THERE WAS PLENTY OF ACTION across the Reserve League Shield and League games in Inishowen at the weekend with Sea Rovers getting the win they needed to advance to the quarter-finals of the Shield and Gleneely Colts getting their Reserve League season off to a winning start.
DONEGAL SIGNS RESERVE LEAGUE SHIELD
Clonmany Reserves 2 Moville Reserves 0
ON 38 minutes Clonmany took the lead when another Doherty corner was allowed to bounce all the way across for John Porter to poke the ball home from close range.
After a slow opening to the second period Moville went close on 68 minutes when Owen Gillen broke clear but Diarmuid Moyne advanced to smother and when the loose ball fell to Gillen he dragged his effort wide.
Clonmany replied and when Andrew Doherty advanced unchallenged his effort from the edge of the area was well parried by Ryan Coyle for Ryan Doherty to fire the rebound over.
Clonmany sealed the points on 83 minutes after substitute Philip Ivors broke on the right and crossed for another substitute Conor McDaid to head home from six yards.
Culdaff Reserves 1 Sea Rovers 5
ROVERS needed a win to qualify for the quarter finals and while the margin may have flattered them they deserved this victory on Friday night.
Rovers started well with Damien Ward flashing an angled effort inches past Callum Doherty’s right hand post. But they took the lead on nine minutes when Tiernan Stephens drilled a superb effort from the left hand side of the area into the bottom corner.
Rovers added a second on the stroke of half time when Ward calmly converted a penalty when Keelan Doherty had been upended.
Culdaff went close in the opening minute of the second half after a Gary Smyth header was cleared off the line and within minutes a defensive error allowed substitute John C Doherty to race through and fire low past Doherty.
A poor clearance in the 89th minute saw Keelan Doherty pounce to round the keeper and make it 4-0 while Culdaff got one back immediately when substitute Paul McLaughlin blasted home from close range.
In the final action a long range John C Doherty effort deceived Doherty in the home goal.
Cockhill Colts 1 Aileach Reserves 4
WITH both sides qualified and due to meet in the quarter finals next week neither will place too much emphasis on this game.
In a lively opening Kevin McDaid for the home side had an effort saved by John Roulstone before Sean McHugh fired over at the other end.
The Colts then took the lead on 17 minutes when Wesley Doherty caught Roulstone out with a 25-yard lob.
Aileach hit back and Damien Coyle had an effort off the bar before Gregory Doherty fired a free kick high past Gary Robinson from the edge of the area.
Before the break McHugh had an attempted chip drift wide before Doherty had another free kick saved by Robinson.
Cockhill started the second period well with Kevin McDaid denied by Roulstone and Wesley Doherty having an effort just wide.
On the hour Aileach took the lead when Davy Ryan rose highest to head home a corner.
On 71 minutes Ruairi Bradley sidefooted home from fifteen yards. Minutes later Bradley got his second of the game when Coyle picked him out with a sublime pass and he slotted home from close range.
Carn Reserves 1 Redcastle Reserves 1
THE best chance of a close hard fought opening half came to the home side on 39 minutes when Michael McLaughlin broke clear of the Redcastle defence but with Ryan McCole to beat he fired wide of the target.
Carn started the second period well and it was no surprise they opened the scoring on 55 minutes when a superb crossfield ball from Rory Brady found Joseph McKinney and he volleyed superbly to the top corner.
Carn were on top for the next period but both Brady and Scott McElhinney spurned gilt edged chances to increase their lead.
Redcastle pushed forward in the last ten minutes and were rewarded in the final minute after the home defence failed to clear a free kick and Brian Farren slammed home from six yards.
INISHOWEN ENGINEERING RESERVE LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
Illies Reserves 1 QPS Reserves 1
AFTER an even opening period Illies broke the deadlock on 22 minutes after a Graeme Doherty cross was volleyed high to the roof of the net from 12 yards by Charlie McLaughlin.
Illies began the second period well with McDaid seeing a header tipped over by David Bell before Bell made a brilliant save to turn away a Seamus O Donnell drive.
The visitors then introduced Fergal Buchanan and twice he raced clear of the home defence but on each occasion Jason Campbell saved well.
They equalised on 80 minutes when Josh McConalogue controlled a ball over the top brilliantly before volleying to the roof of the net.
Both sides had late chance with Illies McDaid bursting into the area before squaring to Hegarty but he slotted wide. On the stroke of full time Kevin Wallace had a header well tipped over by Campbell.
Gleneely Colts 4 Glengad Reserves 2
COLTS got their league campaign off to a winning start and got a dream start on five minutes when Kieran White tapped home after a Cory O’Brien effort came off the post.
Colts doubled their lead when Nathan McLaughlin played a neat one-two with O’Brien and McLaughlin fired a stunning effort in off the post to the top corner.
lengad got back into the game on the half hour when a corner broke to Eugene Mclaughlin and he slotted home from eight yards.
Colys regained their two-goal lead on 51 minutes after O’Brien beat two men and laid the ball off for White to drill low to the corner from ten yards.
Again, Glengad fought back and midway through the half the unmarked Paul McGonagle slotted home at the back post to make it three two.
But once again the home side upped the tempo and on 77 minutes an Enda Folan corner found O’Brien and he headed home from close range.
Glengad pressed and McGonigle was denied by another save from Duffy.
In the closing minutes Philip Molloy beat two men and flashed a superb ball across the face of the Glengad goal but there were no takers.
INISHOWEN ENGINEERING RESERVE LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Carrowmena Reserves 4 Rasheney Reserves 1
MIDWAY through the first half Carrowmena opened the scoring when Paul Duffy headed home a Samuel Bredin corner.
On the half hour Rasheney levelled when an Alan Doherty free eluded all on its way to the net.
The referee then suffered an injury and was replaced by George McLaughlin as the half ended all even. Carrowmena began well and McGeoghaghan fired just over before Gill fed Oran McDermott who controlled well before unleashing a sweetly struck effort post Declan Grant.
Rasheney pressed with Paul McConalogue and Matthew McLaughlin prominent and a David Doherty free was well held by Noone.
On the break the home side made it three one when Ryan McDermott released namesake James and he advanced to slide the ball home.
They made the game safe on 88 minutes after McDermott headed home McGeoghaghan’s cross.
Dunree Reserves 2 Greencastle Reserves 2
DUNREE took the lead after Dermot Graham fed Johnny Doherty who laid it off for Bernie Doherty to strike a brilliant effort to the top corner from thirty yards.
Midway through the half John Doherty fed Jason McLaughlin and he slid the ball into Bernie Doherty who lifted the ball over the advancing Seamus Bovaird to make it two-nil.
Greencastle hit back with Eugene O’Donnell’s shot turned round the post by Doherty. In the opening minute of the second period Doherty again made a splendid save to deny Daniel Rowan.
On the hour substitute Tom Houston received the ball from Hegarty before unleashing a twenty five yards effort which Doherty saved one handed.
Dunree replied when Mickey Doherty sent Bernie Doherty clear but Bovaird made a brilliant save.
On 80 minutes an O’Donnnell corner found Rowan whose header took a deflection on its way past Doherty. Dunree had another chance when Peter O’Neill and Evan Barry fed Bernie Doherty who fired over from ten yards.
Greencastle threw everything forward and in the last minute a corner broke to Houston who fired a brilliant effort to the top corner to salvage a point.
