Cockhill and Clonmany come through Clubman Shirts League Cup semi-finals

This season’s Clubman Shirts League Cup final will be contested by Cockhill Celtic and Clonmany Shamrocks, following their semi-final victories over Aileach FC and Buncrana Hearts, respectively.

Aileach FC 0
Cockhill Celtic 2 (AET)
Cockhill had the first opening after 10 minutes when a defensive error allowed Jimmy Bradley a shot on goal, but Conan Doherty pulled off a fine save to deny the midfielder.
Midway through the half good work down the left resulted in Damien Duffy creating space on the left but his cross shot from 15 yards was a yard wide of Doherty’s left post.
A lot of play was condensed in midfield with neither team being allowed time on the ball, which resulted in scrappy periods of play and defences generally on top. The second half opened in much the same vein.
On 58 minutes, Damien Duffy got around his full back, but his low cross was superbly dealt with by Doherty in the Aileach goal. Then midway through the half, Jay Bradley created space for himself and his tame shot was comfortable for Doherty.
Cockhill continued to have the majority of possession and forced a series of corners, which the home defence dealt with comfortably enough. The game drifted to the inevitable extra time.
Extra time began brightly when four minutes in, a disputed free kick awarded to the away side was converted to the top corner by Lee Mc Colgan from twenty yards. The home side had a glorious chance to equalise at the beginning of the second period when Gareth McGlynn floated a lovely free kick, which Denver Kelly got his head to, but it went agonisingly wide of Harry Doherty’s left-hand post. The home side threw everything at Cockhill in search of an equaliser and with time almost up were caught out when Jack Mullan raced clear and finished to an empty net.

Buncrana Hearts 0
Clonmany Shamrocks 0 (AET)
Clonmany win 5-4 on pens
There was a lively opening period to this game with the home side starting on the front foot.
On three minutes, James Adair's inviting cross just eluded Aaron McDaid at the back post. They went close again when an Eoin Murphy header found Bart Wesolowski, but his stabbed effort was saved by Kieran Friel.
Buncrana spurned a good opening in the 13th minute after great work from Wesolowski saw his cross land for McDaid at the back post but he fired into the side netting when he should have done better. Clonmany responded with Terence Doherty's header at the back post well saved by Taylor Clarke.
Play swung back to the other end, and the home side spurned an even better chance after great work from McDaid saw him find Wesolowski, who slotted wide from point-blank range.
The visitors had the final chance of an entertaining first half after a quick break saw Doherty get in behind the home defence, but Clarke made a fine stop blocking with his legs. The visitors had the first chance of the second half when Ryan McColgan crossed to Terence Doherty but he headed over the bar. Buncrana upped the tempo and McDaid ran onto a flick from Wesolowski but his effort was saved by Friel.
The roles were reversed minute slater with Wesolowski running onto a McDaid through ball, but Friel advanced to smother at his feet. The home side were unlucky on 80 minutes after McDaid cut inside from the right and fired past Friel only to see his effort crash off the post.
Clonmany then went within inches of taking the lead after a superb Paddy Doherty ball over the top found Shane McCaul to slotted low past the advancing Clarke only to see Kevin O Loughlin get back to clear the ball off the line. The final chance came to the home side with an O Loughlin free well saved by Friel as extra time beckoned. There was little to report in extra time with a McCaul cross headed over by Jamie Coyle in the first half and Buncrana shouts for a handball in the area waved aside in the second half. In the shootout, it was Clonmany who advanced to face Cockhill in the fina,l winning by five goals to four.

