INISHOWEN sealed a place in the last eight of the Oscar Traynor Trophy following a high-scoring win over Monaghan-Cavan last night at Maginn Park.
Inishowen League 7 Monaghan-Cavan 3
Diarmuid O’Brien’s team needed the win to top the group, and avoid having to go into the ‘last 12’ games, with the win meaning the 2014/15 Oscar Traynor champions go straight into the quarter-finals.
Monaghan-Cavan led 2-1 at half-time, but Inishowen – who had Brendan Fildara (2), Matthew Henry, Anthony Doherty (2), Michael Barr and Nigel McMonagle on target – hit back in the second half for a big win.
The game burst to life with two goals in the opening three minutes.
Inishowen fell a goal behind after just 20 seconds. Full-back Enda Hessin found his brother Gary with an excellent cross and his superb shot sailed into the top corner.
Stunned Inishowen didn’t take long to respond and they were back on level terms by the third minute. Matthew Henry was fouled 20 yards from goal and Brendan Fildara bent a wonderful free-kick around the wall and past the goalkeeper.
Monaghan-Cavan showed their worth with the Hessin brothers again to the fore, this time, though, Enda Hessin dragged a shot wide from a good position.
Ronan Stirratt volleyed off target for the visitors, while Terence Doherty was milimetres away from connecting with Anthony Doherty’s teasing cross at the other end.
Stirratt attempted an Oliver Giroud-esque scorpion goal on 25 minutes, but his fine effort was just over the Inishowen crossbar.
Gary Hessin bagged his second goal two minutes later as a flying header, from another cross by his brother, flew beyond Darragh McLaughlin and the away side held the advantage at the interval.
McLaughlin saved well from David McEntee before Inishowen drew level on 55 minutes when Henry prodded home.
Within a minute, Inishowen were ahead. Henry turned provider this time and it was Anthony Doherty who drilled a low shot to the far corner.
Ten minutes later, Inishowen scored twice in 90 seconds again.
Doherty fed the over-lapping Michael Barr, who clipped home before Anthony Doherty magnificently hammered into the top corner from the corner of the penalty box.
While Monaghan-Cavan pulled one back when Gary Hessin’s cross was deflected past McLaughlin.
Inishowen closed out well and Brendan Fildara burst in from half-way to make it 6-3 with the scoring rounded off by Nigel McMonagle, the Glengad man neatly side-stepping a defender before calmly slotting to the net.
Inishowen League: Darragh McLaughlin, Michael Barr, William McLaughlin, John Gerard McLaughlin, Michael Byrne, Shane Canning, Anthony Doherty, Dillon Ruddy, Terence Doherty, Matthew Byrne, Brendan McLaughlin. Subs: Nigel McMonagle for Ruddy (61), Ferghal Harkin for W.McLaughlin (61), Shaun Doherty for Byrne (73), Ryan Kelly for Henry (78), Aiden Friel for A.Doherty (83).
Monaghan-Cavan League: Jamie Smith, Enda Hessin, Paddy Smith, John McAree, Mark Thornton, Aido McAnespie, Ronan Stirratt, Simon Douglas, David McEntee, Dean Connelly, Gary Hessin. Subs: Stevie O’Connor for E.Hessin (52), Mark Mulligan for McAnespie (61), Mark Smyth for Stirratt (61), Ronan McNamara for Connelly (70).
Referee: Terence Moyne.
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