CLONMANY SHAMROCKS recorded a fine 5-3 win at Aileach while QPS were 6-2 winners at home to Culdaff in the Premier Division with Carn moving clear at the top of the First Division thanks to a narrow 2-1 win over Dunree.
JACKIE CROSSAN PREMIER DIVISION
Aileach FC 3 Clonmany Shamrocks 5
IN A high-scoring encounter this game swung one way then the other before Clonmany sealed the three points.
Aileach took an early lead after Gavin Doherty and Ronan Coyle combined for the latter to drill low past Patrick Harkin from ten yards.
Clonmany equalised in fortuitous fashion when a corner deflected off an unfortunate defender and past David McGeady.
On 21 minutes another corner caused havoc when the ball broke to Philip Devlin he fired over from fifteen yards.
On the stroke of half time the Shamrocks broke and took the lead after McGeady parried a Jason Devlin effort but Paddy Doherty followed up to slot home.
Both sides spurned good chances in the opening period of the second half.
Gavin Doherty ran onto a Coyle pass but fired wide before at the other end Jamie Coyle ran through but his effort was diverted wide by the outstretched leg of McGeady.
On the hour Darren Gallagher was upended in the area and Coyle converted the penalty before two minutes later Caoimhin McFeely released Coyle to slot home and complete his hat trick.
Clonmany’s Jamie Coyle turned the game on his head when he firstly home before outpacing a static home defence and slotting past McGeady.
In the closing minutes when McGeady punched clear, Coyle controlled well and fired high to complete his hat trick.
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QPS 6 Culdaff F 2
QPS dominated the opening half with Oisin McColgan heading across goal and wide before Odhran McColgan volleyed over on 21 minutes.
Two goals in as many minutes put them in the driving seat with Jack McConalogue converting a Stephen Grant cross from eight yards on 23 minutes to open the scoring.
A minute later Odhran McColgan flicked on a long ball to Karl Donnelly who executed an exquisite chip over Darragh McLaughlin.
Five minutes later it became three when Grant again burst up the right and crossed for McConalogue to sidefoot home from ten yards.
McConalogue waltzed past three defenders but saw his effort crash off the post.
On 53 minutes the visitors had their first chance when a Matthew Crampsey effort crashed back off the bar.
The home side increased their lead when Oisin McCool advanced into the area to hook the ball home from a tight angle.
Midway through the second half Dillon Ruddy advanced to the edge of the area but his effort was deflected wide.
They got a goal back on 71 minutes when a Ruddy free from the edge of the area was parried by Jordan Mclaughlin for Noel McLaughlin to stab home from six yards.
The point hit back minutes later when Odhran McColgan released substitute Eamon Gallagher to drill home from eight yards. A
minute later Culdaff got one back after a Conor Farren cross found Michael Coyle who looped a header past Mclaughlin.
On 88 minutes a quick free by Gallagher sent Jack McConalogue to slot home and complete his hat trick.
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STRAND HOTEL FIRST DIVISION
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Rasheney FC 4 Carrowmena FC 3
PLAYED on Saturday night this game looked beyond the home team’s reach just after half time but it took a twist in their favour midway through the second half and they recovered to take all three points.
The visitors opened the scoring after half an hour when Michael Coyle delivered a crossfield ball to Conor Doherty who controlled, beat a defender and slotted to the bottom corner.
Two minutes before the interval their advantage was doubled when a right wing corner was cleared out as far as Kevin Toner and he shot to the net from just outside the area.
Right on half time Rasheney got back into the game when Paddy McGilloway headed home a
corner.
Within a minute of the restart the visitors took a firm grip on proceedings when Coyle’s delightful free from twenty five yards flew into the net for what looked like a game clinching three-one scoreline.
On 55 minutes Rasheney could have pulled a goal back when sub Christy Ivers, at the far post, headed Declan Mc Laughlin’s corner back across the face of goal but there was no one to apply
the finishing touch.
On the hour mark Jude Harkin’s diagonal ball from the left wing sent Dane Doherty clear and he looked certain to score but Roger McGilloway advanced brilliantly to claim.
The home team’s unlikely comeback was set in motion on 75 minutes when McGilloway, at the near post, glanced home a corner and two minutes later the score moved on to three-all when
Emlyn Doherty shot low to the net after the ball broke to him following Tiernan Devine’s free into the box.
Carrowmena’s Doherty again found himself one on one with McGilloway and seemed certain to score but the ‘keeper prevailed.
With six minutes remaining Emlyn Doherty delivered a defence splitting pass that put Declan Oggie in the clear beyond the visiting defence and he drove the ball beyond McGeoghan for the winner. Before the end, McGilloway could have secured his hat trick but his effort dropped just wide of the far upright.
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Carn FC 2 Dunree United 1
CARN opened up a gap at the top of the table when they recorded a narrow win over their nearest rivals.
Carn took the lead when a Michael McDermott cross from half way into the Dunree half was finished into the bottom corner from Darragh Deery from eight yards.
A poor back pass by Carn in the 13th minute was picked up by Sean Doherty at far post but he saw his shot tipped over by Daniel Houghton, who also made a one on one save from Philip McGuinness before Sean Doherty shot over when well placed.
Deery was wide with a diving header before a long free from Michael O’Donnell was headed goal wards by Dominic Doherty and parried by Paul McGettigan only for Darragh Deery to slot home from close range.
In the 39th minute a free from Michael McDermott sailed just wide of the post.
In a second half which was mainly made up of long shots, Brandon Browne won ball midway through Dunree half but shot over distance.
Dunree got back into the game when a long ball beat the Carn defence and Oisin O’Flaherty finished.
In the 55th minute a free kick in edge of box by Liam Baldrick was well saved by Houghton before midway through the half O’Donnell corner was turned onto the post by Shane Doherty.
Dunree had the final chance after a cross from Philip McGuinness found Kyle McDaid who sliced over from point-blank range.