arthur, things might well have been very different.
The young netminder made a string of superb saves in the second half as Raphoe looked to press their dominance, but it took them quite a while to assert that and the visitors were certainly dangerous for the first half an hour.
Indeed, Raphoe goalkeeper Roy Duffy was first called into action, doing well to turn away a long-range effort as Deele looked to catch Raphoe on the hop in the early stages.
The visitors forced a series of corners and free-kicks early on, but never really looked like scoring and it was Raphoe who looked the more likely through the dangerous Corey McBride-Gillen and Conor Friel who were causing all sorts of problems for the Deele defence.
It was midfielder Keelan Bogle who came closest to breaking the deadlock though when he made a surging run forward, only to see his shot come off the underside of the bar in the 44th minute.
The home side came out with all guns blazing at the start of the second-half and would have been ahead had it not been for the brilliance of the young Deele goalkeeper.
David Arthur denied Paddy Kelly with two superb stops just after the break, turning one over the bar from point blank range.
Raphoe eventually broke the deadlock when man of the match Corey Mc Bride Gillen raced down the wing and crossed for Dylan Brolly to tap home from close range, but try as they might they couldn’t put the game out of reach.
Oliver Quinn saw an effort cleared off the line and then Arthur made a superb save to deny Zak Brolly, but in the end one goal was enough to get Raphoe back to winning ways and take all three points.
