THERE WAS A BUSY programme of action in the Donegal Signs Reserve League Shield with games on Friday and Sunday across Inishowen.Â
Donegal Signs Reserve League Shield
FRIDAY
 Clonmany Reserves 4-1 Culdaff Reserves
CLONMANY opened brightly and had an early chance on 5 minutes when Oisin Hession and Christy Harkin combined down the right side to set Paddy Doherty up for a shot on goals but he dragged his right foot shot across the face of the Culdaff goal.
Clonmany continued to press and went in front in the 20th minute. Callum Doherty’s kick-out was won in the centre circle by Clonmany’s veteran striker Brendan Devlin and showing a turn of pace he burst through the static Culdaff rearguard and shot home.
Clonmany added a second in the 25th minute when Paddy Harkin (Lackin) placed a through ball down the left flank for Niall McLaughlin to go on a mazy run which ended with him cutting into the box and blasting a blistering shot to the bottom left hand corner of the net despite Callum Doherty’s best efforts to narrow the angle.
Clonmany didnt let up and it was constant pressure and their third goal arrived in the 36th minute when after a one-two between Oisin Hession and Brendan Devlin on the right hand side of the Culdaff box and the former crossed to the back post where Callum Doherty managed to palm the ball away from the in-rushing Clonmany attackers but it fell at the feet of Clonmany’s Karl Harkin and he jabbed home from six yards out.
This finally sparked some life into Culdaff and in the final minutes of the half they forced a series of corners and almost pulled a goal back when Diarmuid Moyne in the Clonmany goals dived full length to his right to pull off a tremendous save from Shane Diver.
Culdaff looked livelier after the break and pulled a goal back in the 53rd minute when Shane Diver crossed into the box, where Niall McLaughlin was at hand to steer the ball into the net.
Culdaff then nearly pulled back a second goal minutes later when Dale Hutchinson crossed from the left wing to the back post where it was met by Niall McLaughlin’s looping header but again Moyne made a great save, this time tipping the header over the bar to concede a corner.
Clonmany finally killed off the game in the 77th minute when Niall McLaughlin’s long ball from just inside the Culdaff half found Clonmany substitute Mark Kelly’s run into the box and he just managed to beat the advancing Callum Doherty.
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QPS Reserves 10-0 Moville Reserves   Â
A MUCH more experienced home side dominated this contest and showed no mercy on a very young Moville outfit.
They broke the deadlock on five minutes when Paul Hegarty crossed for Joe Johnstone to head past Ryan Coyle at the near post.
Johnstone stabbed home his second of the game a minute later after good work by Josh McConalogue.
On 12 minutes Jack McConalogue slotted home from close range when Johnstone set him up. Moville had a chance when Declan McGuinness crossed for Norbert but he just failed to connect.
The Point continued and Chris O’Donnell fired to the roof of the net before after a corner was cleared to Christy Harkin his effort was diverted to the net by Jack McConalogue to make it five nil at the interval.
Substitute Aaron Barr got in on the act when he converted at the second attempt after Coyle had saved well on 53 minutes.
Moville spurned another good opening when a defensive slip allowed McGuinness to bear down on goal but he fired wide when well placed.
The home side hit back with Josh Mclaughlin side footing a Stephen Slattery cross home before Hegarty fired to the bottom corner from twenty yards.Two late goals from McLaughlin completed the scoring.
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Cockhill Colts 5-0 Redcastle ReservesÂ
THE Colts got a dream start on two minutes when Darragh McDermott ran into the area and squared for Brian Murray to slot past Ryan McCole from close range.
Minutes later McDermott fed Martin Breslin and he fired low to the corner to make it two-nil.
Murray volleyed wide then before McDermott’s cross was also volleyed wide by Breslin.
Redcastle had a chance before the break when Kieran McLaughlin charged down a clearance but keeper Gary Robinson advanced smartly to smother.
On 55 minutes the Colts made it three after an Anthony McEleney effort was parried by McCole to Murray whose follow up was cleared to McDermott on the edge of the area and he fired low to the corner.
Midway through the half Thomas Doherty and McDermott played a neat one two to release Frank Gribben and he controlled well before slotting past McCole.
