Inishowen League: Culdaff Utd edge Redcastle Utd in eleven-goal thriller

Jackie Crossan Premier Division 

Redcastle United 5 Culdaff FC 6

Despite the conditions this  game had everything with loads of attacking play , eleven goals, penalties at each end and much much  more.

The visitors got off to a dream start in the second minute after Ben Curley advanced and fed Aidan Cunningham who rifled a superb effort to the top corner past Michael McCole. 

But Redcastle equalised in the 15th minute after Shaun Curran crossed for  Andrew McCarron whose effort was parried by Patrick McLaughlin and Mark Farren pounced to slot home. 

Culdaff tried to reply instantly with a Caden Doherty effort cleared to Jack O Brien whose cross found Cunningham but he headed just wide. 

The home side were next to threaten on 28 minutes with Eamon Donnelly releasing McCarron on the right but he fired across goal and past the far post. 

Redcastle then took the lead on  35 minutes after Mark Farren sent Marc Bell clear of the visitors defence and he fired low into the left hand corner. 

The visitors had a chance immediately with O’Brien advancing through the middle and unleashing an effort which McCole parried but Cunningham  fired   the loose ball wide. Culdaff did level matters minutes later after Caden Doherty crossed for O’Brien to slot past McCole . 

The visitors then retook the lead on the stroke of half time when Keith Norris crossed for Cunningham  to shoot past McCole from fifteen yards. Culdaff got a dream start in the opening minute of the second  half after  O’Brien advanced and laid the ball off to Noel McLaughlin to shoot to the top corner. 

The home side were galvanised into a response and Farren fired just wide before on the hour they got a goal back. 

Shaun Curran found space on the left and crossed the ball for Caillou O Kane to head past McLaughlin . 

Again the visitors responded to this set back and an excellent free kick delivery from O’Brien found  Cunningham to head past McCole. 

But once again  Redcastle responded and when McCarron was upended in the area  Jack McConnellogue stepped up to drill the spot kick past McLaughlin and reduce the deficit to the minimum. 

The home side then got an equaliser after  Donnellys  free kick was controlled on his chest by McConnellogue and he executed a superb overhead kick past McLaughlin. 

But from the kick off Culdaff broke into the area with O’Brien  upended and Cunningham stepped up to drill the ball home for his fourth goal of the game and seal his sides first points of the season.

Aileach FC 0 Cockhill Celtic 0

Defending champions Cockhill have not hit top form this season  and have drawn for the second league game running to make the title race much more interesting . 

Aileach were first to threaten on 5 minutes when Shane McMonagle was taken down on the edge of the box but Gavin Doherty’s free kick was easily dealt with by Harry Doherty in the Cockhill goal. 

Cockhill playing with the breeze had the home defence under a lot of pressure and on 18 minutes, a short corner from the left was laid back to Stephen Duffy who hit a fierce shot from the edge of the box but Conan Doherty in the Aileach goal did well to parry his effort round the post.  

Midway through the half  Christy McLaughlin got round his marker and advanced into the box but his left foot effort from a narrow angle was just wide of Doherty’s right hand post. 

Before the interval a poor pass in the Cockhill defence was latched onto by Darren McMonagle but he delayed his shot and the chance was gone.  

If anything, in the second half, the wind got stronger and both sides found it very difficult to hold onto possession and create anything meaningful. 

Midway through the half, again from a corner, Cockhill threatened but as the ball fell to Garbhan Friel, three  Aileach defenders converged to snuff out the danger. 

With the Aileach midfield tiring, Cockhill were on top at this stage but Thomas McMonagle, Michael McElroy, Darren Gallagher and Reece McGilloway put in sterling performances at the back to keep a dangerous Cockhill attacking force at bay. 

With time almost up, Shane McMonagle broke from midfield and raced into the box and seemed to be taken down, but the referee waved away strong Aileach appeals and the game ended scoreless. 

Division One 

Buncrana Res 0 QPS 3

The home side had the first opportunity on 10 minutes when Jamie Friel's header from a corner was cleared off the line with Harbinson beaten. 

The visitors took the lead midway through the half with  Josh Boyle firing a wind assisted shot beyond Eoghan O'Doherty from twenty five  yards. 

Oisin McCool made it two nil on 38 minutes again his shot flew into the top corner with the help of a strong breeze giving O'Doherty no chance.

Despite having the conditions in their favour the home side failed to trouble the visitors goal and on 82 minutes the visitors increased their lead Denim McLaughlin scoring from the spot to make it  three. 

Boyle almost got his second his shot from edge of area striking the post. The visitors seen out the remaining minutes for a deserved victory.

