It was another busy weekend of action in the Inishowen League as Buncrana Hearts won by six goals, while there was a top of the table clash in the First Divison.Â
Jackie Crossan Premier Division
Carn FC 1 Clonmany Shamrocks 0
This was a crucial game for both clubs and the home side began the better with Christopher Diver and Cade Cooke failing to hit the target with efforts from inside the area.
On 16 minutes Diver then fed Brandon Browne who in turn squared the ball to Dermot Doherty but his powerful effort grazed the outside of the post. Clonmany responded and both Jason Doherty and Niall McLaughlin went close with good efforts.
On 38 minutes Jake Harkin saw an effort deflect off a defender to Jason Doherty but his shot was well saved by Donal Doherty in the home goal. Minutes before the break the home side had a chance after Diver broke on the right and slipped the ball inside to Dermot Doherty but Patrick Harkin in the Clonmany goal turned the ball around the post.
Carn got a dream start to the second period when in the opening minute they broke the deadlock. The home side got a dream start to the second half when in the opening minute Diver ghosted past two defenders before squaring for Cade Cooke to slot into the empty net from fifteen yards.
On 57 minutes the visitors Paddy Doherty found Niall McLaughlin inside the area and his effort produced a superb save from Doherty. Play swung to the other end and Browne unleashed a twenty yards effort which went narrowly wide. Clonmany almost snatched an equaliser on 76 minutes after Jake Harkin found substitute Jason Devlin and his effort was again brilliantly saved by Doherty.
Carn finished the game strongly and substitute Tiernan Coyne fired a late effort wide before in the last minute Cade Cooke saw an effort well parried by Harkin.
Buncrana Hearts 6 Redcastle United 0
Buncrana got off to a dream start after three minutes when Kieran McDaid gave them the lead when he was picked out by a superb Stephen McHugh pass and he finished neatly past Michael McCole.
On 18 minutes Peter Gallagher delivered a brilliant crossfield pass for Michael Coyle to control and drill a low shot across McCole to the bottom corner.
The hearts were rampant at this stage and the same players combined for a third goal when Coyle headed home a Gallagher cross at the back post. Before the break they made it 4-0 when McDaid nutmegged a defender and advanced to finish neatly.
Buncrana increased their lead after the restart when McDaid (Pictured Right) completed his hat-trick when he despatched a fine twenty-five yards free kick to the top corner.
Redcastle were then dealt a blow when Cathal Faulkner had to retire with a knee injury. But the hearts kept pouring forward and were awarded a penalty when McHugh was upended.
But while Kevin O’Loughlin’s spot-kick was saved by McCole the rebound fell to O’Loughlin and he made it six nil.
The home side saw the game out and for the visitors, McCole in goal and Darragh McConway performed admirably.
Culdaff FC 1 Aileach FC 1
Played in perfect conditions on Saturday night Culdaff will be much the happier of the two with a share of the points.
The visitors for their part will feel that they spurned two or three clear chances to win the game including a penalty. After a lively opening, the home side went closest on 15 minutes after a Conor Farren twenty yards strike crashed back off the crossbar with David McGeady beaten.
This spurred Aileach into action and a Darren McMonagle cross was superbly gathered by Darragh McLaughlin before McMonagle broke on the right and his powerful effort was again saved by McLaughlin.
The visitors broke the deadlock on 39 minutes after Shaun Mullan pounced on a poor defensive clearance to drill low to the corner from fifteen yards. On the stroke of half-time, McLaughlin made a fine one-handed save to turn Mullan’s good header around his left-hand post.
Great work by Aiden Cunningham took him along the end line on 50minutes but McGeady gathered his driven cross. Aileach then spurned two clear chances to increase their lead.
Firstly McMonagle burst onto a superb Keith McColgan diagonal ball and bore down on goal but McLaughlin read it superbly to save low to his left.
On 65 minutes Killian O’Rourke sent McMonagle clear on the right but he was badly off target from the right-hand side of the area.
Culdaff rallied and the great pressure outside the visitors’ penalty area by Conor Farren saw him win possession and feed Bryan McCandless and he controlled before firing low into the bottom corner from sixteen yards.
Aileach then spurned their best opportunity when the home side were somewhat harshly penalized for handball. But Mullan’s spot-kick rebounded off the right-hand post and when McMonagle retrieved the ball his superb cross was volleyed over from point-blank range by Caoimhin McFeely. Neither side threatened in the final ten minutes and the home side will be delighted with a point.
Strand Hotel First Division
QPS 1 Moville Celtic 1
This top of the table clash saw both teams have to settle for a share of the spoils in the end. QPS had the first chance when Fionnbhar Harley went close with a good effort from distance.
Moville replied on 19 minutes with Michael McNaught seeing his effort well saved by Aiden Lynch in the home goal.
The deadlock was broken on 25 minutes and it was the visitors who struck. Ryan McColgan advanced on the right and crossed for McNaught to sidefoot home from close range.
