Cockhill Celtic and Letterkenny Rovers are still neck-and-neck in the Ulster Senior League after recording wins today. Cockhill lead the way by three points with just two games to go.
Letterkenny Rovers 3 Derry City Reserves 0
Letterkenny Rovers kept on the coat tails of Ulster Senior League leaders Cockhill Celtic with a solid and convincing display when overcoming Derry City Reserves 3-0 at the Aura Centre on Sunday afternoon.
The victory keeps them three points behind with both sides having two games left to play.
A swirling wind coupled with a difficult playing surface always made attractive play unlikely but to be fair to both sides they tried to play a good brand of football for the supporters who braved the cold conditions.
Rovers -who were buoyed by their win over Cockhill last Sunday- were slow to get into their groove in their opening 5 minutes and it was the Candystripes who had their first chance when the lively Matty Duffy dispossessed Lee Toland and played in schools international Sean McBride but his effort was fired straight at home custodian Christopher Sweeney.
Rovers though played on the front foot for most of the opening half and had loud penalty appeals for a foul on Conor Tourish waved away by match referee Marty McGarrigle on 9 minutes while Steve Okakpo-Emeka did well to release Ryan Lonergan on 11 minutes but he took the wrong option and decided to square rather than shoot himself which may have reaped greater reward.
[adrotate group=”91″]It was Rovers who got the all important opener on 24 minutes though when a Christy Connaghan throughball caused some hesitancy in the City rearguard and the impressive Okakpo-Emeka nipped in to capitalise before finding the net with relative ease,
That goal could have been added to by Rovers before halftime  with Darren McElwaine shooting just wide from a very acute angle while  Conor Tourish saw his header just go wide from a Toland corner on 41 minutes.
McElwaine with another shot from a Lonergan assist also came close and a Toland free caused some consternation for the City rearguard while City came closest to an equaliser when Ronan Wilson shot straight at Christopher Sweeney.
Rovers began the second period brightly and McElwaine shot just wide with a free kick on 47 minutes after the highly influential Brian McVeigh was fouled  while  full back Paul Doherty did well to block a Lonergan goalbound  effort on 51 minutes.
City netminder Jason McCallion then made a super stop to deny Okakpo-Emeka with a top notch stop high to his right  from a blistering Okakpo-Emeka effort on 63 minutes as Rovers threatened to double the lead.
Rovers eventually got a deserved 2nd goal on 68 minutes. McCallion made another super stop to deny Okakpo-Emeka low to the right after some intricate  play by David Shovlin created the chance  but moments later he was picking the ball out of his net after a hooked overhead goalbound volley from Paul McVeigh somehow found the target.
Derry almost responded straight away but Lee McColgan’s free kick was gathered comfortably by Sweeney while City came closest of all when Ronan Wilsons thunderbolt effort crashed off the bar on 76 minutes after a quickly taken free kick from Shane McNamee.
That could have made it nervy had that gone in but Rovers put the game well and truly passed Citys reach with the goal of the game from Lee Toland who curled a delicious right footed effort from distance with 6 minutes to go.
A good team display and disciplined, committed  performance from Rovers who are back in league action on Tuesday week against Finn Harps but before that have a Knockalla Cup semi final clash at Greencastle next Sunday while City already have a final date secured when they play Cockhill in the League Cup final in a fortnight’s time.
Letetrkenny Rovers: Christopher Sweeney, David Shovlin, Lee Toland, Paul Boyle, Conor Tourish, Ryan Lonergan, Paul McVeigh, Brian McVeigh, Darren McElwaine, Christy Connaghan, Steve Okakpo-Emeka. Subs: Kevin McGrath for P.McVeigh (76, Ryan Gildea for Shovlin (85), Odhran McMacken for Lonergan (88).
Derry City Reserves: Jason McCallion, Rhys McDermott, Paul Doherty, Connor Gormley, Lee McColgan, Evan Tweed, Shane McNamee, Ronan Wilson, Sean McBride, Matty Doherty, Matty Duffy. Subs: Shane Dillon for Tweed (56), Ciaran Deery for Wilson (78).
Referee: Marty McGarrigle.
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Cockhill Celtic 3 Fanad United 0
Cockhill bounced back from last weeks league defeat by Letterkenny Rovers FC to record a 3-0 win against a very stubborn and hard working Fanad United at the Charlie O’Donnell Sports Grounds.
