Letterkenny Rovers defeat Kilmacrennan on the night they lift Premier Division trophy

Letterkenny Rovers were presented with the Donegal League Premier Division trophy following their 4-0 home win against Kilmacrennan Celtic.

Two Joel Gorman penalties - the first in the 46th minute of the first half and a second in the 82nd minute of the match - each preceded goals from BJ Banda, which took his season’s haul to 29.

It was the Leckview Park outfit’s first top-flight title at the junior bracket since 1982, with Ulster Senior League crowns in 2005 and 2009.

Stephen McConnell’s side had wrapped up the title five days beforehand at Rathmullan Celtic with a 2-1 win, while Kilmacrennan went into the penultimate league match of the campaign in third place.

It was the visitors who fashioned the first real chance of the contest, with the ball eventually being driven just over by Matthew McLaughlin in the opening seconds.

Letterkenny’s best opportunity in the opening quarter was when Nathan Plumb crossed from the left, only for Lee McMonagle to head wide of the target. Right-back Padraig Gilsenan came in at the back post from left-back Rory Gallagher’s centre but couldn’t keep his shot down.

The visitors gave as good as they got, though in the first half and always carried a threat with Shane McNamee, Mark Patterson but were glad to see Kevin Mallon turn a McMonagle effort away.

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But in first half injury time, Gorman scored from the spot after Conor Black was adjudged to have handled in the box.

Banda went close on a couple of occasions at the start of the second half. Just after the hour mark, goalkeeper Mark Anthony McGinley hurled the ball out to get an attack moving, with Plumb freeing Banda to round Kevin Mallon for the second goal.

Dean McCarry made an excellent last-ditch tackle for Letterkenny as Cormac Brady was drawing the trigger from fellow substitute Tom Dockerty’s throughball.

The third goal came from the penalty spot again - Gorman scoring again, with nine minutes left afteraptain Chris Malseed had been fouled. Mallon got down to save from Banda late on after Gorman had whipped an inviting ball in.

The Kilmacrennan netminder was beaten in the 92nd minute when Malseed’s shot cannoned in off Banda for four.

Letterkenny still have an area final of the Brian McCormick Sports Cup against Swilly Rovers to look forward to, as well as the Ulster Junior Cup final when they’ll lock horns with Kildrum Tigers. In the meantime, they’ll be content enough with their Premier Division title. For Kilmacrennan, they know they'll face the winners of the Letterkenny versus Swilly fixture in the semi-finals of the McCormick Cup.

Letterkenny Rovers: Mark Anthony McGinley (Davin Blake 90); Padraic Gilsenan (David O’Donnell 79), Dean McCarry, Keith Cowan, Rory Gallagher (Caolán McConnell); Chris Malseed, Joel Gorman; BJ Banda, Gareth Doherty (Adam Murphy 79), Nathan Plumb; Lee McMonagle (Nathan Bonner 86).
Kilmacrennan Celtic: Kevin Mallon; Owen Browne, Kieran Gorman, Conor Black, John Sandilands; Sam Harvey (Cormac Brady 79), Matthew McLaughlin, Caolan Curran (Tom Dockerty 60), Paul Bradley; Shane McNamee, Mark Patterson.
Referee: Gerald Devine.