Inishowen Engineering Division Two 

Aileach Youth 1 Sea Rovers 7

League leaders Sea Rovers continued their fine form with a convincing win over an understrength home side at lakeside in dry bright blustery conditions. 

They got a dream start when Andrew Gallagher converted from close range past Dylan Clarke after a pinpoint Declan McGonagle cross.  

Minutes later they doubled their lead after good work by Michael Glackin ended with a cross for  McGonagle to slot home from six yards. 

After good build up play on 22 minutes the ball fell to McGonagle inside the area and he fired to the top corner giving Clarke no chance. 

Gallagher then got his second goal of the game when he got on the end of a looping cross to control at the back post and slot past  Clarke. Gallagher then completed his hat trick before the break with Matthew Mooney adding a sixth. 

The second half saw the home side be more competitive and Rovers had to wait until the 71st minute to score their seventh and final goal with Michael Glackin running through and finishing low past Clarke. 

Aileach kept at it and got a consolation near the end after Daithi Grant set up Ryan Farnham to shoot low past Mark McLaughlin.

Carrowmena FC 0 Cockhill Res 2

While defences were on top in dry  sunny but blustery conditions it was the home side who made most of the early running. 

They had the first chance on 15 minutes after Darragh McGuinness released Adam Harkin who picked out Cathal Crumlish and he turned and unleashed a low shot from the edge of the area which went narrowly wide. 

Midway through the half Christy Hegarty flicked on a long ball for Crumlish who cut inside and was very unlucky to see his twenty five yards attempted lob crash back off the crossbar. 

Against the run of play the visitors took the lead in the 35th minute when after the home defence failed to clear Joe Lavery played the ball forward for Niall Breslin to nip in between two defenders and lift the ball over Sean McGuinness. 

On the stroke of half time the home side went close again when Jamie Coyle found Crumlish whose twenty yards effort was superbly tipped around the post by Jordan McLaughlin. 

Cockhill  increased their lead in the 55th minute after hesitation in the home defence allowed Breslin to capitalise and advance into the area before drilling low past McGuinness. 

Carrowmena tried hard to get back into the game and on 73 minutes Paul Brennan  found Harkin who laid the ball off to Hegarty but his effort was well saved by McLaughlin.  

Both teams created little in the final period of the game and Cockhill claimed the points.

Rashenny RES 2 Redcastle Res 2

A diagonal wind made things difficult for both teams but the visitors dominated the opening half . 

Jack Ferry had a dangerous cross well claimed by Conor McGonagle in the home goal before Ronan Cassidy fired wildly over the bar when well placed. 

Redcastle continued to press and McGonagle made smart saves from a Shea Sweeney free on the right and a long range Jason Lynch effort. 

Ferry then shot narrowly wide from twenty two yards before the home side responded with Caylum Long breaking clear but seeing his effort deflected wide. Redcastle finally opened the scoring on 44 minutes after Cassidy found Darren Harkin who advanced and lifted the ball over the advancing McGonagle into the net. 

Redcastle began the second half well with Darren Harkin firing one shot into the side netting before being denied by McGonagle with a second effort. On the hour mark Harkin ran onto a Cassidy through ball to drive low past McGonagle and put the visitors two goal ahead.

Rashenny then came well into the game with Gareth McKeever having a shot clocked before Ronan McConalogue drew a good save from Oberon Deane in the Redcastle goal. 

McKeever then fired a powerful effort just over the bar.  Redcastle responded with Ferry seeing a twenty yards effort saved by McGonagle before the same player broke clear  of the home defence  but saw his goalbound effort superbly tipped over. 

Rashenny then got a goal back on 78 minutes after McConalogues effort was parried by Deane and Caylum Long pounced to slot home from point blank range. 

Then  in the first minute of injury time the home side snatched what looked like an unlikely share of the spoils when a Nathan Doherty inswinging corner eluded everyone and landed in the net.

Carn Res 4 Moville Res 0

Carn  had an early chance when a Ryan O’Donnell pass from midfield found Conor Burke on the right who crossed for Tiernan Cantwell to beat the defence  but  shot high and wide from ten yards. 

They broke the deadlock minutes later  after  a Moville defender handled the ball in the area with Matthew McLaughlin converted the resulting penalty. 

Moville had  a chance to level midway through the half  when Lorcan Gillen broke on the right wing and rounded the defender before  squaring  it for Mabuzi Inoki but he failed to hit the target from fifteen yards. 

Carn replied  when Shane McGuinness broke on the right wing and crossed it for Caelem Cavanagh whose powerful effort clipped the outside of the post.

Carn did make it two nil on 42 minutes  when a Tiernan Cantwell throw on the left found Cormac McLaughlin who drove a powerful shot to the right corner of the net from twenty five  yards. 

