Buncrana Hearts aiming to upset Cockhill Celtic in cup showdown

Buncrana Hearts will hope to upset the Cockhill juggernaut when they square off in Sunday’s Donegal Signs Challenge Cup. 

Domestically, Gavin Cullen’s men have already picked up the Inishowen Premier Division title as well as the Clubsmans Shirts League Cup. 

And to top all of that they created their own small piece of history when they recently went the distance in the FAI Junior Cup.

Garys Duffy’s Hearts once again lifted the Ulster Junior Cup but there is no doubt that wobbling Cockhill - who relieved them of their league title - would be hugely satisfying. 

Cockhill’s superb form continued on Sunday as they thrashed Dublin outfit Ayrfield United 7-1 in their opening FAI Senior Cup outing at the Charlie O’Donnell Sports Ground. 

Harry Doherty had one of his quieter afternoons between the posts with the visitors’ only goal arriving from the penalty spot. 

“Gavin did a lot of research on Ayrfield,” he said. “We were expecting a tough battle with them being a Leinster Senior League outfit. The first goal really settled us. And we went on to show our quality. 

“The penalty, from our perspective, was a little disappointing. It would have been nice not concede. But, on the whole, we’re quite content with the performance and the result2.  

Doherty agrees that the upcoming showdown at Maginn Park will dominate conversation in the lead-in this week. 

“For the past number of weeks, it’s been build-up after build-up to really big games. And today was massive - the first round of the Senior Cup. Now we’ve got through this the full focus will shift to the big derby next Sunday. 

“I know it’s mentioned often, but recovery will be really important for us once more. Buncrana are an excellent team. And it’s a huge occasion. Any time these two sides meet it’s a big one. 

“It’s a cup final, it’s at Maginn and there will be a brilliant buzz about it. These are really special occasions and there’ll be colour, noise and a bit of fun attached to it as well”. 

Meanwhile, although Hearts will go into the game as underdogs, boss Duffy says the local rivalry element to the showpiece means it’s a game where the margins will always be thin. 

On their way to Ulster Junior Cup glory, Duffy’s men eliminated Cockhill at the semi-final juncture on penalties so they’ll certainly feel, in a one-off cup final, that they can again upset the odds. 

“Look, we know when Cockhill and Buncrana Hearts meet it’s always going to be an exciting fixture,” he said.  

“There’s usually nothing between us. They’ve been close enough matches when we played this season and with it being a final this weekend, anything can happen.

“I just hope the lads go out there and give it their all. We can take a lot of confidence after winning the Ulster Junior Cup last month against Letterkenny Rovers. 

“The lads had to give everything they had to win that competition and I have no doubt they’ll do exactly the same this time around”. 

He added: Cockhill will more than likely be going in as the favourites, you know, with them winning the Inishowen League and the FAI Junior Cup. 

“They’ll no doubt be full of confidence and be on a high. But we’ve turned them over already this season in the League Cup and the Ulster Junior Cup semi-final, so we know we’re able to do it”.

Duffy says Cockhill’s drop down from the Ulster Senior League has certainly raised the bar in Inishowen but he insists that’s a positive thing.  

“We were the first side to beat Cockhill when they dropped down to Junior football at the start of the season. 

“I think they have brought the league to a new level because the lads in our club want to be playing against the best to challenge ourselves all the time and that happened this season with Cockhill in the league. 

They’ve been brilliant for the game up here and have brought a new type of challenge and competition that has now seen the standard increased”.