THERE WAS NO SHORTAGE of drama in the Donegal Signs Reserve League Shield action on Sunday morning. Here’s a roundup of the games.   Â
Illies Reserves 2-0 Rasheny Reserves
ILLIESÂ dominated the opening half and broke the deadlock on 21 minutes when a deep corner from Stephen McGonagle was headed home at the back post by Joe McDaid.
Seamus O’Donnell had an effort well saved by Roger McGilloway in the Rasheney goal before the ‘keeper made a brilliant save to turn away Charlie McLaughlin’s goalbound effort on the stroke of half time.
The second half continued in the same pattern and McGilloway made two stunning saves to deny O’Donnell and Seamus Donaghey.
Illies increased their lead on 75 minutes when Ryan McElhinney ‘s cross was hammered to the roof of the net by Charlie McLaughlin to secure the spoils.
Carrowmena Reserves 0-1 Greencastle Reserves     Â
THISÂ was a competitive and entertaining local derby which was evenly contested throughout.
Midway through the first half the home side had a chance when Conor McLaughlin fed Gerard Gill but his effort was well saved by Seamus Bovaird.
The visitors were always dangerous on the break with Christy Hegarty particularly prominent.
The same pattern continued in the second half with half chances at both ends.
John McDermott fired narrowly wide before Hegarty’s effort crashed off the bar. The home side replied and Paul Duffy saw an effort clip the bar before Oran McDermott had a free kick well saved by Bovaird.
With the home side pressing they were caught out in the final minute after Hegarty raced clear of the home defence and superbly lobbed Michael Noone to secure the points.
Sea Rovers 0-0 Clonmany Reserves
THE first chance fell to Clonmany when Oisin Hession fed John Porter who turned and saw his snapshot crash back off the post.
Before the break Rovers replied when Matthew Harley fed Kieran Doherty but his effort clipped the top of the bar as the half ended scoreless.
On the restart Clonmany pressed but failed to trouble Gerard McEleney and William Logan at the heart of the rovers defence.
Rovers gradually got on top and on the hour after the Clonmany defence failed to clear a quick break Gary Collins saw his volley well held by Diarmuid Moyne.
McEleney broke clear of the Clonmany defence but fired over when well placed.
Clonmany almost stole the points on the stroke of full time after Hession broke clear on the left and saw his attempted lob clip the top of Glen Watson’s bar.
QPS Reserves 5-0 Culdaff Reserves
THE visitors had an early chance when Paul McLaughlin fired a free narrowly past Conor McColgan’s left hand post.
The Point replied and when Paul Hegarty crossed Joe Johnstone headed straight at Martin McLaughlin when well placed.
QPS broke the deadlock on 33 minutes when Jack McConalogue and Hegarty combined for the latter to cross for Johnstone to slide the ball home from eight yards.
Minutes later they doubled their lead after Hegarty released McConalogue and he slid the ball low past the advancing McLaughlin.
Hegarty converted a penalty on 55minutes after Johnstone was upended to make it three-nil.
On the hour mark Fergal Buchanan’s cross from the left was slotted home by Hegarty from close range.
The home side completed the scoring on 81 minutes after Buchanan advanced on the left and cut in before rounding McLaughlin to slot home.
The visitors were denied a consolation in the final minute when Paul McLaughlin had a fine effort well saved by McColgan.
Carn Reserves 0-4 Cockhill Colts
IN A very even first half a young Carn side had long range efforts from Joseph McKinney and Rory Brady well gathered by Gary Robinson in the Colts goal.
There were few chances until Cockhill broke the deadlock on 39 minutes when Gary Breslin fired low past Cathal Doherty from the edge of the area.
On the stroke of half time James O Donnell advanced from midfield and unleashed a stunning strike to the roof of the net from 20Â yards.
On the hour mark Breslin headed home from a corner to make it three nil before the same player completed his hat trick when he fired to the roof of the net from close range.
Carn rallied in the latter stages with both Dayton and Cade Cooke unleashing efforts which Robinson gathered.
Redcastle Reserves 2-1 Gleneely Colts
REDCASTLEÂ had the better of the chances in the opening half but had to wait until the 35th minute to create a clear one when a corner fell to Nathan Harkin but he fired just over.