McDermott completed the scoring on 74 minutes when he played a one two on the edge of the area before drilling past McCole.
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Gleneely Colts 1-5 Aileach Reserves    Â
THE Colts got a dream start when Adrian Duffy crossed for Evan O’Brien to head home in the third minute.
They held the lead until the 39th minute after Paul McHugh equalised when he pounced on a defensive error to fire past Mark Lafferty.
Minutes into the second period Aileach took the lead when Dermot McGlynn headed home from close range.
Aileach increased their lead on 66 minutes when McHugh’s well struck effort took a deflection off a defender on its way past Lafferty.
David O’Donnell made the game safe when he despatched a fine effort from the edge of the area to the bottom corner before O Donnell ran onto a ball over the top to slot past the stranded Lafferty and complete the scoring.
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SUNDAY
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Greencastle Reserves 2-2 Rasheney Reserves
RASHENEY stunned the home side when they took the lead on 12 minutes after a speculative Declan Grant effort floated in under the bar past Seamus Bovaird.
But the home side levelled matters midway through the half when Daniel Gillespie’s cross saw a scramble develop and Puaric Gillen slotted home from eight yards.
Greencastle got on top with Gillespie’s cross just eluding John McDermott before Eunan McDaid headed over from a corner.
From another corner McDaid collected the ball and laid it off to Eugene O’Donnell who fired just wide on the stroke of half time.
Grencastle had the first chance of the second period when McDaid played a quick free to Gillen but he fired just over the bar.
At the other end a corner broke for Ryan McLaughlin but he fired inches wide of the left hand post.
The home side regained the lead on 72 minutes when Gillespie’s effort crashed off the bar and Gillen again reacted well to slot the ball home.
On the stroke of full time substitute Sean Friel’s well struck free took a deflection off the wall and fizzed past Bovaird to salvage a point.
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Illies Reserves 9-1 Carrowmena Reserves
ILLIES got a good start when they opened the scoring on eight minutes after Seamus O’Donnell crossed for Seamus Donaghey to poke the ball home from close range.
Within minutes they had made it two-nil after Ryan McElhinney fired high to the roof of the net from the edge of the area.
On 17 minutes McElhinney crossed for Thomas Grant to drill the ball low to the corner. Carrowmena rallied and got a goal back on 22 minutes when Paul Duffy rose high at the back post to head home following a corner.
On the stroke of half time Illies replied with Charlie Mclaughlin firing to the roof of the net from twenty yards.
On 55 minutes Illies increased their lead with an audacious lob from half way by Joe McDaid catching he keeper off his line.
McDaid then converted McElhinney’s cross to make it six before McElhinney again set up Ronan Hegarty to side foot home on 77 minutes.
McDaid completed his hat trick with a screamer from twenty yards before Martin Donaghey completed the rout late on.
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Moville Reserves 3-1Clonmany Reserves
MOVILLE started the game well with Pauric Parkinson beating two men but firing just wide. Michael McNaught then fed Parkinson who rounded keeper Diarmuid Moyne but saw his effort cleared off the line.
Clonmany replied and when Karol Harkin raced onto a through ball, Ryan Coyle burst off his line to smother at his feet.
Midway through the half the home side broke the deadlock when Pauric Skelly fed McNaught who cut in past a defender on the right before slotting low past Moyne.
They increased their lead just before the break when a deep cross from Parksinson was headed home by Gareth Foynes.
The opening period of the second half was a tight affair with defences on top until the 75th minute when Foynes ran onto a short free and when his effort was parried by Moyne the ball fell to Kevin McDermott to slot home.
Clonmany replied and when an inswinging corner came off the post John McCarron was on hand to slot home.
Clonmany went close again in the last minute after Liam McGonigle ‘s powerful effort was well saved by Coyle in the home goal.
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Sea Rovers 4-0 Culdaff Res         Â
THE visitors dominated the opening half but paid the price for a failure to convert a number of good chances.
Declan McLaughlin had the first opening when he fired wide when well placed before Stuart McKeague had an effort turned round the post by Glen Watson and from the corner McKeague headed narrowly wide.
Midway through the half McKeague had another effort saved by Watson before their best chance came when Niall Gordon broke clear and fired straight at Watson.
