THE Area Shields of the Brian McCormick Cup have taken shape after a big day of action today. Here’s what happened:
Picture: Bonagee United who booked their place in the Letterkenny Area final thanks to a 4-0 win over Milford United.
Donegal Area
Ballybofey United 1 St. Catherines 2
St. Catherines came to Ballybofey with a strong squad for this match needing a positive result to book there Area-Final place against Cappry Rovers. They got the perfect start when Daniel Breslin gave them a 13th minute lead from the penalty spot.
The match was an even enough affair with neither team all that dominant although St. Catherines did create the better chances. It remained one-nil until the break.
Breslin then extended the Catherines’ lead after only ten minutes of the second period.
The new-found comfort zone didn’t last long for the Killybegs side however as Ballybofey pulled a goal back through Eunan Doherty who calmly rolled his penalty kick past Michael Mullan, the St. Catherines’ netminder.
This gave Ballybofey a new confidence and they really competed well for the remainder of the match but unfortunately they couldn’t find an equalising goal. The latter stages saw the home side threaten but the visitors stood tall and held out to book their area final spot.
Cappry Rovers 3 Donegal Town 3
Cappry started well and scored when Alan Gethins headed home a Jamie Murray cross at the back post. Cappry doubled their lead in the 18th minute when Paddy Mc Nulty tapped in following a mix-up in the Donegal defence. Donegal Town got a goal back in the 20th minute when Ronan McHugh finished well.
Donegal Town started the second half well and got level through Ronan Mc Hugh who again finished well. The game was end to end now and Cappry went back in from when Tristan Ferris headed home a Benny Bonner free kick. Donegal Town got a late equaliser when an Aaron Slevin free-kick came off the crossbar and Declan Browne was first to react and headed home the rebound.
Drumkeen United 8 Dunkineely Celtic 0
Drumkeen wrapped up their Brian McCormick Cup campaign with a comprehensive win against a very youthful Dunkineely side in Drumkeen on Sunday afternoon. Michael Guthrie had completed his hat-trick inside the first half hour.
Guthrie was proving a handful for the Dunkineely defence and he added a fourth from the penalty spot after he was fouled in the box.
Rory Craig nearly added a fifth when he got on the end of a great cross from Conor Laverty but he saw his effort hit the post. Dunkineely kept battling away and they nearly had a goal back but the shot went just wide of the Drumkeen post. The hosts did add a fifth just before half time. Maurice Laverty tried to lob the keeper but his effort hit the crossbar and bounced down on the goal line for Rory Craig to tap in.
Drumkeen began the second half as they finished the first and Michael Guthrie was soon on the score-sheet again as he got on the end of a great pass from Shane Laverty to add his fifth. Drumkeen continued to press and Guthrie soon completed his double hat-trick when he tapped home a Niall Howley cross.
Drumkeen did manage one more goal before the end. There were three Lavertys on the pitch for Drumkeen but it was Daddy who went home with the bragging rights after Maurice Laverty fired home after a great run and cross from Rory Craig out on the left wing.
This was a team effort from a youthful Dunkineely team who, to their credit, kept battling away despite the scoreline.
Letterbarrow Celtic 2 Curragh Athletic 1
(No Report Submitted)
Gweedore Area
Cranford United 2 Glenea United 0
Cranford took all three points in a very good victory against Glenea. Cranford were out of the blocks quickly putting the pressure on the Glenea defence and that pressure paid off after 20 minutes when Fallon Mc Bride laid the ball off to Danny Mc Bride on the edge of the box and his super strike went into the top corner. Cranford had multiple chances to increase their lead but couldn’t take them until the 70th minute when James Lee Mc Bride was played in behind and he held off the defender and powered home and that’s how it finished.
Keadue Rovers 3 Glenree United 0
(No Report Available)
Kilmacrennan Celtic 0 Gweedore Celtic 0
Gweedore got a lot of men behind the ball and made it hard to break down.
Kilmacrennan had several chances but didn’t convert them.
Gweedore worked hard to the end. Best for Kilmacrennan Paul Bradley, team effort from Gweedore.
