THE DONEGAL LEAGUE sides were carrying the flag for the county over the weekend in the FAI Junior Cup.
Drumkeen United 3-4 Â Gweedore Celtic
Gweedore Celtic advanced to the next round of the FAI Junior Cup but were pushed all the way by Drumkeen at St Patrick’s Park on Saturday afternoon with Peter McNamme scoring a hat-trick for the losers.
It was the home team who actually took the lead through McNamee after 10 minutes but Tomas Diver equalised for Gweedore five minutes later.
Declan Doherty fired the visitors ahead again but Peter Mc Namee levelled for the home side. Jay Dee then scored for Gweedore to put them ahead again by three goals to two only for that man McNamee to score again for the home team.
As the game entered the final quarter it was by no means certain who would win. With about 15 minutes left Gweedore got what would prove to be the winner when Diver capitalised on a defensive error to score his second and Gweedore’s fourth goal of the game .
The home team never gave up though and kept pressing for an equaliser. They nearly got it when Mark James got on the end of a Ryan Kettle cross but his header went just over the bar. The visitors had a couple more efforts as well but could not find another goal.
Best for Gweedore were Tomas Diver and Declan O’ Sullivan while Peter McNamee gets a Special mention for Drumkeen.Â
Greencastle 2-1Â Erne Wanderers
Erne Wanders met Inishowen opposition in the FAI Junior Cup and exited the competition by the slightest of margins.
Behind by two at the interval Alan Dorrian’s men fought hard and got a goal back after the break through Barry Mulligan. However Greencastle held on and they will be in the hat for the draw for the next round of the competition.
Glengad United 8-0Â Raphoe Town
Raphoe were outplayed by Glengad F.C. in the FAI Junior Cup on Sunday. Behind by the minimum at the break, largely due to the saving of Rory Duffy, the Donegal League side could do little to stop the Inishowen outfit who won comfortably in the end.
Ballybofey United 4-1Â Glaslough
Ballybofey United hosted Glaslough from Monaghan in the FAI Junior Cup on Sunday.
They survived an early scare when Chris Patton excellently saved a penalty after a foul in the area.
On 25 minutes, Ballybofey took the lead when Gavin Doherty’s speculative ball turned the Glaslough defence and what they saw was the back of Michael Lynch as he beat the off-side trap to race clear and slide the ball past the keeper.
David White headed Conor O’ Brien’s cross wide before Glaslough got back on level terms when they out-muscled the young Ballybofey central defender to win possession and cross to the back post where their winger headed home from three yards.
From the centre Ballybofey regained their lead when Conor O’ Brien scored. Two became three on the re-start when the Glaslough keeper failed to hold O’ Brien’s shot and the rebounding ball was guided home by an unlucky recovering defender.
O’ Brien added a fourth in a second half that saw the home side comfortable.
Gweedore United 1-4 Rathmullan Celtic
This game was played in perfect conditions under the floodlights at Carrickboyle on Friday night saw Rathmullan advance to the next round of the FAI Junior Cup after a good second half performance.
United were missing a number of their key players through injury for this fixture. Rathmullan opened the scoring in the 39th minute when Kevin Doran’s free kick went straight into the bottom corner of the United net to make it 1-0 at half time.
The home side got their deserved equaliser in the 57th minute when good play by Gavin Mc Bride and Ciaran McFadden freed Michael Barry who drove into the bottom of the net to make it 1-1.
In the following minutes United had two good chances through Gavin Mc Bride and Ciaran Mc Fadden however Mark Gallagher made good saves on each occasion. Doran put the visitors 2-1 up with his second goal in the 64th minute when he scored from 12 yards after good individual work. The home side pushed looking to try to equalise however Rathmullan got their third on the break with Eoin Sheridan finishing well in the 84th minute. The visitors got their 4th in the 89th minute when Aaron Mc Clafferty tapped in.
Deele Harps 4-3 Glenea United
Deele welcomed Premier Division outfit Glenea United to The Athletic Grounds and recorded one of the biggest shocks of the Round in the FAI Junior Cup.
Deele started well and were creating a few chances but against the run of play the home side fell behind when Kieran Mc Geady headed home an Eamon McGee corner.
