Ballybofey United cruise to dominant derby victory over Cappry Rovers

Ballybofey United had the bragging rights during Sunday’s local derby as they slotted four goals past Cappry Rovers to claim an important victory in this Division 1 tie held at the Finn Valley Centre. 

In what was their first league meeting in over a decade, the reigning Division 2 champions were worthy winners on the day with their half-time lead of 2-0 proving too much of a mountain to climb for Cappry who now sit in eight position on seven points, while their rivals hold 13 points from eight games and just sit three points behind Castlefin at the top of the table. 

Just like their return to the First Division, Ballybofey got off to a flying start during Sunday’s affair when Oran Gallen slotted home his first goal of the season in the 11th minute when Damien Glackin fed the Ballybofey winger through to tap home with ease. 

Gallen nearly found his second minutes later when Bobby McGhee’s shot deflected off a Cappry defender and fell into the path of Gallen but goalkeeper Joe Boyle was on hand to be out quick to stop Ballybofey from going further in front. 

It was taking Cappry a while to find their feet and they were fortunate to be only a goal down their shacky start will no doubt be something they will look to rectify going forward with the boys in Blue finding too much space and time on the ball with Glackin troubling the Cappry defence all day. 

Despite some half chances, their first real chance came in the 21st minute when Daithi Quigley fired off right, but the shot was easily placed into the hands of Christopher Patton. 

Gallen was again on hand when McGhee sent him running down the right wing but was caught marginally offside. 

It went from bad to worse for the Cappry after the loss of Jack Long through a hamstring injury on the half-hour mark and by this stage, Ballybofey was really motoring.  

With five minutes left in the half Glackin started a super run of play when he sent a pass through to Gallen on the wing, with the number 7 chipping the ball over goalkeeper Boyle, leaving it for Karolis Reuka to kick into an open net, but the Cappry defence remained strong and were first to the ball to see it go out for a corner.  

But that didn’t falter the Ballybofey attack with the boys in blue slotting home their second of the afternoon two minutes later when Ryan McGee and Daithi McMahon linked up well crossing the ball into Glackin, who played it back to McGhee just inside the box who smashed the ball home on the volley to make it 2-0 at the break. 

Cappry looked the stronger of the teams as the second half commenced but Ballybofey held their own in defence.  

They nearly crawled a goal back on 52 minutes when a free looked set to be sailing wide, shocked everyone when it rattled off the corner of the crossbar and fell to team captain Aaron Kelly who had the chance to header the ball into an open net, but his effort was too hard as the ball sailed over the post. 

Ballybofey kept fighting and eventually found their first real chance of the second half when McMahon’s free was driven straight at the Cappry ‘keeper. 

For the last half hour, the game really opened up with chances coming from both teams. Ballybofey caught the Cappry defenders sleeping when Glackin stole the ball from the feet of Gary Wilson and sent substitute Mark Griffin through to leave him one-on-one with Boyle in the nets, but the United player’s first touch went wayward as the play broke down. 

Cappry found a lifeline in the 72nd minute when Callum Long’s header following a corner was stopped on the line by right-back Dermot O’Donnell, but the referee deemed that the ball crossed the line to make the scoreline 2-1 and bring the home side right back into this game. 

Sean McBride nearly found an equaliser moments later from a volley outside the box, but the ball just fell to the right of the post. 

With ten minutes left on the clock, Ballybofey United showed their worth by hitting home two goals within four minutes to put the game to bed. 

The first came when McMahon’s corner found Bobby Hennigan at the back post unmarked, with the defender driving the ball with his head to the corner of the net to make it 3-1. 

And it didn’t stop there, as Niall McCloskey played a super ball down to Glackin who did brilliantly to beat his man, ran wide to the corner of the box, and chipped the ball over the on-running ‘keeper Joe Boyle resulting in the ball to find the corner of the net and put the icing on the cake at 4-1 in a well-deserved victory for the United side. 

Cappry Rovers: Joe Boyle; Michael Carroll (Shaun Ryan, 80), Brendan McLaughlin (Kyle Ruttledge, 80), Gary Wilson, Peter Sweeney; Callum Long, Jack Long (Darragh Boyle, 30), Aaron Kelly, Stephen Carr; Sean McBride (Eoin Gallen, 86), Daithi Quigley (Oisin McGlinchey, 86).  

Ballybofey United: Christopher Patton; Dermot O’Donnell, Ryan McGee (Mark Griffin, 63), Bobby Hennigan, Shaun McGowan; Andrew McCloskey, Oran Gallen, Karolis Reuka (Niall McCloskey, 49), Damien Glackin (Martin Mbuli, 87); Bobby McGhee (Joshua McMenamin, 72), Daithi McMahon (Brian Irwin, 90).