It may yet be regarded as a pivotal Sunday in the Inishowen League after Clonmany’s 1-0 win over Aileach and Glengad’s gritty derby win at Culdaff means Shane Byrne’s three-in-a-row champions are back on top of the Jackie Crossan Premier Division.
Jackie Crossan Premier Division 2pm
Clonmany Shamrocks 1 Aileach FC 0
Aileach with the wind started well and both Anthony Doherty and Darren McMonagle fired in efforts which Patrick Harkin saved well . The visitors then spurned a gilt edged chance when they were awarded a penalty but Anthony Doherty’s effort was saved by Harkin. Midway through the half Clonmany replied with a Steve Harkin effort deflected behind for a corner before Jason Devlin’s attempted lob landed on top of the net.
Aileach hit back again with a Gavin Doherty free which Harkin tipped over at full stretch before Anthony Doherty saw a close range effort crash off the bar. After an even opening to the second period Clonmany broke the deadlock on the hour after a Jason Devlin cross found Oisin Hession cutting in from the right and he headed back across David McGeady to the far corner for a superb finish.
Paddy Doherty then had an effort saved by McGeady before Steve Harkin headed over from a Ferghal Harkin free.
Aileach upped the tempo in the last twenty and a Gavin Doherty cross eluded all before Harkin turned a good effort from Darren McMonagle round the post.
They spurned another glorious chance when Anthony Doherty was upended in the area and Gareth McGlynn’s attempted dink was again saved by Harkin.
In the final minute McMonagle burst into the area but Harkin saved with his legs as the Shamrocks held on for an excellent win.
Culdaff FC 2 Glengad United 3
Click here to read Charlie Collins match report
Carn FC 0 Buncrana Hearts 2
Buncrana started well with a Kieran McDaid free finding Kevin O’Loughlin but he headed over from ten yards before Oisin O Flaherty headed home a Kieran McDaid free minutes later to give the Hearts the lead . On 18 minutes another McDaid cross found O’Loughlin but he fired wide from fifteen yards. Carn came more into the game with Nathan Logue crossing for Dermot Doherty who failed to hit the target from twelve yards.
Then a Matthew McLaughlin corner found Michael O Donnell whose header was parried away by Seamus Houghton. At the start of the second half Carn continued on top when a Logue cross found Michael McDermott who fired just wide from the edge of the area.
On 65minutes Luke Rudden fed Lee McLaughlin on the right and his cross was met by Logue but he fired wide from six yards. Buncrana responded with O Flaherty feeding O’Loughlin who laid the ball off for Stephen McHugh but he fired wide from ten yards. Buncrana sealed the points on 88 minutes after McDaid dispossessed a defender and raced clear to powerfully fire past Kyle Dougal from the edge of the area.
QPS 0 Illies Celtic 0
This bottom of the table clash saw Illies have the first effort when a Liam Grant shot from distance was held by Aiden Lynch.
The point responded and Sean Downey cut in from the right but Johnathan Noone was equal to his effort.
Illies best chance of the half came on 21 minutes when Lynch blocked a Paddy Doherty effort before Doherty’s follow up was also blocked by a defender. Both Downey and Gerard Greene were then off target with efforts before on the stroke of half time Illies Dominic Coyle collected a poor clearance and unleashed a thirty five yards effort which the back tracking Lynch just gathered.
The point started the second period well and Stephen McKendry had an effort saved by Noone before Brian McColgan fired wide when well placed.
Then both Downey and Josh Boyle had efforts which again failed to hit the target before a Conor Barrow corner was cleared to the edge of the area but Greene fired just over.
Illies broke and their best chance of the half came on 75 minutes when Liam Grant burst through but Lynch advanced well to smother. The last chance of the game fell to the home side when Downey fed Boyle whose low effort was well saved by Noone.
Strand Hotel First Division
Gleneely Colts 2 Dunree United 3
Dunree got off to a dream start when Thomas Mulhern fed Philip McGuinness on the left and he fired high past Adrian Duffy from fifteen yards on 5 minutes. The colts responded with Enda Folan seeing a twenty yards free crash back off the post.
Dunree increased their lead after a superb Liam Baldrick cross deflected off a defender and past Duffy. It got better midway through the half when Mulhern raced onto a long ball from John Doherty to convert at the second attempt after Duffy had saved his initial effort. Gleneely came more into the game when Cory O’Brien had a header saved by Philip Doherty before they got a goal back before the interval.
O’Brien advanced and released Billy McCann on the right and he fired high past Doherty. The colts got another goal back shortly after the break when O’Brien got on the end of Folan’s corner to slot home from six yards.
Gleneely pressed hard in the closing stages with a surging O’Brien run ending when he fired narrowly wide. They went close in the final minute but Paul Gamble fired in a shot which Doherty saved well.
Moville Celtic 4 Rasheney FC 2
Moville started well and a Conor Doherty lob across goal eluded all before at the other end a Charlie Doherty effort was well held by Ryan Coyle in the home goal. The home side took the lead on 16 minutes when they were awarded a penalty for handball which saw the visitors Damien Friel red carded and Charlie Gill duly converted a penalty.
Norbert Indyka then saw a header crash off the bar before on 29 minutes a superb dummy by Gill allowed the ball to run to Kyle Harkin and he drilled low across Sean Friel to make it two nil.On the stroke of half time a Matthew Mclaughlin cross was met on the half volley by Indyka for a superb finish and a three nil lead.
