Saturday 28th November 2009
Downtown Saturday League Cup Group 1:
Ramelton Mariners 4 Fintown Harps 6
This league cup game started off as an even contest but by the end of the first half Fintown had raced into a 5-0 lead thanks to goals from Raymond Toner after 10 minutes, followed by a hat-trick from Darragh Gallagher and a close range finish from Anthony Walsh.
The second half started with mostly Mariner pressure looking to get back into the game and they did so early in the half when Kieran Burke headed in a corner from Damian Buchanan. The home side kept up the pressure after this and scored again shortly afterwards when Kevin Coyle played Peter Brannigan through and he beat the keeper with a low drive. The same player scored again five minutes later from another corner from Damian Buchanan. Fintown made it 6-3 after this when Stephen Boyle scored on the break but the Mariners pulled another back when Peter Brannigan completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Kevin Coyle was fouled. Both sides had chances after this but neither were able to convert.
Team effort from both sides
Glencar Celtic 1 Drumbar United 1
Honours even but Glencar will feel they deserve more from a game they played so well in for so little reward. The first half came and went with no scoring with Glencar ahead only on the playing stakes. In the second half Glencar went ahead when Paddy Rafferty pounced on a loose ball that the Drumbar keeper failed to control after a shot by Hilley on 55 minutes. Drumbar came into the game more after this chasing the equaliser but came up against a strong Glencar defence marshalled well by Prionnsias Diamond. However, Glencar had a chance to go further ahead with a penalty on the 70th minute but Joe Callaghan got down well to deny Hilley with Mickey Molloy missing the follow up. Drumbar got the equaliser on the 75th minute. Glencar piled on the pressure but could not manage a winner.
Best for Glencar Prionnsias Diamond and Noel Gallagher.
Team effort from Drumbar.
Downtown Saturday League Cup Group 2:
Gweedore Celtic Res 0 Castlefinn Res 1
In perfect conditions for football, Castlefinn collected all three points in an entertaining game of football at an Screaban.
The first half had very few opportunities in front of goal, with any chances coming courtesy of corners from both sides. Castlefinn got the break when Gweedore failed to clear a corner and the Castlefinn striker made no mistake with a thunderbolt to the top corner. Gweedore responded well but were restricted to long range efforts, with Sean McKelvee and Gerard Diver both failing to hit the target from distance.
The second half saw Castlefinn start the brightest, but the final ball let them down when they were in Gweedore’s final third. 10 minutes after the restart Gweedore started to press hard for an equaliser but like Castlefinn the final pass let them down. P. Turski found the back of the net for Gweedore but was flagged for offside. Soon after Damien Campbell shot narrowly wide when put through by Noel Diver. Gweedore nearly got the equaliser 5minutes from time when Cathal Boyle nudged the ball past the Castlefinn keeper only to see his effort cleared off the line.
Team performance from Both Teams
Ref John Ferry
Cranford United 2 Kilmacrennan Celtic 0
In this switched game to Cranford it was the away side who started the brightest and they had a number of early chances from Ciaran Bonner and Johnny Nelius. Cranford were struggling in the midfield area and it took them until the 30th minute to create their first chance when Kevin Fisher broke the offside only for the Kilmacrennan keeper to be very alert and came off his line fast to produce a good block. The second half saw a much improved performance from Cranford and it was rewarded after sixty three minutes when Kevin Fisher did great work down the right wing and produced a perfect cross for sub Shea Coyle to head home. Five minutes later the home side extended their lead when Kevin Fisher latched on to a Conor Doherty pass and fired home an unstoppable shot from 20 yards. Kilmacrennan did push hard in the closing minutes but found the Cranford defence hard to break down.
Best for Cranford was Peter Gildea, Karl McIlhinney and Christopher McGinley. Team effort from Kilmacrennan.
Ref: Ronan Floyd
Downtown Saturday League Cup Group 3:
Donegal Town.2 Downtown Utd.2
This cup tie proved to be a thrilling affair with both sides having chances to win the game late on.
Downtown came storming out of the blocks and threatened to overwhelm Donegal in the first half hour but fine work by the Donegal defence and keeper Sean Martin kept the Letterkenny men at bay until the half hour mark when Marcus Oliver opened the scoring for Downtown and five minutes later they doubled their lead when Brian Murphy made it 2-0 after a goalmouth scramble. Donegal to their credit stuck to the task and very nearly scored when Gary Ward latched on to a through ball and lobbed the keeper only to see his effort headed off the line.
The second half was a different affair and a great comeback from Donegal. Downtown held their lead until the hour mark when super sub Ernest was sent on from the Donegal bench and his presence in the Downtown box proved to be the turning point in Donegal’s game. Only on the field five minutes he set up Mark Lyons for Donegal to make it 2-1 and with 15 minutes remaining he scored from close range to put the sides level. Donegal had further chances when Alan Happy went through one on one with the keeper but blasted his effort over the bar.
