Inishowen League: Cockhill Celtic keep the pressure on Buncrana Hearts

Jackie Crossan Premier Division 

Clonmany Shamrocks 0 Cockhill Celtic 3

Needing a win to keep their title hopes alive the visitors got the best possible start when Garbhan Friel cut inside from the right hand side and lobbed the advancing Patrick Harkin from the edge of the area. 

Friel had another chance minutes later but his effort was blocked by the legs of Harkin. Clonmany replied and after a Terence Doherty cross found Alex McFadden he headed over  the bar when well placed.  

The visitors then doubled their lead on 16 minutes  after a corner was half  cleared by the home defence to Adam Duffy  twenty five yards out and he rifled a powerful low effort inside  Harkins left hand post. 

In a period of sustained pressure by the visitors jay Bradley had an effort off the post before Conor Graham slid the ball past Harkin but Jamie McKinney made a superb goal line clearance. 

Luke Rudden then broke clear but over ran the ball and fired into the side netting. On the stroke of half time the home side broke with McKinney s cross from the right just eluding McFadden . 

Clonmany started the second half well and after a McFadden run from halfway he crossed for Aaron Porter who had to wait until the ball dropped but dragged his effort wide as harry Doherty advanced. 

The visitors goal had a charmed existence then when the home side hit the post twice . Firstly Porters free crashed off a post to McFadden whose first time effort hit the same post and  keeper Doherty gathered on the line. 

At the other end Harkin made a good save to deny Conor Graham before Friel then latched onto a long ball and swept it across the face of goal where Harkin cleared as inrushing forwards loomed. 

Cockhill sealed the points on 86 minutes when Friel s cross was well controlled by substitute Damien Duffy who slotted low past Harkin from ten yards.

Carn FC 1 Aileach FC 1

 In the early exchanges  mark Scott for the home side and Gavin Doherty for the visitors were both off target with reasonable opportunities. 

Midway through the half  Carns Lorcan Bradley released Cian Burke to beat the offside trap  but failed to direct his effort on target from twelve yards. 

The home side did open the scoring on 35 minutes after a great run from Shay McDaid took him past his man before squaring it for Cian Burke who slotted it into the bottom right corner of the net from ten yards. Aileach nearly equalized before the interval after  Dermot Doherty  crossed  for Darren McMonagle who shot wide from twelve yards. 

The visitors began the second half on top and Daniel Doherty released McMonagle who in turn squared it for Dermot Doherty but he blazed over. 

The home side then spurned a chance to double their lead after  Conan Gibbons set up Scott inside the area  but he couldn’t direct his shot on target.  

Aileach equalized on 78 minutes when Dermot Doherty’s free kick from outside the 18 yard box deflected  off the wall and into the right corner of the net. 

The home side had a final chance to snatch all three points but substitute Olly Coyle fired wide from close range.

HML Plant Hire Division One 

Gleneely Colts 1 QPS 3

Played on Friday night the visitors needed three points to  force a play off for the league title and got a dream start in the opening minute when Josh Boyle picked up the ball twenty five yards out and unleashed a thunder bolt to the top corner giving Nimai Osio no chance. G

leneely had their first chance when Cian McNamee’s well struck free from twenty yards was pushed around the post by Jason McCallion. 

The visitors doubled their advantage  on  22 minutes after a  Josh Boyle free from twenty yards was deflected of the wall and wrong footed Nimai Osio in the home goal. 

On the stroke of half time  Gleneely had a chance when  McCallions poor clearance fell to Cian McNamee on the edge of the area but McCallion atoned with a save. Gleneely had the first chance of the second half when Kyran Cantwell beat three defenders and his shot from just inside the box was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Jason McCallion. 

The resulting corner fell to Mark McGonigle but his flick towards goal was again saved. On 52 minutes  Osio saved low to his right from Josh Boyles effort from  the edge of the area before QPS added a third on the hour mark when Lee Barrs free from the edge of the box  was despatched inside the right hand post. 

Gleneely kept plugging away and were rewarded for their efforts on 68 minutes after  they were awarded a penalty when Kyran Cantwell was taken down just inside the box. 

Paul Doherty’s spot kick was well saved by  McCallion low to his right but Cian McNamee followed up and scored the rebound to the bottom right hand corner.  The visitors responded and Barrs volley just flew over the bar. On 87 minutes Barrs header from point blank range was superbly saved by Osio. 

QPS saw the remainder of the game out  to claim three important points to take the league to a playoff with Cockhill Youths .

Glengad United 4 Gleneely Colts 0

The visitors ended their league game after promotion last season comfortably in mid table. 

The home side started well and a long ball from Brendan Doherty found Ryan Mclaughlin whose half volley crashed off the bar. 

Mclaughlin had another chance when he ran clear onto a Stephen Doherty pass but fired wide from fifteen yards. 

