Cockhill Celtic start new season on the right foot with League Cup win

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Cockhill Celtic 6-0 Carn FC 

Cockhill dominated possession early on and hit the front after only three minutes when Damian Duffy's free-kick from the right was headed in at the back post by Jay Bradley.

The home side went close again after Stephen Duffy's cross from the left was headed narrowly wide by Duffy. Bradley went close again, latching onto a loose ball in the box, but his poked effort was well saved by Dara Tully.

Cockhill continued to dominate with Garbhan Friel the next to go close to doubling their lead but his header from a Fionn McClure cross lacked power. Midway through the half, Duffy went close but his strike from the edge of the box was well held by Tully. They did get their second moments later when Damian Duffy found the bottom corner with a fine first-time strike from a Friel layoff.

It was three soon after when a left-wing cross evaded everyone but was played back across goal for Bradley to nod home his second from close range. Friel was next to threaten when he found space after some good interplay in the Carn half but his fierce effort lacked direction and flew over. 

The first big chance of the second half arrived on 56 minutes when Bradley controlled Stephen Duffy's pass before cutting inside and forcing a good save from Tully with a left-foot cross. 

Minutes later it was four nil. Patient play from Cockhill released Lee McLaughlin down the right. His cross found Friel who controlled before firing low to the bottom corner. After a raft of substitutions, Carn had their best period of the game without creating a clear-cut chance but had good possession in the Cockhill half. 

The home side added a fifth after Brendan McLaughlin was released down the left and his pinpoint cross found Friel whose bullet header gave Tully no chance. Stephen Duffy went close on 84 minutes after Joshua Clifford made a great run down the right and his cross found Duffy but he dragged his shot wide.

Duffy wasn't to be denied and got the goal his performance deserved when Clifford again made the running down the right. His ball found Conor Graham who, in turn, found Duffy who slotted past Tully.

Clonmany Shamrocks 4-2 Greencastle FC

The home side got off to a dream start after Shane McCaul collected a short free kick and advanced to unleash a cross-shot which found Alex McFadden unmarked at the back post to slot past Caolan McGrory.

The shamrocks continued to press with Paddy Doherty heading over from an Aaron Porter cross. Porter then doubled their lead in the 14^th minute when a shot took a deflection past McGrory. Greencastle replied with a Shay Doherty effort which was tipped round the post by Zach Conlon and from the corner a Paul Clifford header was cleared off the line by Gareth Bradley.

But Clonmany regained control and a mazy run by McCaul ended with a shot off target. They increased their lead on 34 minutes when Ryan McColgan found McFadden who advanced and squared for Jamie Coyle to fire to the roof of the net from the edge of the area.

On the restart, Jason Devlin had a fine effort tipped over by McGrory while at the other end, Michael Henry bore down on goal but his initial effort was blocked by the legs of Conlon and he screwed the follow-up wide.

Just after the hour mark the home side added a fourth goal when Paddy Doherty controlled well and crossed inside the area for McFadden to slot home from 10 yards. Six minutes later the visitors got a goal back after a corner was only half cleared to the edge of the area where Evan Davenport despatched a superb effort low to the bottom right-hand corner.

Greencastle got another one back late on with Henry getting in behind the home defence and slotting low past Conlon. 

Illies Celtic 8-1 Culdaff FC

Illies got off to the perfect start on four minutes when Adrian Donaghey Doherty converted a penalty after Paul Duffy had been upended.

They added a second goal shortly after when Duffy's cross found Oran Doherty whose shot found the net despite Odhran Douglas getting a hand to it. Culdaff then spurned two good chances with Noel McLaughlin failing to connect with a Michael Coyle cross when well placed before Coyle, headed McLaughlin’s cross just over the bar.

The visitors got a goal back on 36 minutes following a corner with Ryan Greene heading to the roof of the net past Michael Owen Doherty. But the home side regained their two-goal cushion when Duffy unleashed a superb twenty-five yards strike to the top corner.

