THERE WAS no shortage of goals in the Strand Hotel First Division or the Inishowen Engineering Division Two today with the pick of the ties seeing Aileach Reserves defeat Greencastle Reserves 7-6 at Chapel Lane.
Strand Hotel First Division
Glengad Res 4 Rasheney FC 1
In good conditions on Sunday morning the home side recorded their first win of the season. Rasheney started well with David McLaughlin firing over from ten yards.
The home side replied with Gary Kelly and Paul McGonagle combining for the latter to see his effort tipped over by Tiernan Devine.
But Paul McGonagle saw his inswinging corner find the top corner to give the home side the lead. McGonagle then had a cross from the left come back off the post to Kelly to slot home on the half hour and make it two nil. Minutes later PJ McDaid robbed Devine in a wide position and crossed to Fergal Doherty but he fired over the bar.
They made it three-nil on 44 minutes when McDaid, despite being fouled, squeezed the ball through for Kelly to round Devine and slot home. Rasheney started the second half well and got a goal back when Emyln Doherty won possession and released Mclaughlin to round a defender and slot home.
Glengad hit back with Devine parrying McDaid’s effort but Doherty fired the follow up wide.
Rasheney’s McLaughlin then had a shot from inside the area well saved by Michael Mclaughlin.
Glengad sealed the points on 86 minutes after a Brian Doherty effort came back off the post to Nathan McConalogue who curled a fine shot into the bottom corner.
Gleneely Colts 2 Redcastle United 1
The home side came from behind to ear the points in a hard fought clash. Played in good conditions, Gleneely were first to show when a Corey O’Brien run took him into the box, but he failed to hit the target when well placed. Gleneely has another chance on 15 minutes when O’Brien’s header from an in swinging Keelan Hegarty corner, hit the crossbar and went over.
Ten minutes later, Gleneely had another chance when a JJ Doherty ball from mid field found Keelan Hegarty, but he shot wide past the upright from the edge of the area. Redcastle took the lead against the run of play when slack defending in the home defence, resulted in a scramble in the box, the ball fell to Darragh McConway 15 yards out, who blasted home despite a touch from Sean McGuiness.
The first chance of the second half fell to Gleneely when Eddie McNamee shot from distance but sailed into McColes hands. Gleneely got back on terms, when Keelan Hegarty picked up the ball on the right and crossed into the box for Adrian Duffy to plant a bullet header to the bottom right hand corner.
Redcastle grew more into the game with plenty of possession and put the Gleneely defence under some pressure but last minute tackling from Barry Kearney and John Doherty kept Brendan Murphy and Darragh McConway at bay.
Gleneely scored the winner on 85minutes when they won a free kick on the edge of the box. Up stepped Keelan Hegarty to bend the ball into the right hand corner despite McCole getting a hand on the ball onto the post but could not keep it out.
Gleneely held firm until the final whistle to collect maximum points.
Greencastle Res 6 Aileach Res 7
This was a real goal fest at Chapel Lane on Sunday morning with the visitors taking an early lead when Paddy Currn advanced on the right and crossed or Simon Wallace to slot home from close range.
Greencastle equalised on 18 minutes after Shea McLaughlin fed Marc Doherty who sidestepped a defender and slotted past Ciaran Bradley. But minutes later Aileach regained the lead when Chris O’Donnell despatched a stunning thirty yards effort to the top corner past Seamus Bovaird.
On the half hour they made it three one when Curran intercepted a defensive pass and raced clear to drill low to the corner from 16 yards.
The home side got a goal back after Joe Doherty’s corner found Andrew Peoples who turned and fired into the corner from ten yards.
On the stroke of half time Aileach made it four-two when Chris McGarrigle’s corner was powerfully headed home by Wallace.
Minutes after the restart the home side reduced the deficit to the minimum when Marc Doherty and Peoples combined for the latter to release Joe Doherty and he rounded Bradley to slot home. Once again Aileach hit back quickly and when Wallace crossed from the right Stephen Doherty unmarked powered a header past Bovaird to leave it five three on the hour mark.
Greencastle rallied and Joe Doherty hit a ten minute hat trick to put the home side in front.
Firstly he ran onto Peoples ball over the top before slotting home from a tight angle before Peoples slid the ball to him on the edge of the area and he superbly drilled to the corner.
Then he intercepted a cross field pass and raced clear to fire past Bradley. On 86minutes minutes an Aileach corner deflected off a defender past Bovaird to make is six-all.
Aileach struck for the winner when Curran broke on the right and his deep cross was met by the late run of Shane McMonagle to drill home and claim the points.
Clonmany Shamrocks 6 QPS 0
Clonmany started well and broke the deadlock on 14 minutes after a Matthew Brennan cross saw Pearse McCarron power a header to the top corner past Oisin Burke.
Minutes later a McCarron cross saw Jason Devlin denied twice in succession by Burke before Brendan Doherty headed a Christy Harkin cross over. They added a second on 31minutes when McCarron found space on the right and advanced to drill low to the net.
