Four of the Donegal League title hopefuls played out scoreless draws today as Kildrum Tigers were held by Donegal Town with Glenea and Cappry playing out a stalemate too – here’s a full round-up from today’s games:
Brian Mc Cormick Sports Premier Division
Glenea United 0 Cappry Rovers 0
On a bright February day in good conditions Glenea and Cappry played out a n entertaining 0-0 draw with Cappry content to sit back and hit on the counter attack where Alan Gethins and Arran Kelly looked dangerous. It was the home side who dominated large parts of the game but were unable to make the breakthrough when a defence splitting pass was made by Sean Coll.
Sean McBride was then taken down in the box and up stepped Ryan Mc Fadden only to have the spot kick saved by the Cappry keeper.
After a late flurry of corner kicks and wave after wave of attacking football Cappry held on to leave with a point. Best for Cappry were Aaron Kelly and Paddy O’Leary.
For Glenea John Harley, Ryan McFadden and Kevin Mulhern were best.
Referee: Liam Mc Laughlin
Lagan Harps 2 Castlefin Celtic 7
A dominant second half from Castlefin saw them overcome a spirited Lagan side. Castlefin raced in to a 3-0 lead after ten minutes with goals from Ronan Tourish (2) and Damien McAnenny.
Lagan responded with Ross Hamlyn scoring twice, one a penalty, to leave it 3-2 at the break. Lagan thought they had equalised but Caolan Murray’s header was ruled out for offside. Castlefin were awarded a penalty when Ronan Tourish was fouled and he scored from the spot.
Matthew O’Rourke made it 5-2 before a mix up in the box led to an own goal. Gary Mc Nulty scored the final goal when his free deflected in off the wall.
For Lagan Ross Hamlyn and Conor Temple battled hard. For Castlefin Ronan Tourish, Matthew O’Rourke and Gary McNulty were excellent.
Kildrum Tigers 0 Donegal Town 0
In the 6th minute a free kick from Kevin McHugh was headed just over the bar by Damien Crossan. In the 19th minute a Michael Lynch long ball sent William Lynch through on goal but his strike was well saved by the Donegal Town keeper. In the 31st minute Donegal’s no.10 fired a shot which was brilliantly saved by Sean Friel from 8 yards out.
In the 33rd minute a brilliant long ball from Michael Lynch again sent William Lynch through one on one but his shot struck off the bar. In the 40th minute William Lynch cut inside onto his left but his shot was picked up by the keeper. Damien Crossan was just too high with an effort on 47 minutes.
In the 50th minute Donegal Town went close when no.10 headed just over from a no.11 free kick. In the 55th minute great individual skill from Kevin McHugh ended with his shot going just wide of the left post.
On 60 minutes Damien Crossan drove down the line and fired in a great cross which Kenny Doran narrowly failed to make contact with. In the 63rd minute a Kevin Mc Hugh corner was met by Daniel Clarke who headed straight at the goalkeeper who pulled off a good save.
On 70 minutes a great ball from Gareth Colhoun fell to William Lynch’s feet but he was unable to finish. On 71 minutes a Donegal Town corner was met by Conor Rooney but his header went flying over.
In the 73rd minute Gareth Colhoun swung in a brilliant corner which was cleared off the line. In the 75th minute a long throw-in from Michael Lynch was taken down neatly by Daniel Clarke on the turn but his shot went just wide. In the 80th minute Kevin McHugh pounced on a bad clearance and had a dink at goal but was unable to find the target.
Best for Kildrum were Jonny McGinty and Michael Lynch. Best for Donegal Town was Daniel McHugh.
Drumoghill F.C. 1 Rathmullan Celtic 3
Rathmullan Celtic gave their survival hopes a huge boost, in doing so significantly dented Drumoghill’s hopes, with this victory over the Reds.
They did it thanks to former Drumoghill player, Jaydee Alawiye, who scored twice on his return to the Moss. The visitors started brightly and raced into an early lead when Alawiye slotted home on 10 minutes.
They were well worth the lead at that point but Liam O’Donnell had a chance to restore parity on 16 minutes when he was sent through by Carlos Rodgers however Sean Black made a superb save to maintain his side’s slender advantage.
Rathmullan doubled their lead on the stroke of half time and Alawiye was again involved.
He played a short corner routine with Declan Mc Garvey before crossing for Kevin Doran to glance home from 10 yards.
Drumoghill introduced Riona Abdullah at half time and his impact was immediate.
He started stretching the Rathmullan rearguard and made life difficult for Eamon Sheridan and co during the second half. Drumoghill had several chances to get themselves back into the game but were denied by Black each time.
Rathmullan though, always looked dangerous on the break and with the creativity of Declan Mc Garvey and James Mc Cahill in midfield they were only one chance away from settling the contest.
They did exactly that on 70 minutes when Mc Garvey picked out Alawiye who made no mistake with a neat finish from 12 yards.
Liam O’Donnell did pull one back for Drumoghill after Black had superbly denied Abdullah to bring the home side back into the game, but it was too little too late. Referee: Joe McHugh
Temple Domestic Appliances Division One
Bonagee United 2 Gweedore Celtic 0
The home team took the lead on six minutes when a Graham Cullen corner from the right was hammered home by Aiden Mc Laughlin from six yards.
Daniel McLaughlin in the visitor’s goal made a great save on 12 minutes from a Drew Connelly strike from fifteen yards and two minutes later he turned a Mark Hunter header from ten yards over the bar.
The visitors should have levelled the game on forty four minutes when across into the box from the left fell to Thomas Diver but he shot wide from six yards.
