Inishowen League: Cockhill Celtic advance to the semi-finals of the League Cup

Clubman Shirts League Cup  

Redcastle United 0-5 Cockhill Celtic 

Cockhill opened the scoring on seven minutes when Jay Bradley released Garbhan Friel to drill low past Michael McCole.  

Midway through the half Cockhill attacked with Damien Duffy finding Friel but he fired just wide of the left-hand post. On the half-hour mark, a free kick from Curran found Josh McConnallogue but he fired across the goal and there were no takers.  

At the other end, a Brendan McLaughlin cross was headed over by Duffy. But the visitors doubled their lead just before the break when McLaughlin’s cross was headed home by Friel for his second of the game.  

Cockhill got off to a flier on the resumption when Bradley’s corner was headed home by Friel for his hat trick.  

Redcastle kept battling and midway through the half Marc Bell’s corner was headed just wide by McConnellogue.  

From another Cockhill corner, Lee McColgan headed home the fourth. The visitors completed the scoring when Daniel Doherty sent Bradley clear and he shot past McCole. 

Aileach FC 7-0 Culdaff FC  

With 10 minutes gone Aileach took the lead when Niall McGlynn played a fine cross-field ball to release Dillon McGrory who crossed for the in-rushing Shane Mc Monagle to head home from close range.  

The home side doubled their lead on 25 minutes when Dillon McGrory got space again down the left and crossed for Darren McMonagle to fire home from six yards.  

On 35 minutes Culdaff almost pulled a goal back when a driven cross from the left, bounced off an unsuspecting Euan McFeeley and went narrowly wide of Conan Doherty’s right-hand post.  

Just before half time Aileach made it three when Shane McMonagle found Gavin Doherty who beat the offside trap and lobbed the out-rushing Patrick McLaughlin from twenty yards.  

Aileach added number four on 55 minutes when McGrory was taken down in the box and Darren McMonagle converted from the spot.  

Midway through the half Culdaff were awarded a free kick 30 yards from the goal and Ryan Greene brought a fine save from Doherty with the keeper doing well to turn the ball around the angle of post and crossbar.  

On 75 minutes Culdaff was unlucky not to get on the score sheet when following a corner from the left, the ball broke to Michael Doran whose close-range effort came back off the bar.  

In the final five minutes, as the visitors tired, Aileach added three more goals from substitutes Emmet McCarron and Charlie Campbell as well as Darren McMonagle completing his hattrick to finish with a 7-0 score line.  

Greencastle FC 2-8 Buncrana Hearts  

Greencastle welcomed Buncrana Hearts to Chapel Lane and it was the hosts who got off to the perfect start within the first 60 seconds when Seamy McLaughlin played a lovely ball through to Connor Gillen who slid the ball into the corner of the net.  

Buncrana answered straight away when a ball played towards the corner flag was picked up by Liam Quigley who squared for Bart Wesolowski to tap in.  

After 12 minutes Quigley broke down the left and crossed with the ball eventually falling to Wesolowski who fired high and wide from eight yards. Shortly later Buncrana took the lead when Calvin Gallagher won possession in midfield and fed Wesolowski who beat McGrory in the Greencastle net. 

Greencastle then enjoyed a decent spell with good attacking play, putting Buncrana under pressure the best of which was an in-swinging corner from Michael Henry which was goal-bound but was touched onto the post by Taylor Clare in the Buncrana Hearts goal.  

Five minutes before halftime a cross from Nathan Harkin was punched out by the keeper and the ball fell to Seamy McLaughlin who fired it into the corner of the net from twenty-five yards.  But one minute later Wesolowski completed his hatrick to put Buncrana 3-2 up after capitalising on a defensive mistake and slotting it past McGrory in the nets. 

Buncrana got off to a flying start in the second half when they scored two in the first 10 minutes. The first came when Buncrana won possession in Greencastle's box. Wesolowski squared the ball for Caolan Doherty to finish well in the corner and the second goal came when Matty Brown cut in from the right but his shot was saved by McGrory but Wesolowski prodded in from a yard out.  

Greencastle tried to respond and nearly did when Ben Doherty fired an effort from 25 yards that went just over the bar. Buncrana kept attacking and scored in the 80th minute when a ball was played over the top for Liam Quigley who picked it up and squared it for Matty Brown who fired it into the roof of the net.  

With about five minutes minutes left Buncrana finished the game strong scoring late goals. Liam Jordan came off the bench and scored with his first involvement before Decky Fullerton scored with a great effort from 45 yards after McGrory was caught off his line.  

Charlie O Donnell Cup 

Aileach Res 1-2 Cockhill Youth 

Cockhill got a dream start in the fifth minute when Danny McDaid cut in from the left and from a tight angle drilled low past Dillon Porter. Minutes later McDaid had another effort tipped over the bar by Porter.  

Aileach settled with Paul Eyre seeing an effort deflected just wide of the post. Then a Kevin Boyle cross was parried by Darragh O’Donnell and the ball fell to Eyre whose first time effort skimmed the post.  

The home side got back on terms on 43 minutes after a swift counter attack saw Anthony Doherty play a one-two with Eyre before unleashing a superb strike from the edge of the area to the bottom corner.  

On the stroke of half time, they almost got another after Boyle s cross was flicked on by Doherty but cleared off the line by a defender.  

The second half was a much tighter affair with defences on top and no clear chances at either end. But the defining moment came for the visitors on 81 minutes when substitute Donal Og O’Brien saw an effort deflected past Porter and into the net. The home side pushed hard for an equaliser but Cockhill stood firm.  

QPS 6-1 Gleneely Colts 

The home side started well and broke the deadlock in the 11th minute when a well-worked corner was played to Ross Nicholas on the edge of the area and he drilled low to the bottom corner.  

They doubled their lead midway through the half after Conor Barrow advanced from midfield and unleashed a superb strike to the top corner.  

Gleneely rallied and got a goal back after a long throw-in found Billy McCann who headed to the top corner past Leo McColgan. But on the stroke of half time the Point regained their two-goal lead when Lee Barr converted a penalty after Mark Murray was fouled.  

The home side dispelled any comebacks within minutes of the restart when another well worked corner found Oisin Lynch who fired home from a tight angle. They then increased their lead on 67 minutes with Barr heading home at the back post from Barrows corner.  

The home side completed the scoring after a Denim Mclaughlin effort was parried but Murray pounced to drill home. 

Moville Celtic 1-1 Buncrana Res  

Luke McFadden was denied at the back post by Eoghan O Doherty before Conor Lafferty unleashed a twenty-five-yard free which just cleared the bar.  

Buncrana replied and Jack Gill found space but shot straight at Ryan Coyle when well placed.  

Moville finished the half strongly with McFadden denied by a superb save low to his right from O’Doherty. And on the stroke of half time Norbert Indykas's effort following a corner was also saved by O’Doherty.  

Moville also had the first chance of the second half from an Oisin Lynch cross which found McFadden but his effort was saved by the legs of O’Doherty. Buncrana then had a spell and when Eoin McNamee fed Jack Soal he cut in and unleashed a goalbound effort which Coyle saved superbly.  

Coyle was again in action after Shannon Murphy sent Gill clear but the keeper stood tall. The visitors spurned a gilt-edged chance then when they were awarded a penalty for a handball but McNamee’s spot kick was brilliantly saved low to the right by Coyle.  

However, a minute later the visitors took the lead after McNamee lobbed the advancing Coyle and James Downey forced the ball home. Moville rallied and earned a point when a Lee McColgan effort broke inside the area for Indyka to slot home and claim a point.