It was another busy weekend of action across the Inishowen League as the Jackie Crossan Premier Division, Strand Hotel First Division and Fr O’Gara Cup action took place. Full round-up below.
Clonmany Shamrocks 0 Glengad United 2
After an even start the visitors Terence Doherty advanced on goal but was denied by a combination of Liam Hirrell and goalkeeper Patrick Harkin. But from the corner the unmarked John G McLaughlin rose highest to head home after 17 minutes.
Three minutes later they doubled their lead after defensive indecision allowed Doherty to move the ball across keeper Harkin and fired home from twelve yards. Clonmany responded and Pearse McCarron found himself one on one with keeper Daniel Mullarkey but he fired wide.
On the stroke of half time Christy McLaughlin saw an eighteen-yard strike squirm away from Harkin but the keeper recovered to clear.
Clonmany had a lot more possession in the second half but Glengad were always dangerous on the break. Aaron Harkin had a good chance for the home side as he advanced into the area but Mullarkey advanced to block.
Clonmany kept pressing but could not fashion a clear cut chance.
In a late break Conor Barrow unleashed a powerful effort but Harkin tipped over the bar.
Culdaff FC 1 Greencastle FC 2
Culdaff got off to a dream start when from a corner after 3 minutes an attempted clearance crashed off Paul McLaughlin and into the net.
Greencastle replied and on 13 minutes Ciaran Moore headed well over from a corner. The home side’s tactic of defending deep allowed Greencastle a lot of possession but they struggled to break Culdaff down.
They did get back on terms on 41 minutes when a powerful Nigel McMonagle shot squired through Darragh McLaughlin’s hands and despite the keepers best effort Stephen Grant got the crucial final touch to force the ball over the line.
On the stroke of half time McMonagle again cut in from the right and this time his effort was well palmed away by McLaughlin.
The second half saw the game continue in the same fashion and it was not until the hour mark when the visitors had their first attempt after Matthew Henry fed McMonagle whose shot on the turn flew over the bar.
A good move two minutes later ended with Grant crossing to McMonagle but McLaughlin saved well at his feet.
The home side had a double let off on 70 minutes when Jamie McCormick’s effort came off the post and McMonagle’s follow up was cleared off the line.
But the pressure told on 74 minutes when McMonagle raced onto a ball over the top on the left and when his cross was only half cleared substitute Christy Hegarty fired high to the roof of the net from twelve yards.
Culdaff tried to push forward but the Greencastle defence stood firm to continue their unbeaten league form.
Strand Hotel First Division
Dunree United 1 Cockhill Youths 3
The deadlock in this local derby was broken on 18 minutes when hesitation in the home defence allowed Darragh McDermott to nip in and poke the ball past Ryan Fitzpatrick. Dunree tried to respond and before the break, Bernie Doherty fired just over the bar from twenty-five yards.
Dunree upped the tempo on the restart and got back on terms on 53 minutes when Philip McGuinness broke on the right and his deep cross was slotted home by Darryl Moran at the back post.
Cockhill responded and they regained the lead on 65 minutes when the home defence failed to clear a corner and Christopher Duffy pounced to drill home from eight yards. They increased their lead with substitute Jack McDaid firing home in a crowded penalty area from eight yards. Dunree tried to force a grandstand finish but Caolan McBride headed over when well placed.
Glengad Res 2 Gleneely Colts 4
Glengad got off to a dream start when they opened the scoring on 4 minutes after Brian Doherty released PJ McDaid who beat the offside trap to race clear and slotted low past Ben Miller.
Gleneely responded and had a good chance when Paul Gamble found space inside the area but dragged his effort wide. Midway through the half, the home side went close again after a short corner from John McDaid found Gary Kelly whose first-time effort crashed off the bar.
Before the break, Gleneely went close again with a Dylan McDaid free-kick tipped onto the crossbar by Michael McLaughlin in the home goal.
The colts equalised five minutes after the break when John Doherty rose highest to head home Dylan McDaid ‘s corner . But the home side regained the lead minutes later after Christopher Doherty beat a defender and his cross cum shot nestled in the top corner.
Gleneely rallied and equalised again when McDaid drilled a low free from the edge of the area into the bottom corner. Glengad suffered a blow then when John McDaid was red-carded for dissent and Geneely took full advantage.
They took the lead on 79 minutes when JJ Doherty won possession in midfield and fired a long-range effort over McLaughlin to the roof of the net. They sealed the win after a goalmouth scramble resulted in Gamble slotting the ball home from close range.
