While Kilmacrennan went top of the Premier Division, there was no shortage of drama and goals throughout the Donegal League this afternoon.
Brian Mc Cormick Sports Premier Division
Donegal 5 Kildrum Tigers 2
Donegal Town came out on top of this hugely entertaining contest at the Hospital Field.
The Town took the lead early on when Ryan Hegarty struck a fine effort from the edge of the area which rattled in off the woodwork.
Kildrum responded well and got themselves in front with two goals in a short period. Matthew Crossan levelled things up from a set piece before William Lynch finished well to put the visitors in front.
The lead didn’t last until half time however as Ryan O’Brien came up from centre back to volley an unstoppable effort past Rory Carr in the Kildrum net.
After the re-start Donegal took the lead after confusion in the Kildrum defence led to Donegal being awarded a penalty. Barry Mulligan fired home from the spot and the home side never looked back.
Matthew McKenna extended the lead midway through the half finishing off a fine team move. Ronan McHugh got the goal his performance deserved to round things off later in the game.
Referee: Mick Lagan
Castlefin Celtic 1 Kilmacrennan Celtic 2
Read Charlie Collins’ report here from Parkview
Cappry Rovers 4 Glenea United 2
Cappry Rovers gained three very important points when they defeated Glenea United in perfect conditions in Cappry Park.
Cappry took the initiative early on and created a few chances but a few good saves from Glenea keeper Joe Coll kept the game scoreless.
Cappry took the lead in the ninth minute when Stephen Carr scored following a cross from Jamie Murray. Cappry kept pushing for another goal and were rewarded in the 14th minute when Paddy McNulty shot past the visitor’s keeper following a cross from Brendan McLaughlin.
Glenea got a goal back in the 33rd minute when Michael Barry scored past the advancing Cappry keeper Conor McBride.
Jamie Murray scored Cappry’s third goal in the 42nd minute with a header to the top of the net. Aaron Kelly got Cappry’s fourth goal on the stroke of half time following a brilliant cross from Brendan McLaughlin.
Cappry started the second half in search of stretching their lead but Coll in the visitor’s goal pulled off some good saves.
Glenea got their second goal in the 77th minute when Kieran McGeady beat the off-side trap to score past the advancing keeper.
Referee Paddy Martin.
Temple Domestic Appliances Division One
Lagan Harps 0 Convoy Arsenal 4
Convoy went away with the three points from Orchard Park, in a game that was harder fought than the scoreline would suggest.
Both teams gave everything in heavy conditions. Lagan had the first effort when Kevin Kelly shot just over.
Convoy responded with Joseph McGill just wide with an audacious chip. Convoy opened the scoring when they were awarded a penalty when a Lagan player was adjudged to have handled in the area. Anthony Bogle converted the penalty.
Lagan kept going in what was a hard-fought half, where they lost veteran Damien McFadden to an early injury.
Convoy also lost scorer Anthony Bogle to injury. Convoy went 2-0 up when Ryan Mc Cullough converted from close range. Lagan battled hard but struggled to make headway against a solid Convoy backline well marshalled by James Kee and Paul O’Leary.
Lagan then lost Conor Temple to another injury. Stephen O’Donnell did well to work space for himself to fire in Convoy’s third on 82 minutes.
Joseph McGill added the fourth on 88 minutes. Young Lagan right back Eoin O’Connor then suffered a facial injury and the club wishes him a quick recovery.
Referee was Paddy Duffy.
Cranford United 7 Gweedore Celtic 0
(No Report Submitted)
Drumkeen United 1 Drumoghill F.C. 2
The Temple domestic Appliance Division One is proving to be a very tight affair this season with several evenly matched teams capable of beating each other on any given day.
When Drumkeen went to Drumoghill earlier in the season they took all three points and Drumoghill did the same on Sunday as they left Drumkeen with all three points.
Drumoghill had a few efforts early on, which were all hit straight at Paul McAuley while Jamie Gallagher and Gavin Sweeney saw their efforts go wide at the other end.
The deadlock was broken after 18 minutes by a familiar face as former Drumkeen player Richie Moore headed headed home the opening goal from a corner to give the visitors the lead.
Moore is always dangerous and McAuley had to be alert to keep him out on a couple of other occasions.
Drumkeen got back on level terms on the half hour mark when Chris Kyle headed home from a free kick which had been awarded for a foul on Lee Guthrie out on the right wing.
