THE battles at both ends of the various Donegal Leagues are hotting up after this weekend – here’s a roundup of all the action.
Kilmacrennan Celtic are the new Premier Division leaders after they defeated Cappry Rovers 2-0.
Glenea United and Convoy Arsenal (pictured) both won in Division 1 with Glenea holding a two-point lead at the summit, although Convoy have a game in hand.
Raphoe Town scored eight away to Dunkineely to close the gap to five on Swilly Rovers in Division 2.
Glencar Inn Saturday Division One
Kildrum Tigers Reserves 4 Milford United Reserves 1
(No Report Submitted)
Old Orchard Saturday Division Two
Cappry Rovers Reserves 3 Drumkeen United Reserves 0
This game was played at Letterkenny Community Centre. Drumkeen started the game well and had the early pressure but Cappry’s defence dealt well. C
appry got the opening goal of the game in the 31st minute when James Speight finished well following a good move.
Odhran McGlynn scored just before the break to double the lead for Cappry.
The second half was even with both teams having half-chances. Cappry added a third through Peter Lafferty mid-way through the second half. Two team performances.
Referee: George Clinton
Brian Mc Cormick Sports Premier Division
Cranford United 2 Drumkeen United 2
The points were shared in blustery conditions in Rathmullan.
Drumkeen started the game best and put Cranford’s defence under a lot of pressure and their pressure was rewarded on 25 minutes when they broke up the field and scored after a cut back into the box.
This seemed to wake Cranford and they upped their game, missing a couple of good opportunities before equalising when Lorcan Connor beat his man inside the box and his lovely left footed chip found the top corner.
Drumkeen again started the second half the strongest and took the lead after 60 minutes when the ball fell to their right back and he let loose from 25 yards and his lovely strike went in off the bar.
Drumkeen could have increased their lead only for three or four great saves from Jason Hegarty.
Cranford levelled it with 15 minutes to go when Chris Duffy scored a lovely free kick from the edge of the box and that’s how it ended.
Castlefin Celtic 5 Keadue Rovers 2
Castlefin came out on top against Keadue on Sunday, a game played in difficult conditions. Keadue took the lead in the 3rd minute when Mannie Mc Gee scored after a though ball from David Ward.
The home side upped their play and equalised in the 17th minute when Foy played the ball out wide to Ronan Tourish who whipped a cross to the back post to Emmet White who fired home. Castlefin kept up the pressure and had chances through Bogan, White and McNulty.
Just before the break Castlefin took the lead when Raymond Foy shot to the corner of the net from a Gary McNulty pass.
It was 3-1 on 48 minutes when a defensive mix-up allowed Tourish in one on one with the keeper and he squared to Corey Lee Bogan who tapped home.
Castlefin got their fourth in the 58th minute when O’Hagan won the ball in midfield and passed to White who then passed to Bogan who crossed to Tourish to score.
Two minutes later Keadue were awarded a penalty. Chris Greene took the penalty but was well saved by the home keeper Chris O’Donnell.
In the 65th minutes things got worse for Keadue when they had a player sent off.
Keadue pulled one back in the 75th minute when Michael Greene lobbed the keeper from 20 yards.
Castlefin completed the scoring in the 85th minute when they were awarded a penalty for a foul in the box and Emmet White converted. Best for Castlefin were Corey Bogan, Emmet White and Aaron O Hagan.
Best for Keadue were Chris Green and Jay Doherty. Referee: Alastair Gourley.
Cappry Rovers 0 Kilmacrennan Celtic 2
Click here to read a report from this game
Temple Domestic Appliances Division One
Ballybofey United 1 Gweedore Celtic 3
Ballybofey United’s Promotion hopes took a blow on Sunday when they lost at home to Gweedore Celtic. They went in at half-time a goal to the good after Brian Lafferty Jnr. had given them the lead just before the break.
But they succumbed to a second-half hat-trick from Eoin De Burca who spearheaded Gweedore’s comeback.
The win keeps the Screaban men in touch with the sides vying for third place in the table. Referee: Stephen Toner.
Glenea United 3 Kerrykeel ’71 F.C 2
Glenea secured another valuable 3 points at Glasserchoo to keep a hold on that top spot.
The game started off slowly with both teams afraid to over commit due to the importance of the game.
Kerrykeel came close to scoring in the 18th minute when a Marty McAteer free came off the crossbar. Four minutes later it was Glenea who were denied, Kevin Mulhern got on the end of a Sean Coll corner and it was somehow cleared off the line by the Kerrykeel defence.