Downtown also had the chance to win the tie but failed to connect with several crosses and the game finished level. Best for Donegal were keeper Sean Martin and Niall Harvey and a good team effort from Downtown.
Referee P Martin.
Gweedore United 2 Milford United 3
This game played at Carrickboyle was a tight contest with the visitors leaving with all 3 points.
A five minutes lapse in concentration by the home team saw Milford go two up. The visitors went into the lead after 10 minutes when Floyd Murray broke the offside trap to shoot low into the bottom corner of Keller’s net. Five minutes later the visitors went two up after some poor defending let John Fleming through one on one with Keller in the United net with Fleming making no mistake. The Carrickboyle men began to play some nice attacking football after going two down and saw some good chances from Kevin Cassidy, Cathal Mulligan and Brian Gallagher, however the Milford defence did well to hold out until half time. The second half saw more of the same with the home side pushing hard to get on the score sheet. Their possession paid off on 58 minutes when Cathal Mulligan slid in from close range to tap the ball past the Milford keeper following a cross from Shaun Boyle to bring the home side back into the game. With Gweedore continuing to push to get the equaliser they got caught on the break with some good individual work and a good finish by Brendan Murray putting the game out of reach for the home side making it 3-1 to Milford. Gweedore got a second on 85 minutes when Cathal Mulligan headed home from close range following a good free kick from Shaun Boyle, however it was a case of to little to late. The game ended 3-2 to Milford with Floyd Manus playing well for the visitors.
Referee: Pat Murray
Sunday 29th November 2009
Brian McCormick Sports & Leisure Premier League:
Drumoghill FC 0 Gweedore Celtic 3
Gweedore Celtic got their title hopes back on track with this deserved
victory over Drumoghill at the Moss. Second half goals from Conal Ferry,
Eamon McGee and Eugene McBride were enough to clinch the points in a game
where the first goal was always going to be crucial.
The first half was a very tight affair and although it ended goalless, both
teams will feel that they should have entered the break in the ascendancy.
Each side had one excellent chance each during the opening period, but both were
spurned.
The first chance of the game fell to the visitors in the 12th minute and
came from the penalty spot. Owen McGarvey was instrumental in the build up
and his mazy run was only ended after Daryl Duncan was adjudged to have
upended him in the penalty box. However, Gareth McMonagle saved the day for
the Reds and dived low to his left to keep out Conal Ferry’s strike.
For much of the first half, the game lacked fluency in difficult conditions.
Both midfields cancelled each other out as the game developed into a
physical contest, although Drumoghill can take credit from the fact that
they did not let their opponents overpower them during the first half. The
lack of creativity meant that chances were few and far between but from one
opening that was created, Drumoghill can consider themselves unlucky not to
have taken the lead.
After good work from Shane McIntyre down the left hand side, he chipped to
the near post where Richard Tinney’s flick found strike partner Liam O’
Donnell, whose effort rebounded off the crossbar with McCauley helpless in
the visitor’s goal.
The contests significant moment arrived in the 55th minute as the visitors
broke the deadlock, and it was a super strike which did it. Eamon Ferry did
well to hold off the attentions of Gary Carr and Jonathon Wilson and slid an
excellent through ball into the path of strike partner Conal Ferry. Ferry
looked as though he would struggle to reach it but his outstretched left leg
managed to steer the ball into the opposite corner, as McMonagle advanced to
try and smother the ball.
Drumoghill had no option but to push men forward in search of an equaliser,
and in doing so left openings which Gweedore managed to take full advantage
of. From one such opening, they contest was settled with a second goal and this
time it was Eamon McGee that got it. He beat Daryl Duncan and Colin Watson
to McBride’s flick on and managed to steer the ball past McMonagle to find
the bottom corner.
Eugene McBride put the icing on the cake when he drove home Paul Curran’s
pass in the final minute to seal the victory. The scoreline might have
flattered the visitors but they were well worthy of all three points.
Milford Inn Hotel Division One:
Deele Harps 1 Donegal Town 0
Both teams started brightly, however Deele Harps had the best chances. Gavin Gallagher put a ball through to Shane Gallagher who was one on one with the goal keeper, however he shot wide.
In the forty fifth minute Deele had a corner which Paul Lynch headed against the post.
In the second half Deele started were they left off. In the 60th minute Seamie Gallagher was put through on goal and brought a good save from the goal keeper
In the 65th minute a long ball out of Deele defence found Shane Gallagher 25 yards from goal who shot and found the top corner of the net to leave the score one nil to Deele.
On the 85th minute Donegal Town had a good chance to level but a good save from the Deele Harps goalkeeper to keep it at one nil.
Good team performance from Donegal town and Deele Harps.
