Greencastle completed a clean sweep of trophies with this victory over a very gallant Cockhill Youths in the Buncrana Credit Union Cup final.
Cockhill Youths 1 Greencastle FC 3
Cockhill actually opened the scoring in the first minute after Christopher Duffy collected a throw in on the right and evaded a tackle before spreading a pass across the area to Mark McDaid who slotted a superb effort first time past Dylan Doherty and into the bottom right hand corner.
But Greencastle hit back within minutes after a Shaun Doherty free found the unmarked Matthew Henry who headed past Kyle Dougal from 12 yards.
Greencastle dominated possession for long spells and Doherty had another long range effort saved by the back pedalling Dougal before Dougal denied James Henry and then Ciaran Moore saw an effort deflected over the bar.
They continued to press and after a good move James Henry had an effort well saved by Dougal before a curling Matthew Henry effort just cleared the angle of post and bar.
Nigel McMonagle saw an effort clip the top of the bar before the same player got on the end of a Michael Barr header but again Dougal saved.
In a rare break Keegan Hegarty for Cockhill seized on a poor clearance but drove over from 25 yards.
Just before half time McMonagle fired across goal and inches wide while on the stroke of half time Matthew Henry was denied by a brilliant block from Adam McCarron.
Greencastle started the second period the better and took the lead on 47 minutes when James Henry beat the advancing Dougal to a through ball and squared to McMonagle who laid it across for Ciaran Moore to slot low into the corner from eight yards.
Shortly after Matthew Henry saw a twenty yards free kick tipped onto the bar by Dougal before the defence cleared.
Cockhill had a decent spell then with Darragh McDermott and Ronan McLaughlin seeing long range efforts saved by Doherty. Greencastle replied though on 70 minutes with James Henry laying the ball off to McMonagle whose curling effort was brilliantly tipped over by Dougal. Cockhill created a bit of panic on 78 minutes when Odhran O’Brien-Daly got a touch on a free kick ahead of Dylan Doherty but Greencastle hacked the loose ball clear.
A poor back pass at the other end saw Dougals clearance blocked by substitute Christy Hegarty but the ball rolled wide.
The Premier Division champions sealed the cup on 89 minutes after Shaun Doherty played a one-two with James Henry on the edge of the area and unleashed a cracking effort which crashed off the bar where another substitute Conor Gillen powerfully headed the rebound home.
Cockhill had the final chance with McDaid’s free headed over by Christopher Duffy at the back post.
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