After the Foyle Cup break, the action resumed in the underage divisions of the Donegal Women’s League this week.
Picture caption: Title-chasing Lagan Harps Under-14s
Terry Leyden Under-14 League
Swilly Rovers 2 Mulroy Academy 0
Swilly Rovers got off to a strong start. Some great passing through the mid field and a cross in from Orlaith Connolly saw Anna mc Fadden finish with a great goal. Mulroy came back strong and Jessica Coll was unlucky not to score. A strong Swilly defence of Beth mc Fadden, Katie Duffy and Nicola Irwin held the game at 1-0 until half time.
An Orlaith Connolly goal early in the second half put Swilly 2 up. Mulroy pushed forward with Marie Kerr and Aoife Gibbons especially strong. Some great saves by both keepers – Meabh Duffy for Mulroy and Ellie Duffy for Swilly kept the score at 2-0 .
Best for Swilly was Heather mc Laughlin and a great team performance from Mulroy.
Raphoe Town 0 Lagan Harps 2
Goals from Niamh Sweeney and Maria Bonner proved the difference on Wednesday night as Lagan Harps took a valuable three points from their visit to Raphoe Town.
The visitors were not at full strength on the night and were made to fight all the way for the win by a Raphoe side who have been improving week on week in their first season back in the league.
Both goalkeepers were called into action early on, Abbie McKnight in the Raphoe goal once again making several fine stops for her team, while Shania McMonagle came close with a fine strike for Raphoe.
However excellent performances in defence from Serena McCrossan and Lucy Canning helped keep the Raphoe threat at bay for much of the game, even though the home side did press at the end looking to make a real game of it.
Marie Sweeney proved a threat down the left for the home side who also saw fine performances from Abbie Lee Bell and Sadie Logan.
In the end though a goal in each half was enough for Lagan to go home happy as they maintain their push for the league title.
Finn Valley 0 Illistrin 2
A keenly contested game between two good sides saw Illistrin create more chances with the wind in the first half but Caoimhe Brennan in the Valley goals was at her very best.
The sides were level at half time. The second half saw the more physical presence of Illistrin dominate in midfield and Sinead McBride broke the deadlock with a well taken goal on 41 minutes.
Valley reacted well and had a few good chances to draw level but luck wasn’t on their side. Later in the half McBride doubled the lead and Illistrin held out for the three points.
Arena 7 Under-16 League
U16 Lagan 3-1 Swilly
Swilly got of to a dream start with a long-range strike from Kelly Ann Buchanan after three minutes.
Swilly continued to press forward and dominated the next 20 minutes with Elli Lynch and Molly Diver working particularly hard for Swilly.
Danielle Hynd had a good effort, but Neve Scanlan tipped it wide for a corner. From the in-swinging corner Serena McCrossan defended well and cleared.
Lagan eventually started getting to grips of the game and after good work on the right by Orla McGrath who sent Erin Doherty into the corner to cross, with the cross being deflected into the net by the Swilly defender.
Bronagh Gallagher was sent clear on 36 minutes but excellent defending by Catherine Grier and Aisling Irwin but her under pressure resulting in a easy pick up by Orlaith Connelly in the Swilly net.
The second half Lagan increased the tempo of the game, within 10 minutes of the second half Lagan took the lead with Bronagh Gallagher scoring.
Aisling Irwin for Swilly nearly equalised after a corner dropped to her on six yard line but Neve saved well. Lagan extended there lead with 10 minutes to go when Bronagh Gallagher sent Shannon Cunningham through.
Best for Lagan Bronagh Gallagher and Brenna Dunne with Katie Duffy and Molly Diver excelling for Swilly
FIXTURES
Donegal Women’s League Under-12 League
Monday July 31, 7.30pm
Gweedore Celtic v Finn Valley
Mulroy Academy S v Swilly Rovers
Gweedore United v Lagan Harps
Illistrin FC v Mulroy Academy M
Kilmacrennan Celtic v Bonagee United
Terry Leyden Under-14 League
Wednesday, August 2, 7.30pm
Lagan Harps v Illistrin FC
Bonagee United v Raphoe Town
Swilly Rovers v Finn Valley
Arena 7 Under-16 League
Friday, August 4, 7.30pm
Kilmacrennan Celtic v Swilly Rovers
Lagan Harps v Bonagee United
Finn Valley v Mulroy Academy
U12 League P W D L F A GD PTS
Mulroy M 8 7 0 1 47 7 40 21
Lagan Harps 8 7 0 1 37 7 30 21
Illistrin 8 7 0 1 25 4 21 21
Mulroy S 7 4 0 3 14 15 -1 12
Bonagee United 8 3 2 3 21 22 -1 11
Kilmacrennan Celtic 9 3 1 5 15 34 -19 10
Swilly Rovers 8 3 0 5 11 23 -12 9
Gweedore United 8 2 2 4 18 24 -6 8
Gweedore Celtic 8 2 2 4 8 24 -16 8
Raphoe Town 9 2 1 6 14 29 -15 7
Finn Valley 8 1 0 7 4 27 -23 3
U14 League P W D L F A GD PTS
Illistrin FC 10 9 1 0 49 1 48 28
Lagan Harps 10 9 1 0 44 1 43 28
Finn Valley 10 6 0 4 25 16 9 18
Swilly Rovers 11 5 0 6 17 32 -15 15
Mulroy Academy 11 3 0 6 8 23 -15 9
Raphoe Town 10 3 0 8 11 30 -19 9
Bonagee United 10 0 0 10 3 54 -51 0
U16 League P W D L F A GD PTS
Mulroy Academy 8 8 0 0 35 2 33 24
Lagan Harps 10 7 0 3 34 22 12 21
Swilly Rovers 9 3 0 6 24 26 -2 9
Finn Valley 8 3 0 5 16 39 -23 9
Kilmacrennan Celtic 6 2 0 4 16 16 0 6
Bonagee United 5 1 0 4 4 34 -30 3