As in the first half, Illies got off to a flyer and made it four-one when Duffy broke through the visitor's defence to finish low past Douglas. Culdaff replied with a looping effort from Coyle just going over the bar. But Illies dominated the remainder of the game with Jamie McDaid tapping in after Douglas had done well to parry a Duffy effort.

Duffy then completed his hat trick with a low effort when unmarked inside the area before the same player added number seven after the visitors failed to clear. McDaid then also completed his hat trick with the final action of the game bursting through the defence to finish low to the net.

Charlie O'Donnell Cup

Gleneely Colts 2-2 Aileach Res 

Aileach began well in the early exchanges with Paul Eyre firing just wide from a Kevin Boyle cross. Gleneely responded and opened the scoring on 16 minutes after a Mark Diver effort looped over Dillon Porter and into the net.

But Aileach equalised within minutes after Boyle broke free on the left and advanced to slot low past Ciaran Gallagher. Gleneely were on top then until the break with Kyrn Cantwell firing one effort wide and heading just over before Mark McGonigle was denied by a good save from Porter.

The home side regained the lead just before the interval after good work on the right by Paul Toner saw him find Cantwell on the edge of the area and he drilled low to the corner.

The second half saw both teams cancel each other out with defences on top. On 70 minutes the home side came close after a long kick out from Gallagher found Tristan McColgan who laid the ball off to Iarlaith Mclaughlin but Porter was equal to his effort. With time running out a defensive mix-up allowed Stephen Doherty to capitalise and he slotted low past Gallagher to salvage a point for the visitors.

Carn Youths 1-1 Glengad United 

On a wet and windy day at Benduff Park in a tightly contested game, it was Glengad who had the first chance after fifteen minutes when Joe Doherty went clean through the home defence, but his effort was well saved by Carn keeper Kyle Harkin.

Ten minutes later, the same player Doherty again was put through but dragged his shot wide of the post. The home side replied on the half-hour with a Tiernan Doherty's shot from thirty yards turned around the post by Glengad Keeper Michael McLaughlin. It was Glengad who took the lead shortly after when a sloppy bit of play in the Carn defence allowed Joe Doherty to pounce and go through to put Glengad one up.

Carn responded when a Dayton Cooke free found Sheagan Doherty, but his header crashed off the post and went wide. Just before the halftime whistle, Tiarnan Doherty played a brilliant through ball to Dylan Cooke who took it on the chest and volleyed with McLaughlin again turning it around the post. 

The second half was very cagey affair with most of the ball been played in the midfield with conditions getting worse. Joe Doherty then picked the ball up midway through the Carn half but was unlucky to see his effort crash off the bar. Carn upped the tempo and leveled matters on 76 minutes when they were awarded a penalty for handball, and Tiarnan Doherty stepped up and slotted it into the bottom right corner of the net.

Both sides had half chances but both defences managed to see it through to the end and the game finished with honours even. 

Buncrana Res 1-1 Dunree United

Buncrana began well and Eoin Murphy had the first chance of the game on 14 minutes, breaking from midfield but just dragged his shot wide.

Four minutes later and Murphy latched on to a through ball and went past the centre half and while his shot beat Philip Doherty it struck the post.

Eoin McNamee then had a chance on the half-hour mark but volleyed over Downey's cross. Dunree responded and Liam Baldrick had a chance for the visitors on 36 minutes but his shot was well dealt with by Eoin O'Doherty in the Hearts goal.

Dunree was first to threaten in the second half on 53 minutes when Jerry Farrell got in down the left but shot straight at O'Doherty. The Hearts took the lead on 70 minutes when Thomas Adair picked out Aaron McDaid who glanced a header beyond Doherty into the bottom right-hand corner. The visitors hit back and Farrell latched onto Cian Moran's through ball and cooly slotted past the advancing O'Doherty to level the game and ensure a share of the spoils.