Aileach progress past Donegal Town in FAI Junior Cup 

Aileach FC overcame a battling Donegal Town side to progress to the next round of the FAI Junior Cup at the Hospital Pitch on Sunday afternoon. 

Donegal Town 1 Aileach FC 3

Aileach trailed by a goal at the interval but produced a superb second half with strikes from Gavin Doherty, Jack McClean and Dermot Doherty helping them over the line. 

The hosts started the game the brighter of the two sides and got off to a perfect start with midfielder Ben Sweeney opening the scoring after just four minutes. 

Sweeney made a mazy run, beating a number of players, before calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner to put Donegal Town a goal up. 

Donegal Town, who lost out to Aileach on Sunday

Paul McHugh’s side went close to doubling their lead on 15 minutes. Steven Graham slipped the ball into the path of Glenn Harron whose powerful effort was well stopped by Dylan Porter. 

Aileach grew into this encounter and came close to leveling on the half hour mark. A corner from Reece McGalloway was met by the head of Gavin Doherty only for his header to go narrowly wide. 

Donegal Town led at the break but the visitors drew level three minutes after the restart. A cross from Micheal McElroy was hit home by Dermot Doherty on 48 minutes. 

Two minutes later they came close to going ahead. Gavin Doherty delivered a fantastic cross and found Aaron Nash, however, his effort was fired over the bar. 

Just after the hour mark the home side came close to restoring their advantage. A good move involving Ben Sweeney and David Graham concluded with a strike on goal from Declan Duignan although his attempt was gathered by Dylan Porter. 

Two minutes later, the away outfit found their second goal of the afternoon to hit the front. Gavin Doherty was involved again and his improvised back heel flick from a cross came off the post but Jack McClean was on hand to put the rebound into the back of the net to put his side ahead for the first time. 

In the 68th minute, Aileach made it three. Striker Connor Barrow laid the ball back to the impressive Gavin Doherty who let fly from outside the box and saw his shot nestle past Cathal Charlton to leave the host with an uphill battle heading into the final 20 minutes. 

Donegal Town continued to battle and piled pressure on Aileach. In the 85th minute they came close to pulling a goal back as a well-struck effort from distance courtesy of Glenn Harron rattled the upright. 

It wasn’t to be however and referee Alister Gourley called an end to proceedings to see Aileach FC progress to the next round of the cup. 

Donegal Town: Cathal Charlton; Kumar Digant (Tobi Owoeye, 70), John Doherty, Tom Cutts (Callum Maskery, 75), Oisin Gorrell, Ben Sweeney, Stephen Graham, Glenn Harron, Joe Campbell (Ian Campbell, 77), David Graham, Declan Duignan (Mark Jordan, 70). 

Aileach FC: Dylan Porter; Darren Gallagher, Micheal McElroy, Thomas McMonagle, Reece McGalloway, Dermot Doherty (Shaun Downey, 70), Gavin Doherty, Stephen Harley, Jack McClean (Caoimhghin McFeely, 68), Aaron Nash (Niall McGlynn, 75), Connor Barrow (Darren Bradley, 75). 

Referee: Alister Gourley.