McLaughlin then had another shot just off target on 41 minutes before Rovers Gerard McEleney headed wide from a corner.
On the stroke of half time Callum Doherty for the visitors was unlucky when he beat a man and unleashed a powerful effort which crashed back off the bar.
Rovers made the breakthrough on 48 minutes when Gary Collins ran onto a long ball over the top and slotted low past Martin McLaughlin.
On 55 minutes William Logan made it two nil when he fired home a superb free kick from the edge of the area. Culdaff pushed hard but were caught on the break when Damien Ward fed Anthony Cantwell who controlled well and slotted low past the advancing McLaughlin.
Rovers sealed the win late on when McEleney powered home a header from a corner.
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Aileach Reserves 1-0 Cockhill Colts
THIS was a close hard fought affair and in the first half there were few chances and defences on top.
Cockhill had the first sight of goal on 13 minutes when Kevin McDaid fired just over from the edge of the area.
Aileach replied on 32 minutes when Dermot McGlynn was unlucky to see his well struck effort from twenty yards crash off the post.
Cockhill started the second half well but spurned two clear openings when McDaid broke clear but fired wide before Brian Murray got in behind the Aileach defence but was denied by keeper John Roulstone.
They paid the price for those misses in the 76th minute when Conor McMackin burst into the area and squared for Sean McHugh to sidefoot home from close range.
Cockhill replied and Thomas Doherty went close but his effort drifted just past the post.
The home side had the final chance of the game when Stephen Doherty broke clear but his attempted lob just shaved the post.
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Redcastle Reserves 2-2 Carn Reserves           Â
THE first chance of the game fell to the visitors on 20 minutes when a Rory Brady header from a corner deflected off a defender and over the bar.
Redcastle replied and broke the deadlock on 26 minutes when Conleith Mullan fed Daniel Harkin on the left and he fired low past Cathal Doherty.
On the stroke of half time they doubled their lead when Damien Harkin blasted high past Doherty from just inside the area.
Carn started the second period well and reduced the deficit on 51 minutes after Joseph McKinney pounced on a loose ball to fire low past Ryan McCole from sixteen yards.
Redcastle replied and Seamus Farren had a free kick well saved by Doherty.
Carn pressed harder as the game entered the latter stages and were rewarded on 88 minutes when substitute Cade Cooke advanced into the area and rounded McCole to slot home.
The visitors almost snatched a winner on full time after Mckinney fed Dayton Cooke but his effort was well saved by McCole.
Aileach Youths 3-2 Buncrana Reserves            Â
AILEACH took the lead midway through the half when Matthew Doherty played a wonderful through ball to Eddie McGrath who lifted ball over the onrushing Ryan
O’Sullivan in the Buncrana goal.
Buncrana got on terms ten minutes later when a long range shot by Adam Duffy decieved Dylan Clarke in the home goal and ended up in the net.
Buncrana were now enjoying a good spell of pressure and almost scored again when Eoin Murphy tried his luck but Dylan Clarke was able to palm the shot away for a corner.
Against the run of play at this point Aileach went two one up when a Ryan Doherty throw was flicked on by McGrath to Dean Gill who volleyed home to give Aileach the lead on the stroke of half-time.
After the restart both sides cancelled each other out for a spell before Michael Doherty had a shot from the edge of the box that Clarke held comfortably in the home goal.
Aileach came back at them and when the ball broke to Dara Grant at the edge of the box he couldn’t keep his shot down.
With fifteen minutes to go Dermot Doherty sent a long ball upfield that caused confusion in the Buncrana defence and Eddie McGrath nipped in to pass O’Sullivan and roll into the empty net to extend the Aileach lead.
Minutes later Paul McGrath was the first to react in a goalmouth scramble but his fine effort cannoned off the post.
Aileach came close again a corner was half cleared to Micky Morrison but his shot
was well saved by O’Sullivan low to his left hand post.
With a couple of minutes remaining Buncrana punished some slack Aileach passing and Noel McLaughlin’s cross was smashed into the roof of the net by Michael Doherty to leave the minimum between the sides.
Buncrana pushed hard for an equaliser but a half chance that fell to Eamon Morrow was the nearest they could come.
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