Letterkenny Area
Bonagee United 4 Milford United 0
The home side took the lead on twelve minutes when Peter Carr was brought down in the box and Ryan McGavigan converted the spot kick.
Eamon Cannon had a good strike from 25 yards well saved by McGettigan in the visiting goal on 18 minutes. Carr in the home goal made a great save from Liam Donnelly on 26 minutes.
Three minutes later Carr made another good save when the ball fell to Ryan Campbell on the edge of the box. The home side got their second on 34 minutes when Jordan Gallagher won the ball off the defender and it fell to Lee Mc Monagle and he shot home from just inside the box.
It was three-nil on 38 minutes when Aaron Wasson was put clear down the right, he beat the keeper to the ball and scored from ten yards.
Milford tested Carr in the home goal with strikes on 42 from Logue and 44 from Conor McHugh. The home side kept the pressure on and on 47 minutes a Lee McMonagle shot was blocked by the keeper and the ball fell to Aaron Wasson who shot wide from six yards.
The home side got their fourth on fifty-nine minutes when Aaron Wasson was brought down in the box and Ryan McGavigan converted the spot kick to get his second of the match.
The home side had strikes on goal from Eamon Cannon and Jordan Gallagher on 76 and 80 but Mc Gettigan saved well in the visitor’s goal.
Letterkenny Rovers 8 Kerrykeel ’71 F.C. 0
Letterkenny Rovers topped their group and secured a home final in the Letterkenny Area of the Brian McCormick Cup after a comfortable 8-0 win over Kerrykeel at Leckview Park on Sunday afternoon.
Rovers, who remain undefeated in the group stages, took the lead after just 11 minutes when a well floated corner from Caolan McConnell was met by the leaping Jack Dwyer at the back post and he headed home past Joshua McAteer in the Kerrykeel goal.
The visitors though came close to levelling on 17 minutes when Marty Mc Ateer’s free kick almost caught home goalkeeper Blake Forkan napping but the ball was cleared.
Rovers though stepped on the gas after that near miss and after Leon Doherty’s effort struck the base of the post on 20 minutes they doubled their lead just a minute later when Nathan Plumb fired home after a teasing cross from the right.
The lead was extended just after the half hour mark when debutante Patrick Gahir weaved through the Kerrykeel defence before squaring to Darragh Morrison and he fired home. The home side dominated possession and went four up before the break when the impressive Gahir scored into an empty net after Dylan Doogan had initially broke the offside trap and forced a good save from McAteer.
The game was over as a contest and Rovers added four goals within an eight-minute period just after the hour mark. Plumb netted on 61 minutes with a low drive to make it 5-0 before Morrison added his 2nd of the day making it 6-0 on 63 minutes.
Morrison completed his hat-trick firing home a penalty to make it 7-0 before another rasping effort from Plumb made it 8-0 on 69 minutes as he completed his hat-trick. Kerrykeel twice came close to scoring a late consolation but failed to penetrate the Rovers defence.
Swilly Rovers 2 Rathmullan Celtic 0
Rathmullan struck the bar on 21 minutes with a fine Ephrim Mc Fadden shot. Jamie Blaney had to be alert on two occasions to deny Rathmullan.
Swilly went ahead on 22 minutes when smart footwork by the impressive Martin Doyle saw him slot home from ten yards with great composure.
Martin McDaid doubled their lead on 73 minutes with a lovely shot from 15 yards.
Damien Friel and the defence played well but Swilly wanted it more and were worthy winners in the end in a good sporting contest.
Whitestrand United 1 Fanad United 6
Whitestrand United and Fanad United played out their final match in this season’s Brian M Cormick Cup Group stages in a sun-drenched McGarvey Park in what was the first ever meeting of the clubs.
Due to unavailability and injuries to several players, both sides fielded weakened sides, particularly the home side and Fanad United took full advantage and ran out comfortable winners on a 6 -1 scoreline.
The home side’s first attempt on goal came on the fifth minute when Ryan McGinley’s long range shot went over the bar. On 16 minutes, Dylan Dorrian’s left-footed shot was well tipped over the bar by Whitestrand’s goalkeeper, Gavin McFadden.