Deele responded well and equalised on 20 minutes after Lee Coll headed down to the flame haired midfielder Kevin Lynch who played a sublime pass to send Shane Gallagher through on goal and the Tober goal machine made no mistake.
Deele didn’t learn from their mistake and were punished again when another excellent corner from left back Eamon McGee was headed home by Dean Mc Carry . Deele made it 2-2 when Shane Gallagher poked home in the box to grab his 6th goal of the season.
The second half was end to end with Glenea playing the long ball game and putting the Deele defence under pressure. Glenea went ahead again when Mc Geever  tapped home on the line after Chris Roulstone saved well from a free kick.
Deele rallied again and equalised for the 3rd time when Conor Catterson finished well from the edge of the box, a sublime shot which left the former Manchester United goalkeeper Joe Coll rooted to the spot. The home side deservedly grabbed the winner on 75 minutes.
Shane Gallagher beat two men and then pulled the ball back to Brian Breslin who hammered home from 12 yards.Â
Milford United 2-1 Glenree United
Milford entertained Glenree in the first round of the FAI Junior at Moyle View Park and eventually advanced to the next round with a late goal from Brendan Murray. Â
Milford started slow and conceded on 20 minutes when a Colin Gallagher shot was defected into the net to give the visitors the lead. Milford pushed for an equaliser, squandering a couple of good chances, and eventually got their goal on 43minutes when Cathal Mc Gettigan headed home a Gary Merritt cross.
Milford played a lot better in the second half and found the winner on 80 minutes when Brendan Murray headed home a Gary Merritt corner. Best for Milford were Joey Cullen and Danny McBride, best for Glenree were Colin Gallagher and the centre half John McClafferty.
Drumoghill 3-1 Lagan Harps
A second half brace from Marcus Oliver was enough to send Drumoghill on their way to a comfortable victory over neighbours Lagan Harps.
However, Mark Hunter’s late strike did mean that the home side needed to endure a nervous few minutes until Gerard Mc Granaghan slotted home the clincher in the final minutes of the game to ensure Drumoghill advanced to the next round of the FAI Junior Cup.
Drumoghill, who had lost to Lagan Harps in each of their last two encounters, were obviously determined to avoid a third cup exit at the hands of the men from Manorcunningham.
The second half was only two minutes old when the breakthrough arrived. There seemed little danger as Liam O’Donnell flicked on McCauley’s goal kick but his header sent Oliver through on goal. There was still a lot to do as Oliver got into his stride, held off Paul Rodgers and calmly slotted home as Harley came out to narrow the angle. It was no more than Drumoghill deserved and the home side gradually took control.
Oliver grabbed his second of the game on 72 minutes after good work from McCready and Malseed in midfield sent the striker through on goal and he finished well from a narrow angle. That should really have been that but Mark Hunter gave his side a lifeline with a thunderbolt of his own on 74 minutes.
It came as a relief though when Drumoghill finally regained their two-goal advantage in the final minute. Benny Bonner whipped in a free kick from the left wing after McCready was fouled and there was Gerard Mc Granaghan to nudge the ball home at the back post to grab his second goal of the season and send his side into the next round of the competition.Â
Cavan Rangers 3-0 Kerrykeel
Kerrykeel’s interest in this season’s FAI Junior Cup has been extinguished at the first hurdle with Cavan Rangers progressing to the next round.
Cavan Celtic 3-3 Donegal TownÂ
(After extra-time. Cavan Celtic won 16-15 on Penalties)
Donegal Town made the trip to Cavan for this FAI Junior Cup match against Cavan Celtic.
They led by two goals to nil at the interval and looked in pole position. Cavan improved after the break and their better play coupled with Donegal’s lack of firepower saw the game end three each after extra time. The tie went to a Penalty Shoot-Out which itself was a lengthy affair. Donegal Town lost out by 15 penalties to 16 and will rue not winning the game in normal time when they had their chance.
Cappry Rovers 7-3 Cavan Celtic
Cappry Rovers advanced to the next round of the F.A.I. Junior Cup when they defeated Cavan Town in an entertaining game played in perfect conditions at Cappry Park.