The home side added number three three minutes later after Brennan’s cross saw Liam Hirrell’s header take a wicked deflection past Burke. McCarron then completed his hat trick after he broke clear on the right again and finished superbly past Burke.
The visitors started the second half well and on 54 minutes Caolan McColgan cut in from the left and fired just past the far post. McColgan then burst into the area but was denied by a brilliant last ditch Gareth Bradley tackle.
But the home side resumed control and made it five nil in the 61st minute when a quick free by Jason Devlin sent Hirrell clear and he controlled before slotting home. They completed the scoring on 88minutes when Alex McFadden intercepted a back pass and advanced to slot past Aiden Lynch who had taken over in goals.
Inishowen Engineering Division Two
Rasheney Res 0 Cockhill Res 3
Cockhill dominated the first half with ex-Rasheney player John Grant heading wide before Sean Bradley had a low effort well saved by Roger McGilloway.
McGilloway then tipped a Ryan McDaid effort over the bar while mark Gillespie saw a driven effort deflected behind. Rasheney responded on the half hour with a John Doherty free just eluding Diarmait Keogh at the back post.
Cockhill resumed on the offensive with both McDaid and Gary Breslin seeing efforts well saved by McGilloway. The pressure finally told on 41 minutes when Grant split the home defence for Breslin to run clear and drill home from 16 yards.
On the stroke of half time Damien Friel saw a good effort well parried by McGilloway. Cockhill continued on top on the restart with McGilloway gathering Grant’s effort at the second attempt before Marty Breslin hooked an effort wide.
Rasheney responded and John Doherty saw a free saved by Sean Friel. Then Keogh fed Cormac Dillon but he just failed to get a shot away. Cockhill struck for the second goal on 75 minutes after Wesley Doherty’s cross was not cleared and Mark Gillespie arrived at the back post to slot home.
John Grant then broke into the area and was denied by a superb Joey Holland tackle but when recycled Paul Duffy saw his shot well saved. Cockhill made it three-nil late on after a corner fell to Wesley Doherty who fired through a crowd of players to the bottom corner.
Dunree Res 0 Moville Res 8
Moville dominated this game from start to finish as they ran out easy winners. It began badly for the home side when keeper Ryan Fitzpatrick mis judged a back pass leaving Graeme Doherty with a simple task to tap in. Midway through the half Danny Murphy raced clear onto a ball over the top to finish well and make it two.
On the stroke of half time Murphy fired to the roof of the net after the ball broke kindly to him inside the area. Moville continued on top but had to wait until the hour to add the fourth after Ciaran Diver drilled home from 25 yards.
A sharp turn then inside the area saw Diver slot home his second on 76 minutes.
Minutes later the unmarked Michael grimly headed home at the back post before Conor Lafferty got on the scoresheet with a well hit free from 25 yards.
Murphy completed his hat trick on the stroke of full time when he burst through the home defence and rounded Fitzpatrick to slot home.
Carrowmena FC 2 Culdaff Res 2
The visitors will be disappointed that they let a two goal lead slip here in the final minute to share the spoils.
Culdaff started well and Damian Duffy was unlucky to see an effort crash off the bar on 14 minutes. At the other end Christopher Doherty fed Robert Kane and his shot was saved by Patrick Mclaughlin.
Culdaff took the lead on the half hour with a stunning 35-yards strike from Jack Mclaughlin to the top corner past Mark Doherty in the home goal. They made it two nil 8 minutes later after Duffy’s corner was headed home by Matthew Crampsey at the back post.
They almost added a third on the stroke of half time but Peter Doherty’s header came off the bar.
Carrowmena came more into the game on the restart and got a goal back on 56 minutes when Kane’s effort was tipped onto the bar by McLaughlin but from the corner Kane’s effort sailed into the net.
Kane, Samuel Bredin and Bran Houghtonal had efforts well saved by Mclaughlin. Culdaff replied on 79 minutes with Duffy’s free well tipped around the post by Doherty. In the final minute the home side salvaged a point after Kane broke on the right and crossed for Bredin to slot home at the back post.
Illies Res 1 Redcastle Res 4
The visitors opened the scoring on 11 minutes after a deep Darren Harkin cross found the unmarked Terry McColgan to head past Kevin Gallagher. But the home side got back on terms midway through the half when a great burst into the area by Brendan Doherty saw him pull the ball back for Ronan Hegarty to drill the ball low past Ryan McCole from twelve yards.
On the stroke of half time the visitors regained the lead with a brilliant strike to the top corner from the edge of the area from Drew McKinney. Illies had the first chance of the second half on 57 minutes when Nathan Doherty headed wide when well placed.
Redcastle then increased their advantage from a corner with McColgan again heading home. With the home side pushing forward to get back into the game they were caught on the break and McColgan released Oran Farren to slot low past Gallagher from 15 yards.