Rasheney to their credit battled gamely and on 73 minutes Declan McLaughlin scored from close range after the home defence failed to clear. Minutes later a superb Anthony Doherty effort from the edge of the area left it three two.
The home side rallied and when Nathan Harkin split the visitors defence Michael McNaught calmly slotted the ball past Friel to restore a two goal cushion. Both Indyka nd Gill were denied by late saves from Friel while for Rasheney substitute Corey McBride fired a superb curling shot just over the bar.
Inishowen Engineering Division Two 11am
Culdaff Res 4 Carn Res 3
The reward for the winners is that they qualify for the section 2A while Carn will be among the favourites for 2B. Carn started well and on 8 minutes opened the scoring when Dillon Cooke was upended in the area and Niall McGuinness fired low to the keepers left.
They sent close again when a Dayton Cooke effort was saved by Daniel Mullarkey. Carn increased their lead when the unmarked Calvin O Donnell headed home from a corner.
Culdaff reduced the deficit on 34 minutes when Aiden Cunningham converted a penalty after he had been upended firing straight down the middle past Daniel McCallion.
The home side levelled on 41 minutes when Cunningham fed Jack McLaughlin whose cross was headed home by Cathal McGrenaghan at the back post to the roof of the net.
Carn regained the lead five minutes after the restart when Brandon Browne fired a superb twenty five yards effort low to the corner. But Culdaff replied with a better strike when Michael McFadden equalized with a thunderous strike from thirty five yards to the top corner.
On the hour a defensive error by the home side allowed Dillon Cooke through but a poor first touch let him down and the chance was lost. At the other end Cunningham ran onto a Joe O Connor pass and unleashed a volley which McCallion saved superbly.
The home side had another chance when Liam Doherty released Cunningham who was again upended in the area but this time his spot kick came back off the post and was cleared. But on the stroke of full time Cunningham made amends when he pounced on a loose ball to round McCallion and drill home much to the delight of the home support.
Cockhill Res 3 Aileach Youths 3
In a frenetic opening part of the game both sides looked like they were suffering from a Christmas hangover with lots of mistakes. Cockhill took the lead on 5 minutes when a long Mark Gillespie pass was misread by the Aileach defence and Darragh McDermott looped a header over Ryan Fox in the home goal.
Cockhill were just as generous at the other end with a mishit clearance by Gary Robinson fell at the feet of Killian O’Rourke who slipped the ball into the empty net to equalise.
Cockhill regained the lead on 15 minutes when McDermott slipped a ball through to Gary Breslin who nudged the ball past Fox and just made it over the line. On 30 minutes a corner from Dara Grant wasn’t properly cleared and Kevin Wallace poked the ball towards the goal where it was blocked by a Cockhill defender’s arm for a penalty.
Daibhidh Grant assumed the responsibility but his effort was expertly saved by Robinson diving to his right.
This gave Cockhill a boost and five minutes before half time they extended their lead when McDermott cut inside from the right and squeezed a shot past Fox from 15 yards.
Aileach made some tactical changes at half time and with the breeze behind them they pressed Cockhill back from the off. Grant reduced the arrears within ten minutes when a free kick was only cleared to the edge of the box where he fired into the roof of the net.
Aileach continued to press and almost drew level with five minutes to go when Josh Lynch had a shot from 10 yards that was superbly tipped over the bar by Robinson. Cockhill almost wrapped it up when Breslin got clear in the box but Fox tipped over the bar.
Aileach finally found the equaliser deep into injury time when a Kevin Wallace knock on fell at the feet of Aaron Doherty who slipped a shot past Robinson for a share of the spoils.
Rasheney Res 0 Glengad Res 3
In windy dry but cold conditions Glengad opened the scoring after Joe Doherty fed PJ McDaid and he fired low past Kieran Friel from ten yards. Rasheney replied with Corny McCole firing just wide from the edge of the area.
At the other end Mark McKinney crossed for McDaid whose first time effort crashed back off the post. Midway through the half McKinney had an effort claimed by Friel before on 34 minutes a Cathal Doherty free came off the bar and Friel claimed the ball.
Rasheney responded and a dipping Kevin Noone effort was well held by Michael McLaughlin. But Glengad increased their lead when McDaid raced onto a long ball and rounded Friel to slot home.
Both teams were reduced to ten men when Noone and Christopher Doherty were red carded after an altercation on the stroke of half time. On 53minutes John McLaughlin fed brother David but McLaughlin advanced to make a fine smothering save at his feet. Glengad replied with a Gary Kelly effort on the run just wide.
On 62 minutes Jack McLaughlin for the home side advanced into the area but John G McDermott made a great block while at the other end substitute Ronan Lafferty was denied by the outstretched leg of Friel. McDermott then had an effort which again crashed off the post before a McKinney effort was tipped over by Friel.
Glengad got their third and final goal when Gary Kelly raced clear to slot past Friel.
Inishowen Engineering Division Two B 11am
Dunree Res 1 Carrowmena Res 1
There was a slow start to the opening of this game with few chances and defences on top. But Dunree broke the deadlock when a David Eccles cross was headed home at the back post by Bryce Fullerton on 23 minutes. Dunree went close again but a martin McDermott free was well saved by Michael Noone.
Carrowmena came more into the game in the second half and on 62 minutes Samuel Bredin had an effort cleared off the line by Cathal McNutt. A scramble in the area saw the visitors Gerard Gill have an effort crash off the bar on 75 minutes.
The visitors equalised when Mark Doherty fired home a superb free from the edge of the area. But Dunree almost stole the points in the final minute when John Ferguson saw a snapshot come back off the post.