The home side then  made it  three on the stroke of half time after  a Ryan O’Donnell pass f found Matthew McLaughlin who beat the defender and shot low to the left corner of the net from inside the area .  

Carn had the first chance of the second half  with  substitute  Adam McLaughlin broke on the right wing and crossed it for Shane McGuinness who failed to hit the target when well placed.

It was four nil to the home side  when Moville keeper Veron Kelly’s kick out was intercepted by Tiernan Cantwell at the halfway line and he went on a run beating the defender and squaring it for another substitute  Caomhan Canny who shot a powerful shot low to the bottom right corner from ten yards. 

Moville had the chance to pull one back  when Andrew Burke broke and passed to  Jay Gillen whose powerful low shot was well tidied up by Jack O’Brien in the Carn Goal. The home side had the final chance when another substitute  George McGuinness crossed  for Caomhan Canny who fired wide from twenty yards.

Ulster Junior Shield

Glencar Celtic 2 Moville Celtic 0

Played in beautiful conditions on Saturday afternoon both sides had early shots on target. 

But the home side broke the deadlock in the 10th minute after Sheldon used his pace to break on the right and crossed for slotted home by Marty Brogan at the near post.  

Moville lifted themselves but were restricted to shots from distance from Luke McFadden and Ben Knox which were either comfortably gathered or off target. 

Moville tried hard to get back on terms in the second half but both McFadden and Knox had shots well saved by the home keeper. 

But with Moville pressing the home side hit them on the break in the 88th minute  and after Moville failed to clear Russell Forde fired to the bottom corner from the edge of the area to seal the tie and advance to the next round.

Letterkenny RES 1 Dunree United 0

There was a tight opening to this game on the astro at Leckview with defences on top. 

The visitors had the first chance of the game in the 21st minute when Liam Baldrick fed Eoin Coombes who curled an effort just the wrong side of the post. 

The home side replied before the break  creating a good opportunity when Artem Tymoach saw an effort well saved by Adam Harrigan as the half ended scoreless. 

The home side had the first attempt on goal on 48 minutes when Tymoach cut in from the right and unleashed a low shot which Harrigan turned around the post.Midway through the half Dunree responded after Darryl Moran played a brilliant ball into Jamie Brosnan whose effort from the edge of the area was straight at the home keeper Josh Ward. 

Minutes later Coombes  had a snapshot tipped away by Ward. Letterkenny then broke with a Jason Doherty powerful twenty five yards effort tipped onto the bar by Harrigan with his defence completing the clearance. 

With extra time looming the home side were awarded a controversial penalty in the 90th minute for a handball  allowing Jason Doherty ton step up and fire past Harrigan and seal their passage to the next round.

Cranford United 2 Dunree Res 0

In difficult conditions for both teams  the home side started well with the elements and forced a couple of corners which Oran Doherty dealt with capably. 

Danny McBride then flashed an effort narrowly wide. Dunree replied midway through the half with David O Hagan flicking the ball on to Andrew Grant  whose effort was well saved by the Cranford custodian. 

The home side opened the scoring on 38 minutes with Shane Coll heading home  from a corner  and before the break McBride shot over when well placed.  

Kyle Doherty had the first opportunity of the second half heading wide from McBrides cross. 

Dunree then had a good spell with Patrick Doherty heading wide before Grant had another effort saved. But the home side sealed the tie  late on when Kyle McFadden broke clear and finished well past Doherty.

Raphoe Town 2 Carn Youth 4

Two goals apiece from Daire Tully and Tiernan Doherty helped Carndonagh Youths to a fine 4-2 win over Raphoe Town in the Ulster Shield competition on Sunday. 

In a game spoiled by horrendous weather conditions, both teams played some excellent football in a sporting encounter without a card shown and in the end it was Carn’s sharpness in front of goal that made all the difference. 

With the wind at their backs Raphoe made all the early running, they might have been ahead inside 30 seconds when Bobby O’Loughlin fired over, but they didn’t have to wait long until Ryan McNeill put them in front with a fine strike in the 5th minute.

It was all Raphoe at that stage, and a combination of poor finishing and some excellent goalkeeping from Kyle Harkin was kept the visitors in the game until the 15th minute when they sprung a rare attack and found themselves level. 

Dayton Cooke who had an excellent game for the visitors worked his way through on goal but saw his effort saved by Sean Friel, but when the loose ball eventually found its way to Tiernan Doherty he smashed home a shot to level the tie. 

Carndonagh broke again ten minutes later, this time Daire Tully keeping his composure to round the Raphoe keeper and slot home as the Raphoe defence raced back. 