The visitors took the lead again before half time as a bad Drumkeen clearance fell to Liam O’Donnell who fired home.
The early part of the second half was largely a scrappy affair with nether side creating real chances of note. Drumkeen did have the ball in the net on a couple of occasions but Lee Guthrie was adjudged to have been off side both times.
Drumkeen struggled throughout the game to get their passing game going and made several mistakes.
When they did put a good move together, they were finding it hard to break down a solid Drumoghill defence.
Drumkeen made a triple substitution and the fresh legs seemed to make a difference as they got more into the game for the last 20 minutes.
As Drumkeen pushed for an equaliser they were pushing everyone forward which left them liable to a counter attack and there were a few occasions when they were nearly caught.
Try as they did, they could not come up with a goal and Drumoghill held on for the win.
Ballybofey United 1 Bonagee United 3
These two have been in the mix in the top half of the Table all season with Bonagee the better positioned despite Ballybofey taking three points from Dry Arch Park in the corresponding fixture. On their day Ballybofey can compete with any side in this Division, so too can Bonagee, but on Sunday it wasn’t about a lack of players available. It simply was not their day.
The Twin Towns outfit outplayed their Letterkenny opponents however they just didn’t get the goals. Bonagee on the other hand were having the opposite type of day and lady luck was on their side.
They went in two ahead at the interval when on another day they would have been two behind. They increased their lead to three early in the second half.
Ballybofey continued to compete and pulled a goal back but it was a mere consolation strike and the points were already destined for the Dry Arch.
Bonagee now go back to the top of the table and Ballybofey trail them by ten points in one of the most open Divisions that the league has had for many seasons.
Donegal Physiotherapy & performance Centre Division Two
Deele Harps 5 Gweedore United 1
Deele got back to winning ways against a spirited Gweedore team. The home side spurned several good chances in the early exchanges, but young Conor Friel opened the scoring on 28 minutes, finishing well following good work down the right.
Deele extended their lead on 38 minutes, a super through ball from Anthony McCullagh set Jamie McAleer through on goal and the big man made no mistake.
The second half saw Gweedore come out and have a go and they were awarded a penalty on 55 minutes. The spot kick was expertly saved from Deele’s young keeper David Arthur.
On 65 minutes the visitors did get a goal back with a neat finish from their substitute.
This seemed to stir Deele into action and further goals from Conor Friel on 70 minutes and his hat trick goal on 80 minutes made the game safe before Conor McGurn scored a fine individual goal on 88 minutes to complete the scoring.
Dunkineely Celtic 1 Letterbarrow Celtic 5
This local derby game started at a frantic pace with chances created at both ends. Letterbarrow were awarded a penalty on the 14 minutes after a tackle from Christopher Boyle, Alan Foxton stepped up and Cory Byrne made a fantastic save to keep it scoreless.
Letterbarrow got their second penalty on the 21st minute from a hand ball and Foxton stepped up again and converted.
Dunkineely pushed hard after the kick off and got their just reward with a well taken over head kick from Paul Murrin which trickled into the corner of the net.
Kevin McBrearty made a fantastic solo run and coolly slotted Letterbarrow back into the lead in the 39th minute.
Dunkineely pushed hard and made a few changes but in the space of 12 minutes Letterbarrow ran riot and got three goals from Pauric Carr, John Roper and Gavin Mulreaney.
Whitestrand United 2 Glenree United 2
Whitestrand United took on Glenree United in the first game of the new year at McGarvey Park. The Game started well for Whitestrand and they should have taken an early lead.
The first goal came when an excellent ball into the box was unfortunately turned into his own goal by a Glenree player.
The match was end-to-end but with few clear-cut chances. Glenree equalised when a defensive mix up allowed Oisin Boyce to equalise.
Then a potential turning point came when Barney Boyce was sent off for two yellow cards in relatively quick succession.
Whitestrand came out sluggish at the beginning of the second half and Glenree took the lead from a fine individual goal. Whitestrand looked bereft of ideas for a time but then began pushing for an equaliser. The goal came from a free kick that was forced over the line by Sean Kerr.
Kerrykeel ’71 F.C 4 Raphoe Town 4
(No Report Submitted)
Copany Rovers 0 Curragh Athletic 2
(No Report Submitted)