Hannon Greene Insurances Fr O Gara Cup Round One
Cockhill Res 3 Redcastle Res 2
Cockhill started well in this match and passed up some good early chances, twice hitting the woodwork and Sam Bonner looked indomitable in goal for Redcastle to keep the game goalless.
Gary Breslin almost gave Cockhill the lead after some good build-up play down the left by Patrick McLaughlin and Damien Friel, whose cross was met well by Gary Breslin but his powerful header just shaved the outside of the post.
Redcastle grew into the game and a dangerous cross into the box was narrowly missed by Terry McColgan at the far post and the danger was cleared.
Ryan McDaid then had the chance to break the deadlock when he found himself unmarked in the box with the keeper to beat but Sam Bonner did well to tip his effort away.
Just before half time, Redcastle did take the lead from a corner. Gary Kelly rising highest in the box to bullet his header past Kevin McDaid in the Cockhill net to give Redcastle a half time lead. Redcastle made it 2 – 0 just 5 minutes into the second half.
The Cockhill defence was caught in possession and Terry McColgan showed is experience and composure to slot the ball home past Kevin McDaid.
Cockhill responded well to that early setback and 10 minutes later pulled a goal back. A free kick by Mark Gillespie rebounded in the box and Ryan Doherty was on hand to slot home from six yards.
Cockhill pushed on from there and were back on level terms midway through the second half as Damien Friel netted his first goal in Cockhill colours, following up a good cross into the box to finish low and hard passed Sam Bonner to even the matchup.
The winning goal came with just over 10 minutes to go to complete the comeback when Damien Friel netted his second of the match with a fine strike after a quick counter-attack to clinch the tie for Cockhill.
Inishowen Engineering Division 2 A
Aileach Youths 4 Clonmany Res 6
Clonmany started the brighter and forced a corner in the opening minute and opened the scoring when Philip Devlin eluded his marker and headed into the top corner.
Aileach came more into the game after this and equalised on the half hour when Gavin Doherty slipped Aaron Doherty through and he slotted into the bottom corner past Killian McCarron.
Aileach took the lead five minutes before the break when Ryan Wilson raced through and deceived McCarron by firing in at the near post. Clonmany pulled level when Paul Devlin when released Alex McFadden who shot past Fox from the edge of the box.
Clonmany took the lead minutes later when again McFadden raced clear to finish. On the hour Clonmany went 4-2 up when Conor Doherty turned sharply in the box and finished into the bottom corner.
Aileach pulled one back when Aaron Doherty scored a spectacular volley from fifteen yards after a Gavin Doherty cross. Aileach pulled level when Aaron Doherty’s shot was saved and the ball broke to Pol McGrory who headed into the net from five yards.
With 10 minutes to go Aileach pressed the self destruct button when a defensive slip let Paul Devlin through and he found the bottom corner from 10 yards.
Aileach pushed hard for an equaliser but got caught in the final minute when Michael Devlin laid the ball into the path of Conor Doherty who shot into the bottom corner to complete the scoring.
Greencastle Res 1 QPS Res 1
Greencastle started the game well with Kevin McLaughlin firing just wide and both Ronan Doherty and Ryan McDermott denied by good saves from David Bell.
The point responded and in a good move Jack McConalogue fed Sean McColgan whose right-wing cross was headed narrowly wide by Kevin Wallace. Both Ronan Doherty for the home side and McColgan for the visitors then had shots blocked before McConalogue fired over from twenty-two yards.
On the stroke of half time, Joe Doherty saw his free-kick well saved by Bell. The visitors threatened first after the break with McConalogue advancing into the area but Seamus Bovaird advanced to smother at his feet.
On 56 minutes the point had an amazing let-off when firstly Peoples shot came off the bar before his follow up was blocked and Doherty’s third effort was cleared off the line.
Greencastle continued on top and Peoples had an effort tipped over by Bell before Mark Browne headed over from the corner and then Bell saved well from a Joe Doherty free kick. N a counter-attack QPS Ronan Lafferty fired narrowly over from twenty-two yards.
Greencastle eventually broke the deadlock when McDermott’s cross from the right saw Joe Doherty gain possession and lay off for Peoples to drill low into the corner from sixteen yards.
Substitute Tom Heuston then fired over before the Harkin brothers combined for Adam to see his effort from twelve yards well saved by Bell. The visitors then got an equaliser in controversial fashion.
McConalogue saw his free-kick blocked by the wall and then his follow up took a deflection before being superbly tipped around the post by Bovaird.
From the corner the ball was deemed to have been over the line before Shaun Cavanagh headed clear.
The home side pressed hard in the closing stages with Andrew Peoples heading wide but the visitor’s defence held firm to claim a point.