Glengad then broke the deadlock on 33 minutes when Mclaughlin s corner was flicked on by Oran Doherty for Fergal Doherty to volley home from six yards. Gleneely responded and Codi Forbes fired wide when well placed before on the stroke of half time a Shane Diver free was well turned round the post by Michael McLaughlin. 

On the stroke of half tiem the home side doubled their advantage when excellent work from Joe Doherty on the left saw him cut inside past two defenders before drilling low past Nimai Osio.  

In the first effort of the second half Osio brilliantly saved from Stephen Doherty  tipping the ball over the bar. 

But Glengad added a third goal on 64 minutes when Oran Doherty fed Ryan McLaughlin on the left and he cut inside before drilling low to the corner giving Osio no chance.  

Gleneely tried to reply and from a Shay Harkin corner Kyran Cantwell unmarked six yards out headed over. The home side completed the scoring with a superb individual goal from Mclaughlin who beat two defenders and fired to the top corner.

Donegal Signs Challenge Cup

QPS 1 Redcastle United 0

There were few chances in the opening half of this well contested local derby. Straight from kick off Shaun Curran for the visitors unleashed an effort which went just over the bar. 

On 16 minutes the home side had their first opportunity when a loose ball on the edge of the area fell to Oisin McIntyre but he shot over. 

Lee Rutherford then had a twenty five yards snapshot saved by Michael McCole.  

The final half chance of the first half also fell to the home side when Josh Boyle crossed for Rutherford who fired wide from a tight angle six yards out. The home side dominated the second half  and were unlucky when a Jamie Mclaughlin header crashed off the bar in the 68th minute. 

Lee Barr then was denied by McCole before McIntyre fired over from distance. On 76 minutes Josh Boyle advanced and unleashed an effort which McCole tipped around the post at full stretch. 

The break through came on 83 minutes when   a scramble developed after a Lee Barr corner and the ball was poked home from five yards by Denim McLaughlin.  Boyle had the final chance of the game firing over from twenty yards.

Inish Grass Shield Quarter Final

Cockhill Res 0  Clonmany Res 1

In an evenly contested first half there was very little in terms of chances for either team with neither Cockhill keeper Eoin Colhoun or Clonmany keeper Liam McGonigle forced into a meaningful save.

The second half continued in much the same form with some good build up play by both teams but no cutting edge in either box.

The crucial breakthrough came on the hour mark. Cockhill gave away a needless freekick on the edge of the box. 

The free was well hit by Feargal Harkin forcing Eoin Colhoun into a fine save low down to his right but it was Taylor McEleney who reacted first to the breaking ball to poke the ball home unchallenged into the empty net to edge Clonmany in front.

Cockhill piled on the pressure for the remainder of the half but could not find a breakthrough as Clonmany held firm to advance to the next round

Hannon Greene Insurance Fr O Gara Cup  Quarter Final

Moville Celtic 2 Carrowmena FC 1

This local derby encounter saw the visitors have the first chance on 12 minutes when Adam Harkin burst through a static home defence  but was denied by a fine save from Evan Hudner.  

Moville responded and Pearse Doherty had an effort saved by Rhys Kerr  before from the resultant corner the ball fell to Deaglan Lynch twenty five yards out but his effort rose over the bar. 

Conor Lafferty then tried his luck from distance but again it sailed over the bar. On the stroke of half time the visitors went close after good work by Cathal Crumlish took him past a defender but from a tight angle he hit the side netting.

Moville opened the scoring ten minutes after the restart with a Conor Lafferty free from the left evading everyone in the area before nestling into the bottom corner.  Carrowmena replied and got back on terms ten minutes later when Jamie 

McCormick sent Hudner the wrong way from the penalty spot  after Ronan Doherty had been upended. 

But the visitors were dealt a huge blow shortly after this when McCormick collected a second yellow card reducing them to ten. 

Moville dominated after  this and eventually regained the lead on 81 minutes with Michael McNaught unleashing a superb twenty yards effort into the bottom corner. 

The ten men threw caution to the wind and Daniel Rowan grazed the bar with a free kick. Carrowmena pressed the home side back  but Moville defended stoutly to advance to the semi finals.

Inishowen Engineering Division Two A

Cockhill COLTS 4 Sea Rovers 1

Ahead of their cup semi final the home side laid down a marker when they inflicted  the biggest defeat of he season on the newly crowned league champions. 

Cockhill began well with Kieran Mclaughlin seeing an effort blocked by Joey Holland before a Karl Kelly effort from twenty five yards was tipped around the post by Mark Mclaughlin in the rovers goal. 

Rovers responded with Matthew Doherty firing wide from the edge of the area. But Cockill regained the initiative with Darragh Lyons heading over a Gavin Doherty corner. 