Referee Martin Flanagan
CT Ball Division Two:
Arranmore United 1 Rathmullen Celtic 5
Rathmullen got off to a good start in this one sided affair on the Island when after ten minutes Cormac Friel converted a free kick against the wind. Rathmullen kept the pressure on and after a defensive mix up from Arranmore, Rathmullen were awarded a penalty which was converted after twenty minutes. A lovely break from Rathmullen saw Niall Doherty finish with a beautiful strike that gave the Arranmore keeper no chance. Arranmore got one back just before half time through an own goal, but they couldn’t build any momentum in the game.
The home side played well in the second half but were caught on the break twice to leave the final score five one to the visitors.
Best for Rathmullen: Rory O’Keefe
Team effort from Arranmore
Ref Gerry Rodden
Raphoe Town 1 Curragh Athletic 6
Free-flowing Curragh Athletic overcame Raphoe Town on Sunday with a powerful second half display that saw them stun the home side who had led at the interval.
Playing with the aid of a strong breeze Raphoe had taken the lead in the 8th minute when Gerard McMonagle was upended and Peter Brolly made no mistake from the spot-kick.
After that Raphoe had chances but Curragh defended brilliantly and they always looked dangerous on the counter attack creating several good chances themselves.
They were back on level terms with a stunning strike from Calvin Bradley six minutes into the second half and where ahead just three minutes later when Damien Duffy turned home into the bottom corner following a clever free-kick.
Gerard Melaugh made it 3-1 to Curragh with a stunning free-kick to the top corner and stright from the centre man of the match Savlon nipped in to make it 4-1.
At that stage there was no way back for Raphoe and Savlon showed a brilliant touch to take the ball away from two defenders before tucking into the bottom corner.
Damien Duffy finished off the rout when he deflected a goalbound shot into the net to round off an excellent display from the visitors.
Ulster Junior Cup
Cappry Rovers 1 Carndonagh F.C.2
Cappry Rovers made their exit from the Ulster Junior Cup in an entertaining game in Cappry Park when they were defeated by the odd goal in three by a strong organised Carndonagh team.
Play swung from end to end with both teams creating a number of chances but the visitors made the breakthrough in the twenty seventh minute when the Cappry defence failed to clear the ball following a corner and Brendan Tabb scored with a low shot to the bottom corner of the net.
The visitors kept the pressure on after this looking for a second but Cappry should have got on level terms when they had a number of chances from Kevin Mc Glynn, Malachy Martin and PJ Gallagher but good keeping and defensive work by Carndonagh kept them at bay.
Carndonagh got their second in the forty first minute when Andrew Doherty shot to the top corner of the net following a corner.
Cappry got a goal back in the fifty eighth minute when a through ball from Dylan Ramsey was won by Damien Glackin and he shot high to the top of the net over the advancing keeper.
Both sides created numerous chances after this but to no avail.
Team performance from Cappry
Best for Carndonagh Andrew Doherty, Kevin Kelly and Ronan Doherty.
Referee Ed Moore.
Keadue Rovers 5 Greencastle 2
Keadue continued their good cup form with a comprehensive victory over Greencastle. The home side could well have won by more with some good work by the Greencastle keeper preventing a bigger defeat. After an even opening few minutes Greencastle took the lead on eight minutes, when the ball broke to Stephen Bonner and he chipped the keeper from twenty five yards. Keadue, though started to get on top with front men Adrian Hanlon and Doalty Boyle combining well. From a Doalty Boyle cross on thirteen minutes Adrian Hanlon’s effort was saved from close range. Hanlon also had a header saved on eighteen. The home side continued to dominate despite a strong wind against them. Greencastle had a chance on the break after thirty three minutes when Stephen Bonners shot went close. On thirty four minutes Keadue should’ve equalised when Colin McCarron burst through but fired over from the edge of the box. Both sides exchanged chances before the break and in injuiry time James Boyles cross was met by Doalty Boyle with a diving header to make it 1-1 at half time. The home side dominated from the off in the second half with chances from Doalty Boyle, Brendan McGarvey and Adrian Hanlon. In the fifty eight minute from James Boyles free kick Raymond Sweeney rose to flick a header to the net to make it 2-1 to Keadue. Two minutes later it was 3-1, Doalty Boyle controlling from the edge of the box and shooting past the keeper at the near post. In the sixty fifth minute, the home side were completely dominant and Adrian Hanlon made it 4-1 with a low shot from twenty five yards. From the kick off though, Greencastle caught the home side and from the tip off their centre forward lobbed Corey Gallagher to make it 4-2. The game retained its pattern however with Keadue still posing all the threat and the game was made safe after seventy three minutes with the goal of the game. Adrian Hanlon receiving the ball with his back to goal, turning the defender and fired past the keeper to make it 5-1. Greencastle battled away and one final chance fell to them in the last few minutes, Keadues keeper Corey Gallagher denying the striker from the edge of the box.