Even then Raphoe could have hit back, they saw a shot smash off the crossbar, had one kicked off the line by Senan Grant and Harkin made a string of super saves to ensure the visitors went in two one  up at the break. 

The lead didn’t last long, two minutes after the re-start fine footwork from Bobby O’Loughlin saw him beat his man in the box to square for substitute Matthew McCann to fire home from close range.   

But it was the visitors who had the elements on their side in the second half and they pressed the Raphoe men back as the game progressed, forcing a series of corners and firing in long range efforts that Sean Friel did superbly to deal with. 

However, the pressure finally told in the 65th minute when Tiernan Doherty pounced on a mistake to steer past Friel and at that stage it was hard to see a way back for Raphoe.

Carndonagh made sure of the win in the 89th minute with a super strike from Daire Tully that looped over Friel into the roof of the net to leave the final score  four two . Good performances from both teams in a game well refereed by Ryan Carlin.

Monaghan United RES 2 Glengad United 4      (AET) 

Glengad United made the long trip to Monaghan and had to endure extra time before they overcame the home side on a four two scoreline and advance to the next round.  

Monaghan scored after 15 minutes to take the lead but Glengad responded when Joe Doherty converted a penalty  on the half hour. 

But the home side regained the lead on the stroke of half time. Glengad exerted a lot of pressure in he second half but had to wait until the 80th minute to get back on terms courtesy of a Calvin White strike. 

In the conditions both teams probably didn’t relish extra time but  it was the Inishowen side who proved the stronger. 

Another Joe Doherty penalty put Glengad three two up before Callum McDaid  sealed the tie with their fourth goal in he second period of extra time.

Rashenny Youth 0 Cockhill Youth 6

In calm conditions on Friday night under the lights Cockhill moved into an early lead when Oisin Crawford played a ball through the home defence to Liam Bradley and he was able to run clear and shoot under the advancing Liam McDermott. 

Further chances failed to increase the visitor’s lead with Paul Mullan just failing to connect in front of goal with Conor Allen’s left wing cross and Cahir Noone deflecting a goal bound shot for a corner. 

However, Cockhill did double their lead when Conor McDaid sidestepped past a number of defenders, played a one two with Bradley and slotted home for a well taken goal. 

Right on half time Bradley’s short cross from the left was headed against the underside of the bar by a defender with the ball dropping into the net for a three nil  half time lead. 

The visitors continued to have the upper hand after the break and when the ball was worked across the box to Conor McDaid he was able to lay off to Bradley who drove home for his side’s fourth goal. Danny McDaid’s shot on the run from just outside the area further increased Cockhill’s lead. 

Rasheney only threatened sporadically and in one such attack Oran McDevitt was released along the right wing and he fired an enticing cross into the danger area but there was no one there to connect. 

Conor Allen’s low ground shot across the keeper completed the scoring and Mullan will wonder how he missed an open goal near the end.

Gleneely Colts 4 Aileach Res 1

 in testing windy conditions, Gleneely opened the scoring in the fifth  minute when Taylor Bonner played the ball to Shane Diver on the edge of the box and  he flicked the ball through the defenders legs and slotted into the bottom corner from ten  yards. 

Gleneely had multiple chances after that throughout the half but could not get that second goal. 

Firstly, Kyran Cantwell slid the ball wide when well placed, Dylan Porter saved well from a Mark Diver long range effort, Cian McNamees long range free was heading to the top corner but Dylan Porter pulled of a fine save and Ryan Tabbitts follow up hit the post with  Dylan Porter grabbing the ball at the second attempt. 

Aileach started the second half on the front foot and had three  good chances in the first five minutes. 

A mistake in the Gleneely defence allowed Anthony Doherty to shoot narrowly wide before Ciaran Bradley was allowed to run down the left unopposed and into the box but Ciaran Gallagher was equal to his shot to push it wide. 

The third chance came when then Emmett McCarron headed over from five yards but should of done better. 

Gleneely made Aileach pay for those misses when they got their second after  a Cian McNamee corner found Ryan Tabbitt at the back post and his shot looped over the keeper and into the net. 

Anthony Doherty had another effort from inside the box saved by Gallagher in the Gleneely goal before  Gleneely got their third of the game after Paul Doherty was allowed space in midfield to advance and get a shot off which was parried by Porter but Cian McNamee reacted the quickest to slot home from ten  yards. 

Home side added a fourth after  Corey O’Brien got down the right cut in on his left to fire a shot to the bottom corner giving Porter no chance. 

Aileach did get  consolation after  Ciaran Bradley evaded three  defenders in the box to shoot low to the bottom corner giving Gallagher no chance.