The home side got back on terms on the stroke of half-time after good work by Shaun Downey saw him find John McCloskey and he fired past Ryan Coyle.
Things were much tighter in the second half with Harley seeing a long-range effort clear the crossbar.
The point almost got a late winner but McCloskey’s effort from fifteen yards crashed back off the base of the post.
In a very entertaining game, both sides had to be content with a point in the end.
Dunree United 3 Glengad Res 0
The home side recorded their second win of the season to move off the bottom of the table.
They started well with Philip McGuinness bringing a good save from Michael McLaughlin in the visitors goal.
They broke the deadlock on 13 minutes after a quick Barry Nixon free released Darryl Moran and he fired first time past McLaughlin. The home side increased their lead on 35 minutes when Caolan McBride squared the ball to Thomas Mulhern who in turn fed Liam Baldrick and he fired to the top corner from twenty yards.
Glengad tried to hit back before the break when PJ McDaid cut in and fired a twenty yards effort narrowly wide.
Dunree increased their advantage eight minutes into the second half when McGuinness’s cross from the left was headed home by Matthew Doherty at the back post.
Glengad tried to rally and Cathal Doherty saw an effort saved by Sean Parker. In the closing stages, the home side’s Moran had an effort which clipped the post before McGuinness beat a defender but was denied by McLaughlin.
Rasheney FC 3 Gleneely Colts 2
In a quiet first half, both teams had several chances with both keepers making good saves.
Damien Friel should’ve scored in the 43rd minutes but somehow from point-blank range he blazed the ball high over the bar. With a minute left in the first half, a great save by Ben Miller from Eoin McLaughlin kept the game scoreless at half-time.
The second half had just started when Gleneely scored after a free kick by John Joe Doherty was met at the back post by Billy McCann who headed into top corner.
Rasheney upped their game and young keeper Ben Miller in the Gleneely goal saved well when he tipped a Darren Coyle header over the bar, a 25-yard drive from Sweeney round then post and continued to defy the home side with a string of excellent saves.
But in the 65th minute Rasheneny equalised when a long ball sent Charlie Doherty through but Miller sprinted 30 yards to boot the ball out for a throw-in.
Quick thinking by Eoin Sweeney who took a quick throw into Declan McLaughlin who with his back to goal inside the centre circle hooked the ball into the net.
Just a few minutes the home side took the lead after a great save by Friel from a Keelan Hegarty drive saw Friel launch a long ball to Charlie Doherty who unleashed an unstoppable drive from 25 yards past Miller.
Rasheney increased their lead on 73 minutes when an effort from Declan McLaughlin which Miller tipped away for the corner and from the corner-kick Ryan McLaughlin crossed for Peter Doherty to head home.
Gleneely rallied and on 80 minutes Kevin Doherty tested Friel with a long-range effort and minutes later they reduced the deficit after a corner found Billy McCann who rose to head into the top corner again.
Gleneely continued to press but the home side held on to take full points.
Aileach Res 0 Cockhill Youth 0
In a very even game, there were very few chances with midfield on top, Aileach had the first chance of note when Paddy Curran raced through but the Cockhill keeper race out and cleared.
Jack McDaid then went close for Cockhill shooting wide before at the other end Ciaran McGrory turned and shot just over the crossbar.
Cockhill’s Adam mc Carron then shot just wide from distance. The second half was much the same with few chances with the best efforts for Cockhill coming from Darragh Mc Dermott and McDaid while Curran and Dara Grant had chances for the home side but failed to convert and the game ended scoreless.
Sea Rovers 1 Buncrana Res 2
Buncrana had the first effort on goal when a Dale Kerr effort was well saved by Ben Collins.
At the other end, the visitor’s defence dealt very well with a wicked Damien Ward free kick. Buncrana replied and when Kerr fed Harry Forshaw he fired straight at Collins. Rovers upped the tempo and Keelan Doherty had a free well saved by Paul McDaid before they took the lead on the half an hour mark when Doherty’s corner was headed home by Evan McLaughlin.
Rovers Gary Doherty then had a crisp volley brilliantly saved by McDaid low to his left before having claims for a penalty waved aside. On the stroke of half-time, a William Logan free found Damien Harkin who fired inches wide.
Buncrana came back into the game after the break and James Quigley fired over from the edge of the area before Kerr’s free-kick was gathered by Collins.
Rovers then went close on 70 minutes when McDaid turned Evan McLaughlin’s effort round the post and from the corner, Gary Doherty’s header crashed off the bar.
The game turned on its head in a frantic two-minute spell.
On 75 minutes Buncrana equalised after James Adair fed Eoin McNamee and he fired past Collins from a tight angle.
The Kyle Bradley’s cross cum shot deceived Collins and landed in the net.
Rovers tried to recover and pressed towards the end but the visitors’ defence stood firm.
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