Best for Greencastle were Michael Barr and Tom Casey, while Doalty Boyle, James Boyle and Adrian Hanlon impressed for Keadue.
Referee: Mick Lagan
Milford United 3 Rasheny FC 2
Milford overcame Inishowen side Rasheny in the Ulster Junior Cup thanks to goals from Sean McHugh, Danny Gallagher and JJ Fleming.
Milford fielded with out a few first team regulars and performed well with fringe players playing with a good tempo and hard work. Sean McHugh put the home side ahead in the first minute when he latched on to a through ball to slide past the advancing keeper. Milford went two nil ahead when a Danny Gallagher cross deceived the keeper and ended up in the net. Milford with a lot of pressure playing with the wind gave a goal away before the break when Nigel Black failed to clear and the visitors fired home. Playing with the wind in the second half Rasheny came in to the game much more but Milford’s defence stood strong and very hard to break down. With 15 minutes to go a great ball forward by Anthony Hegarty was knocked on by Gary Merritt for JJ Fleming to fire home. Milford missed a good few chances and sub Brendan Murray had a cracking effort from 40 yards hit the top of the cross bar. Milford gave a way a late goal when Christy McCafferty failed the clear for Rasheny to steal the ball and round the quick dashing Milford keeper to tap home.
The visitors worked hard as did the home side with Hugo Hagan, Brian Peoples, Damian Casey and Gary Merritt outstanding. Referee Paddy Melaugh.
Ballybofey Utd 2 Glenea Utd 0
Ballybofey opened brightly with Joe Dunnion bringing a good save out of the Glenea keeper, Christopher Sweeney, on five minutes. The home team scored the first on 10 minutes when Chris Mc Daid netted at the second attempt after a corner from Ryan Carlin. Glenea came into the game after this and pushed hard for equalizer but didn’t create any clear cut chances.
The second came on 62 minutes when Bonar chipped the keeper after a free kick form Gavin Doherty. Glenea tried hard after this but good defending by the home team kept them at bay with Patton pulling of a great save on 88minutes.
Best for Ballybofey- Joe Dunnion and Gavin Doherty. Team effort Glenea.
Referee Victor Rainey.
Lagan Harps 4 Gweedore Utd 0
Lagan progressed to the second round after a hard fought game with Gweedore Utd. Stephen O’Donnell opened the scoring on fifteen minutes when Paul Rodgers sent a long ball to Kenny Doran who crossed for O’Donnell to score. Playing with the aid of the breeze Lagan continued to dominate and Kenny Doran went close with two headed efforts. Lagan grabbed their second on forty five minutes when Stephen O’Donnell again found the target. His initial volley from a Kevin Kelly corner was headed off the line but he fired home the rebound. Gweedore upped their game with the aid of the breeze in the second half. Led by team captain Fionnain Diver they put the Lagan defence under sustained pressure. Lagan held firm due to the excellent performance of centre backs Seamie Peoples and Ronan Lennon. Just when Gweedore looked like getting back in the game Lagan grabbed their third. Stephen O’Donnell set off on a run down the wing on sixty minutes and his cross was expertly volleyed home by Chris Toner. Stephen O’Donnell then sealed the tie when he drove home a fine effort from the edge of the area, to complete his hat trick. Lagans best were Stephen O’Donnell, Seamie Peoples and Ronan Lennon. Gweedores best were Owen Ward and Fionnain Diver.
Referee was Packy Coll.
Kilmacrennan 3 Moville 4
Moville started the strongest and it took a goal from Moville to get a reaction from the home side. Moville took the lead through Declan McGuiness on the half hour from a fine Joe Doherty corner. Kilmac sprang to life and scored two goals within the last five minutes of the first half. Gary Gorman scrambled the ball in from 3 yards after Eddie Doherty’s shot was cleared off the line. Doherty then got on the scored sheet right at the death of the first half after being put through by Timmy Burke, the striker coolly finished from twenty yards with just the keeper to beat.
Moville threw everything they could at the Kilmac defence for the entire second half and were rewarded with fifteen minutes remaining. Joe Doherty got onto the end of a Declan McGuiness cross and headed in from ten yards. The away side continued to press and scored two goals in quick succession. Ritchie McElhinney made no mistake from two yards after great work from Joe Doherty with twelve minutes to go. Doherty secured his brace two minutes later from twenty yards with a fine free kick. Eddie Doherty scored his second late on and set up a tense final three minutes. Kilmac thought they scored again right at the death when the ball had crossed the line from a goal mouth scramble however referee Lawerence Duggan was blinded by the amount of players in the six yard box.
Moville march on while Kilmac must now concentrate on the league.
Team efforts from both.
Referee L. Duggan
