Several Jackie Crossan and FAI Junior cup fixtures took place over the weekend with hard-earned wins for across the board.
Jackie Crossan Premier Division
Aileach FC 2 Clonmany Shamrocks 1
Aileach, playing against a stiff breeze, started well and on five minutes Darren Gallagher overlapped down the right and pulled the ball back for Anthony Doherty, but the centre forward’s shot from 12 yards was blocked by Fergal Harkin.
The home side took the lead in the 10th minute when, following a good move down the left between Thomas McMacken and Dermot Doherty resulted in the latter playing the ball into the path of Anthony Doherty who slipped it home under the outrushing Paddy Harkin.
Clonmany began to get a foothold in the game after this setback and forced numerous corners in the middle part of the half which Cathal McElhinney and his brother Mark did well to defend.
A clearer cut chance fell to Jason Doherty but his shot from a narrow-angle only found the side netting.
Aileach were finding it difficult to get any decent possession at this time and at half time the away side would have felt hard done by to not be at least on level terms.
Aileach began the second half as they had the first and on 50 minutes a Dermot Doherty cross found his brother Gavin but the no. 10’s header from six yards was dealt with comfortably by Harkin.
On the hour Darren McMonagle turned sharply in the box and his well-struck shot from 15 yards brought a good save from Harkin low to his right.
On 70 minutes Brendan Devlin got a yard of space in the Aileach box but his rushed shot didn’t unduly trouble McGeady in the home goal.
With 75 minutes on the clock and against the run of play Clonmany got on terms when McGeady couldn’t hold a Brendan Devlin effort and Mark McLaughlin was on hand to bundle the ball over the line.
But with eight minutes remaining Aileach restored their advantage when Anthony Doherty raced clear on the right and his low cross was controlled by Gavin Doherty before firing high to the net from a narrow-angle.
In what was overall a scrappy affair, Aileach held on for the three points.
Carn FC 1 Culdaff FC 3
This was a well contested local derby as they usually are and the home side will feel they contributed to their own downfall a bit.
Brandon Browne fired an early effort just wide for the home side before at the other end Cathal McGrenaghan had a powerful goalbound effort headed away by Michael O’Donnell.
Culdaff took the lead in the opening 20 minutes after a superb cross from Aiden Cunningham was headed low to the bottom corner by Michael Coyle.
Cunningham then spurned a great chance on the edge of the area when he dispossessed home keeper Fergal Doherty, but somehow he missed an open goal.
Carn finished the half the stronger with Conor O’Donnell seeing an effort deflected wide before a great run and cross by Ryan Kelly found Deery, but he failed to trouble Darragh McLaughlin.
Carn started the second period well and got back on terms after a Cade Cooke free-kick deflected off a defender past Darragh McLaughlin.
Aaron McCarron then collected Browne’s pass but fired into the side netting.
Five minutes later the visitors restored their lead when a Paul McLaughlin free came off a defender for Eugene McLaughlin to slot home from close range.
Midway through the half Culdaff increased their lead when the livewire Cunningham pounced to dispossess keeper Doherty and this time making no mistake and make it three one.
Carn substitute Matthew Mclaughlin then fired just wide from 25 yards. The final chance fell to the visitors when after Noel McLaughlin released substitute Gary Collins and he squared for Cunningham who should have done better than drive wide from 10 yards.
FAI Junior Cup
Castlefin Celtic 0 Glengad United 3
Glengad advanced to the open draw stages of the FAI Junior cup again this season after this victory over Castlefin.
They got a let off in the opening minutes as a Corey Bogan twenty yard shot crashed back off the bar.
Glengad then score twice in the next ten minutes. Glengad opened the scoring when a Conor Barrow cross from the left was slotted home from close range by Patrick McDermott.
They increased their lead then after Terence Doherty then blocked down a clearance and advanced to drill low past Chris O’Donnell.
Patrick McDermott converted a penalty to make it three nil after Stephen Mclaughlin was upended in the area on the stroke of half time.
After the interval McLaughlin broke on the right and pulled the ball back for Doherty but O’Donnell saved well low to his right.
Adam Byrne then had a header from a corner well tipped over by the home keeper. Glengad then saw out the final twenty minutes fairly comfortably to advance.
Keadue Rovers 1 Illies Celtic 2 AET
In a tight opening period, there were few chances as the game ended scoreless at half-time. The home side had the first chance on 17 minutes after an attempted chip from Ryan Dougal sailed over Johnathan Noone’s crossbar.
Illies replied and Paddy Doherty had a header well saved by Danny Rodgers. The best chance of the half came when Illies broke quickly but Odhran McColgan’s effort was brilliantly tipped over by Rodgers.
Keadue broke the deadlock within five minutes of the restart after the Illies defence failed to deal with a ball from midfield and Dougal pounced to fire low past Noone.
Illies responded well to this setback but Rodgers in the home goal pulled off two brilliant saves to deny Paddy Doherty and Shane Doherty in a ten-minute spell.
Ilies then got back on terms in the 71st minute when Liam Doherty fired a stunning twenty-five yards free kick over the wall and in off the post.
Greencastle FC 4 Raphoe Town 1
Michael Barr was in action at both ends in the opening period firing wide on the attack before minutes later recovering well to deny Dylan Brolly as he broke clear of the home defence.
Greencastle settled and broke the deadlock on eight minutes when Gavin Harkin fed Michael Henry who flicked on to Christy Hegarty and he controlled instantly before drilling a powerful effort to the top corner for a sublime finish.
They continued to press with Michael Henry off target twice before Hegarty had an effort deflected wide. In a rare attack, DJ Kelly broke clear but Dylan Doherty then advanced to kick clear.
Greencastle replied and Stephen Grant fired a half-volley just over before a long-range Shaun Doherty effort was well saved by Roy Duffy.
The home side doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time when Jamie McCormick drilled home a penalty after Michael Henry had been upended. Greencastle had the first chance of the second half when a speculative effort from distance sailed just over.
They increased their lead on 55 minutes when a McCormick free was parried by Duffy for Shaun Doherty to slot home from close range. Conor Gillen then laid the ball back for Hegarty to volley over before a McCormick free just shaved the bar.
Matthew Henry then had a powerful low effort turned round the post by Duffy at full stretch.
Raphoe replied and reduced the deficit on 83 minutes when substitute Reece Laird lofted the ball forward for Glen McDaid to drive low to the net.
A scramble in the other area saw a penalty awarded for handball and McCormick repeated his successful earlier attempt.
Tags: