CARROWMENA MUST wait for their first ever Reserve League title after a 1-0 defeat to Culdaff yesterday. Here’s how the action in the Reserve divisions panned out
Inishowen Engineering Reserve Premier Division
Buncrana Reserves 4 Cockhill Colts 1
COCKHILL had the most of the early possession in this local derby clash but created no real chances of note. Their best effort came on 15 minutes when Alan Fletcher fired over from the edge of the Buncrana box.
Buncrana began to get on top and on 17 minutes a fine through ball from Alan Friel sent Michael Doherty clear and he finished in fine style from the edge of the area into the roof of the net to put Buncrana one up.
Buncrana had their tails up and on 23 minutes they doubled their lead. Eoin Murphy who had a fine game broke into the Cockhill box from the left and was upended. Stephen McHugh slotted the penalty to Decklan Caldwell’s left corner in composed fashion.
It was all Buncrana now and Caldwell made a great save from Eoin Murphy on the half hour after he cut in from the left and his shot from twenty five yards was superbly tipped over the bar.
From the resulting corner the ball was laid back to Murphy and his shot from the edge of the box was cleared off the line and Alan Friel just failed to scramble the ball home.
Cockhill started the second half with a greater degree of urgency but despite their increased share of possession Ryan O’Sullivan in the home goal only had a few long range efforts to deal with.
On 57 minutes Buncrana were reduced to 10 men when Michael Doherty was sent off after receiving his second yellow card. Buncrana had to reorganise and defended well but Cockhill finally made their numerical advantage tell when on 70 minutes Gary Breslin headed home at
the back post from a well-taken Alan Fletcher corner.
Cockhill’s tails were up but just three minutes later following good work by Eoin Murphy Stephen McHugh evaded the attention of four Cockhill defender’s before drilling a fine left foot finish past Caldwell from 15 yards.
That goal knocked the stuffing out of Cockhill and Stephen McHugh ended the game as a contest with a sublime left foot chip over the despairing Caldwell on 76 minutes from the edge of the area to complete his own hat-trick.This was a very good performance from a young Buncrana team and every player acquitted themselves very well.
QPS Reserves 4 Glengad Reserves 0
THE home side got off to a great start when they broke the deadlock on 8 minutes after Denim McLaughlin headed a Paul Hegarty corner past Michael McLaughlin.
Glengad responded midway through the half with Paul McGonagle firing a free kick narrowly over the bar.
The Point grabbed a second goal on 34 minutes when Ultan McCool fired a superb half volley from the edge of the area to the bottom corner.
Before the break the visitors Terence Doherty cut in from the right and unleashed an effort which drifted just past the post.
Point started the second half on top and increased their lead when after a scramble in the Glengad area McLaughlin slotted home from six yards.
On the hour mark they made it four nil after another Hegarty corner found Mclaughlin who powerfully headed to the top corner and complete his hat trick in the process. Glengad had a late chance for a consolation but Doherty fires juts wide from the edge of the area.
Inishowen Engineering Reserve Division One
Culdaff Reserves 1 Carrowmena Reserves 0
CARROWMENA, looking to clinch their first ever reserve league title came to neighbours Culdaff but left pointless and now have to win their final league game against Redcastle.
They started well and in the opening minutes both Dane Doherty and Gerard Gill were narrowly off target with efforts from the edge of the area.
Culdaff replied and were on top for the next twenty minutes with a William Hutchinson cross missed by keeper Michael Noone under pressure before the defence cleared.
Niall Mclaughlin pounced on a defensive error and from a very tight angle fired across face of goal before the same player collected a Dean O’Connor cross and saw his effort gathered at the second attempt by Noone.
On 33 minutes Dale Hutchinson latched onto a loose ball in midfield and his first time effort was well tipped over the bar by Noone.
Carrowmena responded with Gill firing a free kick well wide before Ryan McDermott broke into the area and fired past Darragh McLaughlin but JJ Doherty cleared off the line.
From the resulting corner Paul Duffy headed over at full stretch.
The best chance of the half however fell to the home team on 44 minutes when a Michael McFadden free kick found the totally unmarked Gary Smyth who failed to connect with a header with the goal gaping.
Chances were fewer in the second half but Carrowmena were well on top with Samuel Bredin looping a header just over the angle of post and bar before substitute Oran McDermott blasted a free well over the top.
They were unlucky in the 73rd minute when after a scramble in the Culdaff area Oran McDermott saw his effort crash off the bar.
They were dealt a hammer blow against the run of play on 87minutes when O’Connor floated a superb free from half way into the area and with Niall McLaughlin in between defenders the ball seemed to come off a defender and looped over Noone into the top corner.
Culdaff had another great chance on 90 minutes when McLaughlin’s flick on released Aiden Cunningham into the area but as Noone advanced he fired wide.
Carrowmena pushed hard in the five minutes of added time but with Mick McLaughlin and JJ Doherty solid at the back the home side took the points.
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