It was no surprise when the home side opened the scoring on 22 minutes after Kieran Mclaughlin intercepted  a rovers defensive pass and fired low to the net from twelve yards. 

Rovers had a late chance in the first half when Liam Gallagher crossed to Doherty who fired over the bar when well placed. 

The Colts increased their lead just after the restart when following another good deliver from a corner by Doherty the ball was headed home by Kieran McGrory. 

Rovers rallied and reduced the deficit midway through the half when Doherty unleashed a superb effort from the edge of the area into the bottom corner past Graham Doherty in the home goal. 

They had another chance after a corner fell to Conor Kelly fifteen yards out but his effort brose over the bar. 

Cockhill regained control and addeda  third goal when Liam O Donnell won possession before feeding Doherty on the left and his cross was slotted home by McGrory from eight yards. They added a fourth goal to seal the points when Lyons broke on the right and crossed for Kevin McDaid to sidefoot home from close range.

Redcastle Res 2 Aileach Youths 3

Redcastle started well and Shay Sweeney shot just wide when put through by Darren Harkin. 

After 20 minutes a shot by Darren Harkin from 20 yards brought a great save from Eoin Callaghan in the Aileach net. 

It was mostly a midfield battle after that with few chances but on the stroke of half-time Aileach went ahead after  a corner from Darragh Kerrigan was headed into the net by Daithi Grant from six yards. 

Redcastle equalised after 50 minutes when a corner from Shay Sweeney was volleyed home by Ronan Cassidy from twenty yards. 

But Aileach went ahead again on the hour mark  when Yanga Molodo scored from the penalty spot after he himself had been brought down in the box. Redcastle came close to equalising  after  Darren Harkins shot was pushed onto the bar by  Callaghan before the visitors defence cleared to safety. 

The visitors then  made it three one  in the 80th minute when a pass from Daithi Grant sent Yanga Molodo through and he made no mistake scoring low into the corner from ten yards. 

Redcastle kept battling and got back in the game after a shot from twenty five  yards by Ronan Cassidy found the bottom corner. 

Redcastle came close to equalising in the 90th min when Darragh Leechs pass set up Aidan Ferns but  his shot from fifteen  yards was brilliantly saved by  Callaghan diving to his right to push the ball away and ensure the visitors claimed all three points.

Inishowen Engineering Division Two B

Glengad Res 1 QPS 0

In good but windy conditions the visitors and newly crowned league champions began well  with Sean Og Gallagher finding Stephen Frame who fired wide when well  placed eight yards out. 

They had another opportunity after Frame unleashed a twenty yards free kick  around the wall but Ronan Lafferty turned the ball around the post at full stretch.

The home side grew into the game and on the half hour Joshua McDevitt cut inside from the left but shot just wide. 

On the stroke of half time they went close again after Nathan McConalogue found Conor Mullarkey inside the area but his effort from fifteen yards was well saved by Jamie McColgan. Glengad started the second half with the wind and were on top with Jayden McDaid lobbing just over the bar before Mullarkey saw his effort well smothered by McColgan. 

They opened the scoring then on 65 minutes after McConalogue advanced from midfield to the edge of the area before firing low past the advancing McColgan for a superb individual effort. 

The visitors then raised their game and both David Healy and Frame were off target with efforts in the closing stages when well placed.

Carn Res 1 Dunree Res 0

The home side had an early chance after Shane McGuinness fed daire Tully who beat his man before laying it off to Conor Doherty but he failed to hit the target from ten yards. 

Dunree responded on 14 minutes after John Moran broke on the left wing beating the offside trap and crossed it for David O’Hagan who drove a powerful shot to the top right corner of the net from outside the 18 yard box but it was well saved by Ben Miller in the Carn goal. 

Carn replied when Tiernan Cantwell crossed from the left to  Daire Tully who  fired wide from fifteen  yards. Carn tried again  when Conor Doherty crossed  for Dylan Cooke  but again the effort was off target.

Dunree nearly went ahead on the stroke of half time  John Moran laid it off for Patrick Doherty who shot high to the right and wide from fifteen yards. 

Dunree began the second half brightly and had an early chance on 49 minutes when Danny Doherty found Jamie Brosnan who headed narrowly wide. 

At the other end  Cormac McLaughlin  crossed to  McGuinness who whose low effort was well tidied up by Dunree keeper Ciaran Sharkey. Dunree s Patrick Doherty unleashed a good effort on the run which was just wide off the mark as play swung from end to end.

Carn substitutes Davin McLaughlin and Kayden Taitt then combined for the latter whose header was well saved by Sharkey. 

With the contest looking like a draw the home side struck to claim all three points in injury time after a superb run from Cormac Mclaughlin ended with his cross volleyed to the top corner by substitute Darragh McCormick to snatch the points .