Inishowen Engineering Division 2 B
Rasheney Res 0 Illies Res 4
In a very low key first half, there were no clear chances at either end with defences on top. The nearest any side came to a goal threat arrived on 36 minutes when a clearance from the home defence was flicked on by Brian Devlin into the path of Nathan McConalogue who fired over the angle from the edge of the area.
Rasheney had the first chance of the second half when a Tiernan McDonald saw a free-kick well held by Kevin Gallagher. But Illies broke the deadlock on 57 minutes when Ethan Doherty fed Ronan Hegarty who waltzed past a coupe of defenders before drilling low from eight yards.
Illies were then reduced to ten men after Paddy O’Connor was red carded for two cautions and Trevor Doherty for the home side fired a looping effort just wide.
Two goals in as many minutes sealed the tie.
Firstly on 64 minutes, the ball broke in the centre circle to Martin Donaghey who fired a first time effort from forty yards to the roof of the net over Roger McGilloway.
When McGilloway failed to collect substitute Shane Devlin’s cross Brendan Doherty was left with the simplest of tasks to slot home and make it three nil.
Doherty then got his second of the game when he headed home Devlin’s cross on 72 minutes. Rasheney were denied a consolation when Ciaran O’Neill’s effort was parried by Gallagher. Illies had two late efforts but Devlin and Joe McDaid were both off target.
Carn Res 3 Carrowmena FC 2
Carn broke the deadlock on eight minutes when a Christy McDaid pass down the right found Paul Stevens who squared it for Tiernan Coyne and he laid it off for Girts Dzerins to slot it low to the bottom of the net from 10 yards.
Carrowmena nearly equalized on 15 minutes when a Gerard Gill pass from midfield found Ryan McLaughlin on the left wing and he rounded the defender and crossed for Finbarr McCallion who drove a powerful shot to the left and wide from 12 yards.
Carn replied on 28 minutes with a Dayton Cooke pass from midfield to Conor Doherty on the left wing and he crossed for Dzerins who shot wide from 12 yards.
Another chance for Carn came on 38 minutes when a James Monagle long pass found Tiernan Coyne who went one on one with the keeper Brian Houghton but he failed to hit the target.
The second one for Carn nearly came 8 minutes after half time when Stevens corner from the left found James Monagle who headed wide from 10 yards.
Carrowmena equalized on the hour after an Evan McDermott pass from midfield found Niall Cavanagh on the right wing and he squared it for Gerard Gill who was unmarked in the 18-yard box and drove a powerful shot to the top right corner of the net past Jack Nelson in the carn goal.
Carn regained the lead 75 minutes when Dzerins pass from midfield found Tiernan Coyne on the left wing who rounded the defender and shot a powerful shot low to the bottom corner of the net from inside the area.
Carrowmena equalized again on 82 minutes when Gerard Gill was upended in the penalty area and Sammy Bredin converted the penalty past Nelson.
Carn struck for the winner on 87 minutes, substitute Ryan O’Donnell’s corner from the left found Tiernan Coyne who headed powerfully to the top right corner of the net from six yards.
Culdaff Res 2 Dunree Res 0
Culdaff dominated the opening half but failed to get past a resolute visitors defence. Jack McLaughlin had the first chance on 14minutes after his glancing header from a Gary Collins cross was saved by Philip Doherty.
Matt McDaid then headed over from a corner before both Collins and Peter McCallion were narrowly wide with long-range efforts. Good skill in midfield by Damien Duffy saw him advance and unleash a shot which was well saved.
Culdaff spurned a gilt-edged chance on 33 minutes after they were awarded a penalty for handball but McLaughlin’s kick was superbly saved low to his left by Doherty.
On the stroke of half time, a Ben Curley effort deflected off a defender and looped up over the bar.
But the home side did take the lead on 46 minutes when veteran striker Niall McLaughlin fired a superb left-footed volley from the edge of the area into the bottom corner. Dunree responded and a TJ McKinley volley was well saved by Darragh McLaughlin.
Culdaff increased their lead on the hour mark with Damien Duffy firing a fine low shot to the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Dunree upped the tempo then and Ryan O’Donnell was denied by a last-ditch Paul Mills tackle before a Martin McDermott inswinging corner was tipped over the bar by McLaughlin.
At the other end, Niall McLaughlin had another effort tipped onto the bar by Doherty. But Dunree kept pressing and Shaun Henderson had an effort blocked before OJ Cuffe fired wide when well placed.
The final action fell to the home side with substitute Patrick McLaughlin’s effort parried by Doherty and when he squared the ball Niall McLaughlin fired over.
