Donegal League: St Catherine’s triumphs over Lagan Harps in Ulster Junior Cup clash

Ulster Junior Cup 

St Catherine’s 3-1 Lagan Harps 

Extremely windy conditions had a major part to play in this Ulster Cup clash. 

The game was slow to ignite with both keepers having very little to do for the first 25 minutes. Both teams had long-range shots well saved by their respective keepers and it was from a corner kick that the deadlock was finally broken on 30 minutes.  

Paul O’Hare swung in a superb ball to the back post that was bravely met by the head of Ryan Carr and smashed the back of the away net before the keeper had a chance to react.  

It was from a corner again just two minutes later that Lagan Harps got an equaliser. Conor Crossan intelligently used the strong breeze which carried the ball over the heads of everyone and straight into the Saints’ net.  

The scores remained at 1-1 for the break and when Mick Langan got things motoring for the second half, we only had to wait 8 minutes for a crucial goal for the home team. Possibly the best player on the day, Josh Maxwell, found himself free in the Harps’ box after some aerial tussles he latched onto a loose ball and calmly slotted low past the Lagan keeper.  

Ten minutes later the Saints got their third goal. Matthew McClean controlled a high ball played out from defence with one deft touch, knocked the ball bravely in front of himself and into the away box where unchallenged he struck sweetly into the Harps’ net with his left foot.  

Lagan kept trying to probe an opening and were given hope when the excellent centre-half Odhran McGuinness came off with a knee injury and with the Saints’ bench already emptied the home team were looking at the last 15 minutes with ten men.  

Dylan Doogan and Kyle Martin were doing their best for Lagan down the flanks but the home side were in no mood to give anything away cheaply and were able to keep the score at 3-1 when referee Mick Langan blew for full-time.  

Temple Domestic Appliances Division One 

Gweedore United 8-1 Cranford United  

This game, changed from Sunday to Friday night under the floodlights in Gweedore saw a strong performance from United in front of a good home support.  

The home side went at Cranford from the start and took a deserved lead in the 14th minute when Ethan Harkin scored from a penalty after Brian McFadden was pulled down in the box. 

United continued to press Cranford back and created good chances for James Boyle and Brian McFadden, however, Dean Fleming in the visitor’s nets did well on each occasion. Ciaran McFadden made it 2-0 in the 21st minute with a good individual run and a finish by the Gweedore Captain.  

In the 24th minute, Darren Ferry scored a screamer into the top corner from 25 yards to make it 3-0. Cranford pulled one back in the 33rd minute when Seamus Carr finished from close range after good play and a nice cross by Shane Coll to make it 3-1.

United had good chances with Steven & Brian McFadden going close, however, the score remained 3-1 until halftime.  

The pressure from the home side eventually yielded their fifth goal on the night. Steven McFadden showed great vision and played an excellent through ball for Brian Mc Fadden to lob the advancing Dean Fleming in the 49th minute.  

The Gweedore men made it 6-1 in the 51st minute when Steven McFadden profited from a defensive error by the away side. Brian McFadden netted his second of the night on the 58th minute after Steven McFadden's perfect pass found him free.  

The visitors were unable to get a foothold in the second half and their best chances of reducing the deficit came from set pieces. Free-kicks from Cranford's Kyle McFadden and Chris Carr were comfortably saved by Cian Gallagher on the 63rd and 65th minutes respectively.  

Steven McFadden was having another fantastic game and was unlucky not to have added to his tally on the night. An exquisite move from the home side which involved Ciaran McFadden, Darren Ferry, Cathal Gillespie, and Steven McFadden was capped off by a superb finish from Seighean O' Baoill in the 72nd minute.  

Donegal Physiotherapy and Performance Centre Division Two 

Whitestrand United 2-2 Deele Harps 

Whitestrand United took on Deele looking to continue their recent good run of results in trying conditions at Mc Garvey Park.  

It took Whitestrand a while to settle into the game with Deele pushing for the opener. The wind was making it hard for either team to keep possession. A good passage of play between Cormac Dunleavy, Paddy Walsh, and Michael Sweeney almost resulted in the opener as Whitestrand began to grow into the game.  

They looked to have scored but the ball was adjudged not to have crossed the line, much to the protestations of the Whitestrand players.  

Whitestrand took the lead right on halftime when Michael Sweeney slotted home. The second half started with Deele going down to ten men with the player going off for a second yellow. 

Rather than setting them back it seemed to galvanise them and Steven Devine equalised for Deele. Whitestrand pushed and took the lead from an excellent cutback by Cormac Dunleavy for Reece Thompson to score.  

Again, Deele were not to be denied and they scored after a goalmouth scramble from the deflected effort of Lewis Gallagher. The draw was a fair result and keeps Whitestrand’s unbeaten run going  

Glencar Inn Saturday Division One  

Strand Rovers 3-1 Arranmore United 

There was no sign of storm Bert in Maghery with nice calm conditions for this match. In the first minute of the game, Arranmore narrowly missed out on a goal when keeper Cormac Hanlon was the only Strand lad clued into the game.  

Ethan McCaffery was the first to get on the score sheet with an excellent strike from 35 yards out.  Goalkeeper for Arran then took a powerful kick out that was helped by the wind and bounced in the middle of the field and Gavin Mc Glanaghey was in behind the Strand defence to slot the ball into the back of the net making it 1-1.  

Strand were on top for most of the first half and regained the lead when a cross from Conor Greene found Darren O’Donnell ghosting in at the back post to tap it in making it 2-1.  

Strand extended their lead later in the half when there was a foul in the box and the referee awarded Strand a penalty and Ethan M Caffery made no mistake from the spot. The second half was scrappy and fast-paced with the defensive lines able to keep on top. 

Ramelton Mariners 2-1 Keadue Rovers Reserves 

The Mariners and Keadue played a very sporting, hard-battling game in Rathmullan.  

After 3 minutes Mariners captain Eoin Roulston converted a penalty after Evan Hewitt was taken down. A battling first half from both teams ended at 1-0.  

Both sides came out for the second half trying to score and after 55 minutes Shay Callen struck a superb free-kick into the top corner to make it 2-0. Keadue then on 70 minutes scored a free-kick. Mariners held on for a hard-fought win and a great three points.