The home side had the majority of possession in the opening period but created very little of note and found the visitors defence well organised by the experienced pairing of Marty McAteer and Eunan Kelly.
Cockhill’s Mark Moran had the first real chance on 18 minutes but when he found himself with just the keeper to beat he passed to Garbhain Friel and the chance was cleared by the covering Kelly.
Cockhill to get the ball wide to both Derek Doherty and Gerry Gill at every opportunity but at times their passing was slow and ponderous. On the half hour mark Cockhill thought they had the lead, Derek Doherty done well on the right flank and played a great cross to the box where forward Garbhan Friel rose high to power a header that crashed off the crossbar and with Cockhill looking for a goal the referee waved play on after assistance from his assistant.
The visitors had very little threat but anything positive was from the boot of Davit Walsh with him looking to play forward, from his midfield role, when in possession. Fanad only effort on goal in the first period was after a McAteer free wide on the right the ball fell to Oisin Langan 30 yards from goal but his effort was easy for player/manager Cullen.
A frustrating 45 minutes for the home side with the visitors the happier
[adrotate group=”46″]The second period was only three minutes old when Cockhill opened the scoring; Gerry Gill swung in a free from the right and Peter Doherty powered a header into the net past Shane Graham in the visitors net.
Cockhill increased the lead on 63 minutes when after a foul on Mark Moran the referee awarded a penalty.
Friel stepped up to shot low to the bottom right hand corner but Graham was smart to his left and saved only for the every alert James Bradley to shot high to the net from 6 yards out for a 2-0 lead.
Young Paddy Carr then had a chance for the visitors on 69minutes but his shot in a crowded Cockhill penalty area produced a timely block from Oisin McColgan to keep the score at 2-0.
Cockhill added a third on 83 minutes when, after a Gerry Gill corner, the ball fell to James Bradley on the edge of the area and his first time shot was deflected past Graham by Garbhan Friel.
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Bonagee United 4 Swilly Rovers 1
Aidan McLaughlin bagged all FOUR goals on Thursday night as Bonagee United put Swilly Rovers to the sword at Dry Arch Park.
The experienced striker was red hot as Bonagee made light of an understrength Swilly.
McLaughlin fired Bonagee in front early on before doubling the lead with a cool finish.
Brad Patterson pulled one back for Swilly before half-time, but Swilly’s cause wasn’t helped with the sending off of Marty McDaid.
McLaughlin completed his hat-trick and, for good measure, he added a fourth goal to end the scoring and keep Swilly at the basement.
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RESULTS
4 Lanterns Ulster Senior League
Thursday
Bonagee United 4 Swilly Rovers 1
Sunday
Cockhill Celtic 3 Fanad United 0
Letterkenny Rovers 3 Derry City Reserves 0
FIXTURES
Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup, Semi-Finals
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Sunday, April 23, 1.30pm, extra time and penalties if necessary
Glengad United v Cockhill Celtic
Greencastle FC v Letterkenny Rovers
4 Lanterns Ulster Senior League
Wednesday, April 19, 7.30pm
Bonagee United v Cockhill Celtic
Derry City Reserves v Swilly Rovers
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Sunday, April 23, 2pm
Bonagee United v Finn Harps Reserves
Swilly Rovers v Fanad United
Tuesday, April 25, 7.30pm
Finn Harps Reserves v Letterkenny Rovers
| USL | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | |
| Cockhill Celtic | 16 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 44 | 15 | 29 | 37 | * |
| Letterkenny Rovers | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 36 | 20 | 16 | 34 | |
| Derry City Reserves | 16 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 31 | 26 | 5 | 23 | |
| Fanad United | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 22 | 24 | -2 | 21 | |
| Bonagee United | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 29 | -12 | 21 | * |
| Finn Harps Reserves | 15 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 16 | 31 | -15 | 11 | |
| Swilly Rovers | 15 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 18 | 39 | -21 | 9 | |
| * Cockhill Celtic awarded a 3-0 win after Derry City Reserves team deemed ineligible on Jan 22 | |||||||||
TOP GOALSCORERS (League only)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Darren McElwaine (Letterkenny Rovers)Â 11
Cathal Farren (Derry City Reserves)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 9
Aidan McLaughlin (Bonagee United)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 8
Mark Moran (Cockhill Celtic)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 6
Jimmuy Bradley (Cockhill Celtic)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 6
Laurence Toland (Swilly Rovers)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5
Gerard McLaughlin (Cockhill Celtic)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5
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