Diver and Liam Wiggans were  a constant threat up front for the visitors and had their chance. The home team got there second on the hour when the ball broke to Graham Cullen on the edge of the box and his strike on goal was flicked home by Daren Hunter from ten yards past McLaughlin in goal.
Ryan Kelly for Gweedore saw his strike on 65 minutes from just inside the box just go wide of the post on eighty minutes. Mark Hunter and Aiden McLaughlin had chances to score but failed to find the net on 70 and 75 minutes.
Ciaran Ferry saw his strike for the visitors just go wide on 85 minutes from a free kick. Team effort by both sides Referee: Tony McNamee.
Erne Wanderers 1 Lifford Celtic 2
Erne Wanderers hosted Lifford Celtic at the Lakeside Centre and the visitors snatched the three points at the death. In what can only be described as a really poor game littered with mistakes, the visitors scored in stoppage time to head through the gap the happier of the two teams.
Lifford went ahead on 20 minutes when their striker caught O’Brien napping at the heart of the defence and he cooly finished over the out-rushing Karl O’Brien. Erne dominated possession but didn’t penetrate enough and never tested White on the visitor’s net. David Dolan equalised on seventy-five minutes with some brilliant play in the box before cooly slotting past the keeper.
He then should have put Erne ahead when a brilliant run and cross from McGlone took the keeper out of the game only for Dolan to side-foot past the post with the net gaping open.
Erne had all the ball and chances but got caught at the death when O’ Brien tried to be too clever with a headed back pass only for it to drop to Patton and he finished well from an acute angle. Erne were really poor on the day while Lifford really battled hard especially when down to ten men.
Referee: Andrew Mullin.
Raphoe Town 2 Ballybofey United 1
Raphoe and Ballybofey played a very tight game up at sunny Deele Park. Both defences gave nothing away in a close first half. The 2nd half opened up a bit with Dylan Brolly being brought down in the box.
Christy Bogle put Raphoe 1-0 ahead from the spot.
Raphoe were then reduced to 10 men. Ballybofey went on the attack and equalised in the 70th minute through Gavin Doherty but Raphoe snatched all 3 points 2 minutes from time when super sub Aidan Donnelly finished well from the edge of the box. Best for Raphoe Dylan Brolly. Referee: Michael Mulhern.
St. Catherines 2 Keadue Rovers 2
The visitors went 1-0 up after 6 minutes when Corey Gallagher struck a superb free kick from 25 yards low and hard to the keeper’s right. Against the run of play on 40 minutes Christy Green found himself free on the edge of the box and finished calmly past the keeper.
St. Catherines emerged for the second half a much more determined outfit.
Daniel Breslin blasted a spot kick over the bar on 60 minutes and it was looking like Keadue were going home with three points at this stage. The home team didn’t give in however and Ryan Cunningham, who had come on as a sub, tucked the ball under the Keadue keeper on 72minutes to reduce the deficit.
The home crowd were now baying for blood and a Gary Mc Hugh corner was bundled over the line by Conor Doherty on 83minutes. The saints pressed for a winner but to no avail and the referee blew on 93minutes for a 2-2 draw.
Best for Keadue was Corey Gallagher playing centre half while Conor Doherty in midfield for the saints impressed the most.
Donegal Physiotherapy & Performance Centre Division Two
Whitestrand United 0 Drumkeen United 3
Drumkeen United. consolidated their place at the top of the Donegal Physiotherapy & Performance Centre Division Two with a fine 3-0 victory over the home side with all three goals coming in a ten-minute spell in the first half.
Despite both sides having had no games in recent weeks, the game started brightly with the two teams showing a lot of early endeavour.
Benny Bonner almost opened the scoring for the visitors in the 15th minute with a beautifully struck left footed free kick, only to force a brilliant safe from Whitestrand goalkeeper, Paddy Kelly, diving low to his left.
The visitors did however take the lead in the 21st minute. A Drumkeen free kick from deep within their own half was floated into the Whitestrand penalty area, and was misjudged by the home defence, the ball fell to Lee Guthrie who was allowed time to take the ball down, turn and fire a low shot to the bottom left hand corner of the Whitestrand goal.
Two minutes later it was 2-0 to the visitors courtesy of a penalty. Lee Guthrie converted his second goal of the match from the spot, firing high in to the roof of the net.
The home side were rattled by the two quick goals and their plight got worse on 30 minutes when Drumkeen midfielder Kevin Boyle made it 3-0 striking low past the home keeper following some poor defending by Whitestrand.
Lee Guthrie could have grabbed his hat-trick on 42 minutes when a Drumkeen shot was spilled by the Whitestrand keeper but the striker somehow managed to stab his effort wide from a very score-able position.
In the 2nd half, the home team showed some fighting spirit which was lacking in the first half but in truth they never really troubled the Drumkeen keeper. The game filtered out with neither of the sides creating any clear-cut scoring opportunities and Drumkeen saw out the match to go home with all three points.
Drumkeen must now be red hot favourites to lift the Division Two title this season while Whitestrand must lift themselves quickly with three difficult away matches in the coming weeks.
Good team effort by Drumkeen United with Lee Guthrie and Phillip Whyte impressing. Kevin Loughrey, Anthony Fisher & Sean Barrett worked hard for the home side. Referee: Sean O’ Donnell
Eany Celtic 1 Deele Harps 3
(No Report Submitted)
Curragh Athletic P-P Gweedore United
(No Report As Match Postponed)
Copany Rovers 1 Letterbarrow Celtic 2
( No Report Submitted)