Kerrykeel went one up in the 27th minute when a ball over the top fell to Marty McAteer and he slotted past the keeper.
Kerrykeel went two up with a well worked move in the 40th minute, good link-up play from Bernard McGettigan played in Patsy Friel who made no mistake from 12 yards.
Within two minutes Glenea pulled one back, Sean McBride was taken down in the box and Darren Ferry scored the resulting penalty. Glenea started the second half brighter and found themselves level in the 55th minute when Sean Curran shot past the keeper from 30 yards.
Glenea keep the pressure on with John McFadden causing havoc in the Kerrykeel defence and they were rewarded in the 71st minute when Michael Barry and John McFadden combined well to set up Ciaran McGeady for a tap in from three yards.
Kerrykeel did manage to penetrate the Glenea defence in the 75th minute when Mc Gettigan found himself one on one with keeper Joe Coll, but Coll stood strong and saved well.
With time running out Kerrykeel pushed but Glenea were happy to soak up the pressure and hit on the break, with Mc Fadden and Mc Geady having chances for Glenea near the end. Good team performances in windy conditions.
Referee: Marty McGarrigle
Drumoghill F.C. 1 Letterbarrow Celtic 2
(No Report Submitted)
Convoy Arsenal 5 Lifford Celtic 3
Convoy opened the scoring on five minutes when J.P. Malley scored after a strong run by Dean Bonner.
Lifford equalised on 15 minutes when Anthony Crossan headed home from a set piece. Convoy regained the lead five minutes before the break when Malley tapped home after good work from Joseph McGill.
The visitors levelled on the hour mark when Niall Coyle fired home from the edge of the box.
The home side quickly put the game beyond doubt when Malley completed his hat-trick, an excellent strike from McGill and a good opportunist goal from Paddy Dolan. Lifford got a late consolation through Cian McGinley.
An entertaining contest served up by both teams in difficult weather conditions.
St. Catherines 1 Rathmullan Celtic 1
St Catherine’s were slow out of the traps and paid the price for poor defending on four minutes. Niall Carruthers latched onto a dropping ball and made no mistake from 12 yards making it one-nil to Rathmullan.
A young home team settled and grew into the game. A driving run through the middle of the park from Conor Doherty got its just rewards on 17minutes when David McGuinness fired home from Doherty’s great work and squared the game at 1-1.
The game remained level into the second half and both teams were guilty of squandering good chances. McFadden was having an excellent game in the middle of the field for Rathmullan but neither he nor the excellent Jaydee could break down the home defence.
Both teams provided good entertainment in difficult conditions and when Tony McNamee blew for full time both teams seemed content with a point
Donegal Physiotherapy & Performance Centre Division Two
Curragh Athletic 0 Gweedore United 4
Curragh welcomed Gweedore to the Sports Complex in Killygordon. In good conditions the home side started well but on 30 minutes a long ball over the Curragh defence saw the striker latch onto it and punished the home side.
On 45 minutes Gweedore got their second to make it 2-0 at half time.
It was very fast and flowing football at the start of the second half with the home side pushing for a goal but the away side caught them again to make it 3-0 and the away side got a fourth before the final whistle.
Dunkineely Celtic 1 Raphoe Town 8
Raphoe started the game with a strong breeze to their backs in a cold and wet Darney Park and after only 8 minutes they took the lead with a strike from the left which went over the Dunkineely keeper and into the net.
Raphoe sought to take advantage of their dominance and two minutes later Corey Byrne was forced to push a shot over his bar for a corner. Raphoe continued to push and in the 12th minute the Dunkineely keeper saved well at his front post to concede another corner, the resulting kick dropped at the back post and found the net after Dunkineely failed to clear the ball.
Raphoe added another goal on 20 minutes and 10 minutes later then were awarded a penalty after a clumsy challenge in the Dunkineely box. Corey Byrne got down well to save the resulting spot kick.
Raphoe added another goal before half-time to lead 4-0. Raphoe scored two more goals after half-time and on 62 minutes the Raphoe keeper saved well to his left from an Emmet Kennedy free kick.
Dunkineely got their consolation goal 14 minutes later when Adrian Nesbitt converted from the spot after Lee Byrne had been taken down in the box.
Raphoe replied two minutes later with an excellent strike from 25 yards before adding another shortly before the final whistle. Scorers for Raphoe Corey Gillen (3), Michael Quinn (2), Keelan Bogle (1), D.J. Kelly (1) and Oliver Quinn (1)
