It was another action-packed weekend in the Donegal League as several important fixtures took place across the county.
Milford 2 Kildrum Tigers 2
Milford and Kildrum played out a draw in a frantic and hard-fought match at Moyle View Park in front of a noisy crowd.
Milford will feel happier with a point as they played the second half with 10 men after the dismissal of goalkeeper Damian Crossan on the 46th minute.
After six minutes, the visitors took the lead when Mattie Crossan headed home a Kevin McHugh free kick.
Milford responded on after a half an hour when Gary Merritt curled home a 20-yard free kick. Milford took real charge from there, taking the lead after 38 minutes when Joey Cullen rose highest in the box to head home Adam Serrinha’s cross from the right.
At the start of the second half, Milford lost the ball from a quick free on the half-way line and Kildrum broke and Kevin McHugh slotted home when Milford failed to clear.
An altercation in the goal-mouth after the goal was William Lynch went to retrieve the ball and seen the dismissal of Crossan. Christy Mc Cafferty went into nets and had a great game making several excellent saves.
Kildrum pushed hard but failed to score and Milford had a couple counter attacks but failed to create anything clear-cut. Sean Sandilands’ side dug deep with great work rate and defended the point.
Referee: Joe McHugh
St Catherines 0 Rathmullan Celtic 3
Blustery conditions made it difficult for entertaining football in the first half as both teams struggled to find form.
Rathmullan came out with more intent in the second half and they were rewarded after 60 minutes when Dara Patton slotted home an easy chance from close range.
His second goal was more of an individual effort striking low past the Saints keeper on 75 minutes.
St. Catherine’s now looked very tired and were guilty of giving the ball away on several occasions.
A superb strike from Daire Crossan from outside the box flew past the home keeper with ease and now the scoreline read 3-0 on 80 minutes.
That is how the game ended at Emerald Park. Alan Boal was excellent at centre-half for Rathmullan while Ryan Cunningham impressed for the home side.
Drumoghill FC 3 Lagan Harps 2
Ridha Abdullah was the hero of the hour after his late header clinched all three points for Drumoghill in their local derby with Lagan Harps.
Abdullah rose highest in the 84th minute to connect with Liam O’Donnell’s cross and guide the ball beyond the despairing reach of Owen Mc Laughlin to break Lagan’s hearts.
Abdullah had only entered the fray on 75 minutes but provided the energy and pace that Drumoghill needed at that stage of the game.
Having led 2-0 at the break, Drumoghill looked to be cruising but two goals inside three second-half minutes from Lagan Harps restored parity and set up a frantic finish.
The game started in typical fashion with both sides showing the commitment that you’d expect when these two teams face up to each other. Drumoghill had opened the scoring after seven minutes through Mark Gibson and were good value for their early lead.
Lagan were always a threat and almost equalised when Ross Hamlyn’s effort came off the post after a goalmouth scramble on 27 minutes before Drumoghill doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time.
Gibson was again involved when he raced through to Gareth Hamilton’s pass and got a touch to the ball before the referee had adjudged him to have been fouled inside the box and awarded the penalty.
Liam O’Donnell made no mistake and sent McLaughlin the wrong way. Drumoghill were in control of the game for the opening periods of the second half but somehow let Lagan back into the game.
Lagan’s first goal was created by the strength of former Drumoghill player Jason Burke who won a free kick on the edge of the box and up stepped Josh Haye to hammer home. Lagan now had the initiative and forced a corner straight from the restart.
Michael Toner punched the corner clear but it fell to Damian McFadden on the edge of the box and Drumoghill’s rearguard could only look on in horror as the ball nestled in the top corner of their net.
The final 20 minutes was end to end with both sides looking to clinch bragging rights. Chances were few and far between though until Abdullah headed home what would prove to be the winner.
Drumoghill should really have killed the contest in the remaining minutes with Liam O’Donnell clipping the post and then shooting narrowly over the bar after Richie Moore had twice split the Lagan defence with telling through balls.
Lagan did apply some pressure late on but Drumoghill held on for a deserved three points and showed the character needed to bounce back from the setback of losing a two-goal lead.
Bonagee United 1 Cranford United 1
The home side should have taken the lead after five minutes when a Mark Hunter cross into the box fell to Aiden Mc Laughlin but the striker shot over from 10 yards.
Midway through the first half, minutes Declan Hunter for the visitors saw his cross from the right just go over the bar.
Aiden Mc Laughlin for the home team saw his shot from the edge of the box hit the bar after thirty minutes.
Laughlin did find the net two minutes later when Eamon Cannon broke down the left and his cross into the box was hammered home from 15-yards.
Cranford should have scored after 37 minutes when a cross into the box was headed wide by Padraig Mc Ginty from six yards.
The visitors started the better team for the second half and had strikes on target from David O’ Donnell and Darragh Morrison.
Carr in the home goal had to make a few good saves early in the second half.
Glen Gallagher for Bonagee saw his strike from outside the box on the hour just go wide of the post.
The visitors levelled the match after 63 minutes when a long ball out of defence fell to Paul Gallagher and he lobbed the advancing keeper from twenty yards. Both teams had half chances for the rest of the game but nothing to bother either keeper.
Referee: Alister Gourley.
Ballybofey United 0 Drumkeen United 2
Ballybofey will be rueing a host of missed chances in this home match at the Finn Valley Complex.
Missed chances are something teams cannot afford when the opposition is of the calibre of Drumkeen and it was the St. Patrick’s Park men who came out on top.
Benny Bonner scored their opening goal in the first half and they added a second with the last kick of the game.
In other results, Lifford beat Gweedore away from home 4-1, while Kilmacrennan Celtic and Donegal Town ended even at 2-2.