A minute later, the Fanad pressure paid off and their first goal came, Cian Sweeney chipped in a cross from the right and some hesitancy from goalkeeper McFadden allowed Enda Coll to nip in and direct the ball towards the goal-line, Ryan Mc Cleary’s gallant goal line clearance saw his shot rebound off his own defender and roll into the net to put Fanad one up. Declan Sweeney could have put Fanad two up on 19 minutes when through one-on-one but Gavin Mc Fadden saved well, turning the ball out for a corner.
On 20 minutes, following some neat play involving Kane Mc Laughlin and Jordan Nugent, the latter’s shot went narrowly wide of the Fanad keeper’s left hand post. Jay Curran had a decent effort on 25 minutes for the home team with his left footed shot just going narrowly wide.
Curran had a great chance to equalise for the home team on 27 minutes when his header from a Kevin Loughrey cross from the left was off target. Two minutes later, Whitestrand had their best chance to equalise when Kane McLaughlin’s attempted lob was brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Fanad’s goalkeeper, Darren Nash, making his return to the Fanad colours.
Fanad went straight up the field and could have got their second goal but Keelin McElwaine shot wide. However, the away team’s second goal came on the 39th minute when Keelin McElwaine slipped in Declan Sweeney and despite a suspicion of offside, the number 10 tucked the ball past the advancing McFadden in the Whitestrand goal.
Sweeney could have put Fanad three up on the stroke off half time but his effort was well saved and tipped around the post for a corner by McFadden. The home side had an opportunity to get on the scoreboard on 52 minutes when a free-kick from the right of the 18-yard box from Jay Curran went narrowly wide. A
minute later, Fanad got their third goal, Daire Crossan got caught in possession for the home team and Keelin Mc Elwaine capitalised and finished well past McFadden.
In the 58th minute, Whitestrand were awarded a penalty when Jay Curran was fouled in the penalty area, Kevin Loughrey converted the spot kick sending Nash the wrong way in the Fanad nets to give Whitestrand a chance to mount a comeback.
However, it was Fanad that finished the game stronger. Keelin McElwaine got his second and Fanad’s fourth goal on 74 minutes with a good finish to the bottom corner.
Fanad’s left back, Patrick Moffitt scored his side’s final two goals, his first a looping right footed shot from the edge of the box, in the 83rd minute, nested beautifully in the top corner.
His second came in the 87th minute when his left footed cross deceived the Whitestrand goalkeeper and dropped into the net to make it 6–1 to Fanad.
Lifford Area
Castlefin Celtic 1 Kildrum Tigers 6
Kildrum left Castlefin with the points after a dominant second half display. The home side who had better of the opening half, Jordan Mc Kinney, Emmet White and Chris Bryson all having attempts on goal. In the 41st minute the home side took the lead when Sean Ferry smashed home a Stevie Roulston cross from the left.
In the second half Kildrum scored three goals in an eighteen-minute spell, Gavin McGee headed home a Kevin McHugh corner.
Mc Hugh then scored a 30-yard free kick and Daniel Clarke scored. The visitors didn’t stop at that, Luke Toland, Daniel McNulty and McHugh all added their name to the score sheet.
Drumoghill F.C. 0 Convoy Arsenal 4
(No Report Submitted)
Lagan Harps 2 Raphoe Town 3
Raphoe went away winners in the end in a hard fought and sometimes feisty contest. They took the lead on twenty minutes when Caolan Bogle headed in a long throw in from Scott Devenney. They went 2-0 up when Caolan Bogle lost his marker at a corner and fired into the far corner. Lagan were under the cosh at this stage with Jamie Gallagher shooting into the side netting and Conor Crossan clearing one off the line.
Mark Laird also had a shot that went narrowly wide. Lagan improved in a more evenly fought second half. They got back into the game on 65 minutes when Ronan Carlin converted a Josh Hay corner.
Lagan were pressing for an equaliser but conceded a third on eighty minutes. Some sloppy play was punished when Jamie Gallagher seized on a loose ball. He was taken down and Caolan Bogle, stepped up to complete his hat-trick.
Lagan weren’t done and Josh Hay headed home a Ciaran Quinn cross.