On the stroke of half time Michael Bonner saw his goal bound effort brilliantly saved by Mark Lafferty.
Gleneely’s first chance came on 58 minutes when John Paul Lafferty headed just wide from a corner.
Redcastle responded and when Harkin fed Mickey McColgan his low cross found Joe Craig who fired over.
Gleneely took the lead on 88 minutes when a free kick found Lafferty and he slotted low past Ryan McCole.
The home side equalised immediately when Mark Doherty fed David Harkin and he slotted low to the bottom corner.
In injury time Redcastle struck for the winner after a goal mouth scramble saw Liam Davenport blast home from ten yards.
Dunree Reserves 2-5 Aileach Youths
THE home side had the first chance but Bernie Doherty’s effort was well saved by Dylan Clarke.
Aileach responded and Dermot Doherty broke clear but David Eccles in the home goal advanced to smother.
An error in the home defence allowed Doherty to open the scoring when he chipped Eccles.
Dunree responded well and a Bernie Doherty free crashed off the bar before being cleared.
On 36 minutes the home side equalised when James Gill cut in from the left and unleashed a superb effort to the roof of the net from twenty yards.
Aileach started the second period well and took the lead on 49 minutes after Stephen O Donnell’s ball over the top found Callum Porter and he placed the ball calmly past Eccles.
Minutes later Porter released Matthew Doherty who fired home the rebound after Eccles had saved his initial effort.
On the hour mark they made it four one when Doherty unmarked headed home O’Donnell’s free kick.
Dunree hit back and reduced the deficit on 66 minutes when a Bernie Doherty effort took a slight deflection past Clarke.
Dunree had another chance when John Doherty crossed to the unmarked Evan Barry but he failed to hit the target when well placed.
Aileach sealed the points in the 88th minute when O Donnell pounced on a loose ball to drill low past Eccles from twelve yards.
Glengad Reserves 3-3 Buncrana Reserves  Â
GLENGADÂ forced a corner in the opening minute and when it was cleared to PJ McDaid he fired narrowly wide.
Buncrana responded and Eoin Murphy had a well struck free saved by Mark Smyth.
Glengad hit back with McDaid feeding Eugene McLaughlin on the left but well placed he fired over the angle of the post and bar.
Buncrana had a purple patch then with Murphy seeing an effort blocked inside the area before an error in the home defence allowed Adam Duffy to drill low past Smyth from fifteen yards on 22 minutes.
Both Dale Kerr and Murphy were narrowly off target from distance. Glengad replied and Puaric McGonagle had an effort deflected wide before McDaid saw one shot blocked and then beat a defender but flashed an effort just past the post.
Buncrana ended the half on top with Murphy having one effort just wide before seeing another crash off the bar.
The visitors increased their lead on the stroke of half time when Ben Bradley advanced and crossed for Christopher McKinley to head home from twelve yards.
The game looked over when Adam Duffy coverted from close range to make it three nil on 69 minutes, but the home side rallied and reduced the deficit when substitute Liam Nelson fired home from a corner on 75 minutes.
They continued to press and got another goal back when Daniel McDaid fired home after another corner.
They threw everything forward and in the final minute McDaid broke on the right and crossed for Nelson to head home and gain what looked like an unlikely point.
RESERVE LEAGUE SHIELD TABLES
| GROUP A | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| Illies Reserves | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 4 | 9 |
| Greencastle Reserves | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 8 |
| Rasheney Reserves | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 4 |
| Carrowmena Reserves | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 1 |
| GROUP B | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| QPS | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 13 |
| Sea Rovers | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 8 |
| Clonmany | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| Moville Reserves | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 4 |
| Culdaff Reserves | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 1 |
| GROUP C | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| Aileach Reserves | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 12 |
| Cockhill Colts | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 6 | 10 |
| Redcastle Reserves | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 5 |
| Gleneely Colts | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 16 | 4 |
| Carn Reserves | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 20 | 2 |
| GROUP D | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| Aileach Youths | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 7 | 12 |
| Buncrana Reserves | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 9 | 5 |
| Dunree Reserves | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 1 |
| Glengad Reserves | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 1 |
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