Cappry took the game to the visitors from the start when they created a few chances but it was the Cavan boys who should have opened the scoring in the fifth minute after they were awarded a penalty following a tackle but the spot kick was well saved by Eoghan Gallen in the Cappry goal.
Cappry broke the deadlock in the sixteenth minute when a long throw-in from Gavin Reilly found Aaron Kelly who scored at the back post.
Brian Lafferty scored Cappry’s second goal in the 24th minute when he got on the end of another long throw from Gavin Reilly. Cavan got a goal back in the twenty eighth minute when Cian Byrne scored following a free kick. Kyle Lafferty scored Cappry’s third goal in the 53rd minute with a shot to the top of the net.
Worse was to follow for the visitors when Alan Patton scored in the fifty sixth minute when he beat the defence and advancing keeper to put the ball in the net. Cian Byrne got his and Cavan’s second goal on the hour mark when he converted a penalty following a hand ball by a Cappry defender in the penalty area.
Kyle Lafferty got his second and Cappry’s fifth goal in the sixty third minute when he scored following a corner. Cappry got their sixth goal in the 70th minute when Aaron Kelly scored his second with a header. Gary Dunnion got Cappry’s seventh goal in the 75th minute when he blocked a clearance from the visitors defence following a corner.
Cian Byrne completed his hat-trick by scoring Cavan’s third goal from the penalty spot in the 77th minute following a hand ball in the area.
Castlefin Celtic 3-2 Convoy Arsenal
Castlefin came out on top against their neighbours Convoy Arsenal in an entertaining tie.
Castlefin started quick and took the lead after 11 minutes, Ronan Tourish’s shot from outside of the box hit the back post and went in.
Convoy came close to equalising minutes later but Eunan Kelly could not find a way past Castlefin keeper Simon Mc Menamin. Castlefin doubled the lead in the 37th minute, Mc Menamin’s long kick out found JP Malley who headed home from six yards. Convoy came out strong for the second half and pulled one back two minutes in, Eunan Kelly’s shot curled around the Castlefin defence and into the bottom corner.
Convoy equalised in the 60th minute, Jonny Robb did well to beat the defence and finished low and hard into the bottom corner. Castlefin searched for another with Barry Tourish forcing Convoy keeper Chris O’Donnell into an excellent save.
Castlefin took the lead again on 76 minutes, Ronan Tourish beat the Convoy midfield and defence to find JP Malley who back heeled the ball into the net. Convoy looked for another equaliser and 5 minutes from time went close when Lee Guthrie’s effort came back off the bar.Â
Bonagee United 1-0Â Lifford Celtic
One goal was enough for Bonagee United to get the better of Lifford Celtic.
Noel O’Donnell headed wide from ten yards after ten minutes. Eamon Cannon saw his shot from 25 yards just go wide on 13 minutes. Ciaran Patton came close for the visitors on twenty minutes after he beat the keeper to the ball on the edge of the box but the defender got back to clear off the line.
Bonagee took the lead on 30 minutes when Ciaran Bradley put Noel O’ Donnell through and the striker shot home from fifteen yards. The home side were well on top at this stage and O’ Donnell should have had another couple of goals after good crosses from Cannon and Bradley but the big striker headed over from six yards.
Adam Kelly saw his strike on the hour well saved by Carr in the home goal. Bonagee hit the bar twice first a Glen Rainey header on seventy minutes from 10Â yards and then a Chris Darby shot from the six yards on 75 minutes.Â
Kildrum Tigers 2-0 Carrowmena FC
Kildrum Tigers enjoyed a 2-0 win over Carrowmena FC from the Inishowen League.
The Tigers took the lead on when Damian Crossan got on the end of a Daniel Doherty free kick. Kildrum were well on top and doubled their lead when Shane McIntyre fired home from 12 yards on 75 minutes.Â
KS Eagles 1-6 Arranmore United
Jerry Early brought his Islanders to play KS Eagles in the FAI Junior Cup on Sunday.
They returned to Burtonport in time for the last Ferry home with a ticket secured to the next round of the competition. Two goals from Gavin Mc Glanaghey and one apiece from Chris Mc Glanaghey, Torski, David Ward, Martin Proctor and Chris Mc Glanaghey did the damage and eased the lengthy journey home after an early morning start.
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