Donegal League: Cranford United overcome Glenea United after a penalty shootout

Brian McCormick Cup 

Cranford United 4-4 Glenea United (5-4 on penalties to Cranford) 

Shane Coll and Cathair Sweeney were the heroes as Cranford won a very entertaining match in Cranford Park taking the game on penalties.  

A tight game throughout but it was Glenea who took the lead after 20 minutes when a ball was swung in from the left a great volley from the on-rushing forward found the net.  

Cranford responded just before half time when Shane Coll bundled the ball home.  

Glenea regained their lead 10 minutes into the second half from a brilliant long-range effort. Cranford again showed a never-say-die attitude and Coll got his second heading home a corner.  

Glenea took the lead for the third time with 10 minutes to go and looked like it would be the winner but again Cranford pushed hard and earned a penalty from which Shane Coll completed his hat-trick.  

Glenea took the lead in the first half of extra time before Cranford equalised in the second half from Domhnaill Sweeney.  

Cranford went on to win it on penalties in sudden death as Cathair Sweeney saved two after having to don the gloves after an early injury to Jason Hegarty. 

Letterbarrow Celtic 1-4 St Catherines 

Emerald Park was bathed in sunshine for this local Brian Mc Cormack Cup clash with St Catherine’s emerging victorious. 

Josh Maxwell had just recovered from a heavy tackle and gingerly moved into the box and somehow found the strength to head home a delightful cross from Shaun Kelly on eight minutes.   

The home team had a lot of possession but Letterbarrow was defending well until Kyle McGeoghan latched onto a loose ball on the edge of the box and his sweet left-foot strike gave the away keeper no chance to leave it 2-0 to the home team on 30 minutes.  

Letterbarrow’s number nine Darragh Burke looked the most dangerous for the visitors and his exceptional speed saw him steer a through ball past the Saints’ keeper for 2-1 on 43 minutes.  

The second half started much like the first with the Saints dominating possession but it was a simple ball over the top of the away defence on 55 minutes that caught the Letterbarrow centre-half napping and Alex McGinley took one touch to control and one touch to shoot for a 3-1 lead.   

An own-goal finished the tie as a contest on 75 minutes when an outstretched Letterbarrow boot was last to make contact with a whipped cross from the left. 

Kildrum Tigers 6-0 Raphoe Town 

Three goals on either side of half time seen the home side advance to the area final. 

Kildrum came out comfortable winners in the end against a very youthful and impressive Raphoe side, Murtagh, in particular, impressing for the away side. Keelan Gillen’s goal the pick of them for the home side as he curled his effort into the top corner midway through the second half. 

Castlefin Celtic 3-2 Lagan Harps 

Castlefin advanced to the next round of the Brian McCormick Cup after an extra-time win over Lagan in Castlefin.  

Jude Patton put the hosts ahead after breaking through, and Phillip Doran got the team's level shortly after. James Tinney rifled home after a Jordan McKinney header came off the post after the break. Oisin Harkin powered home from the edge of the box to level the tie.  

In an open affair, both sides created numerous chances but neither could find a winner in normal time. Halfway through the first half of extra time Dean Kelly found space and rifled home the winner from 25 yards. 

Vodoo Cup  

Letterkenny Rovers Reserves 0-2 Oldtown Celtic 

Letterkenny Rovers reserves were beaten at home on Saturday afternoon with Oldtown winning 2-0. After 15 minutes Michael Doherty went one on one with the keeper who made a good save and Luke Neilis put the rebound over the bar. 

Henry was sent off after two yellow cards which changed the game. Rovers held on to the last minute of the first half when Micheal Doherty made it 1-0 to Oldtown.  

Oldtown had Rovers on the back foot and in the 70th minute, Oldtown scored to make it 2-0 which more or less killed the game. 

Ramelton Mariners 0-2 Fanad United Reserves 

On a sunny warm day in Rathmullan, the Mariners were in action against a good youthful Fanad side. The first 20 minutes were tight with both sides cancelling each other out. But after 25 minutes Fanad scored from a free which took a deflection and fell to feet off a Fanad player who slotted home.  

Fanad then scored a wonderful free-kick on the stroke of half-time, giving Dylan Roulston no chance of saving the effort. The second-half was another tight battle with few chances for either side.    

Dunlewey Celtic 0-2 Gweedore Celtic Reserves 

Both sides started the game on a solid footing and tried to draw one another out and create spaces. For the first 20 minutes of the game Dunlewey looked the stronger of the two sides.  

Gweedore kept a good shape and continued to try and play short passes through the midfield. On 29 minutes Gweedore penetrated the Dunlewey defence and Breathnach finished neatly for the visitors to put them ahead.  

Dunlewey tried to get back into the tie before half time but the visitors held out to hold the advantage at the break. The second half went much the way of the first half with Dunlewey creating a few chances but the final finish just wasn't there for them.  

Gweedore looked dangerous on the break with their pace in behind the Dunlewey backline. With Dunlewey pushing for an equaliser, the space opened and they capitalised on this with a quick counter and Cronan McFadden tapped home Gweedore's second goal with 14 minutes to play. Dunlewey pushed to get back into the game but the visitors held out  

Strand Rovers 2-0 Cranford United 

Two good chances in the first 15 minutes for Strand with an excellent effort from coming off the post and another brilliant free kick from Ethan Mc Caffrey saved by the keeper.   

What looked to be a sure goal for Cranford, when a lovely ball played over the Strand defence found an inrushing attacker who clipped the all over the Strand keeper only to see it headed off the line by James McCole who was in behind covering his keeper.   

The rest of the first half saw play mainly stay in the Cranford half with Strand creating chance after chance but none found the net. With only three minutes played in the second half it was Ethan McCaffrey who got on the score sheet with an excellent shot from just inside the box. That settled the play a bit and Strand started to play the ball about a take control of the game.  

In the 58th minute, it was Dylan Boyle who got his first goal of the season as he received a through ball from Ethan McCafferty and he finished it nicely into the bottom corner. Cranford pushed hard to get off the mark but Strand was the stronger team on the day. 

Castlefin Celtic Reserves 0-6 Kildrum Tigers Reserves 

Kildrum advanced to the next round of the Voodoo Venue Cup after a convincing victory in Castlefin. A first-half brace from Aaron O’Donnell, and a goal apiece from Shane and Paul McNulty had the visitors well ahead at the break. Kildrum added to their tally in the second half Shane Mc Nulty grabbing his second and O’Donnell completing his hat-trick 

Bonagee United Reserves 7-2 Ballybofey United Reserves 

Ultan McMonagle scored a hat-trick as Bonagee United hit seven in the Voodoo Venue Cup. 

Bonagee overcame Ballybofey United at Dry Arch Park on Wednesday night to move into the next round, spurred by Mc Monagle’s treble. Bonagee hit the front on 10 minutes when Kelvin Anderson’s low cross was turned into his own net by a Ballybofey defender.  

Ballybofey drew level in the 21st minute. Just seconds after firing over the top, Colin Kearns was presented with a chance by a slip-up in the home defence. Kearns duly obliged with a neat finish.  

A superb save by Ballybofey's keeper Daniel Crawford denied McMonagle, but the Bonagee attacker blasted to the net in the 32nd minute. McMonagle surged into the box and hammered home to make it 3-1.  

Caolan McGarrigle added a fourth late in the opening half. Mark Griffin pulled a goal back for Ballybofey when he punished an error. 

McMonagle riffled inches over the crossbar with a chance to complete his hat-trick, but he made no mistake in the 72nd minute. Ronan Buchanan and Marc Casey added late goals for the hosts who have now scored 15 goals in their opening two games.