Charlie O Donnell Cup semi-finals
Glengad United 0
Cockhill Youths 2
After a cagey opening to this game, the visitors broke the deadlock in the 19th minute after Danny McDaid found PJ Doherty at the back post to volley past Michael Mclaughlin from eight yards.
Glengad had their first opportunity in the 32nd minute when a Caolan McColgan volley from the edge of the area was comfortably saved by Jordan McLaughlin. The home side had another chance before the interval from a Ryan Mclaughlin corner, which found Joe Doherty, but he headed over from six yards at the back post.
The first opening of the second half did not arrive until midway through the half when a Liam Bradley crossfied ball found Dean O Donnell and he headed over.
Glengad replied and after Christopher Doherty crossed the unmarked Brendan Doherty headed wide from six yards. The visitors doubled their advantage then with Bradley releasing Darragh McDermott to outpace the home defence and drill low past McLaughlin from twelve yards. McLaughlin done well to tip a McDermott effort from distance onto the post before the defence cleared.
Glengad had two late chances, both created by Ryan Mclaughlin with the unmarked Oran Doherty headed wide from six yards before Joe Doherty well-positioned shot weakly at Jordan Mclaughlin in the Cockhill goal when well placed.

Dunree United 0
QPS 3
In a well-contested tight opening half, the first opportunity fell to the home side after Liam Baldrick fired a free kick from thirty yards just over the crossbar. Midway through the half the visitors responded with Lee Barr finding Josh Boyle on the edge of the area and his low effort was well saved by Philip Doherty in the home goal.
On the stroke of half time, the Point broke the deadlock when Boyle played a superb ball through for Oisin McIntyre who turned inside a defender and drilled to the top corner from 14 yards, giving keeper Doherty no chance.
There was little by way of chances on the resumption until the 70th minute when Darragh McIntyre forced the ball home from close range after a corner to double the lead for the visitors. The visitors sealed their passage to the final after Doherty saved well from Mark Murray but the rebound was spectacularly volleyed to the net by Conor Barrow. Dunree were then denied a consolation after a Paddy Doherty corner fell to Adam Barrett whose excellent volley crashed off the bar.

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Inishowen Engineering Division Two A
Cockhill Colts 3
Clonmany Res 0
The home side started well with Kevin McDaid firing an early chance wide when well placed. Gavin Doherty's dangerous cross was then parried by Killian McCarron and when the rebound fell to Darragh Lyon,s he failed to hit the target.
A Doherty corner then found Liam McCarron but he headed just over the bar. The home side's pressure told midway through the half when McCarron did well to parry Kieran McLaughlin’s effort, but Lyons was on hand to slot the loose ball home from close range. McCarron then saved superbly from a McCarron header before on the stroke of half time at the other end, Tyler McEleney shot wide from the edge of the area. Five minutes after the restart, Ciaran McGrory put the home side 2-0 ahead from the penalty spot after McDaid was upended in the area. Clonmany rallied with Dylan McEleney breaking on the right before crossing to Tyler McEleney, but he failed to direct his effort on goal. Substitute Michael Devlin then cut inside from the left-hand side and unleashed an effort which Graham Doherty in the home goal watched all the way and gathered. Cockhill ended the game strongly with substitutes Alan Fletcher releasing another substitute Gary Breslin but McCarron was equal to his effort. The Colts completed the scoring when Fletcher's cross was slotted home from close range by the unmarked Breslin.

Cockhill Res 5
Redcastle Res 1
Both teams started brightly in good conditions, creating a few half-chances in a frantic opening few minutes without testing either keeper.
It was Redcastle who opened the scoring after three minutes when Cockhill failed to clear their lines from a Redcastle corner and Cahir McLaughlin was first to the breaking ball to rifle the ball past Cockhill keeper Eoin Colhoun.
As the game settled down, Cockhill started to find a bit of rhythm to their play and deservedly equalised ten minutes later. From a corner of their own, Finn O'Toole picked up the loose ball and found Jared Flynn at the near post who tucked the ball away on the turn for the equaliser. The home side went ahead on 20 minutes with good play between Shay Devlin and Finn O'Toole down the left, with the latter finding space to float a great cross into the box for Niall Breslin to loop a towering header in over Redcastle keeper Michael McCole. Cockhill continued to press the game and made it three one on the half hour. Niall Breslin showed great feet to beat a few Redcastle defenders, cutting in along the goal line and squaring the ball for his strike partner Shayne Gallagher, who finished well through a crowded goal line.
Credit to Redcastle at this stage, who were still proving a threat and nearly pulled one back just before half-time on a quick counterattack. Gordon Steele was played through, but Eoin Colhoun was quick off his line to make a crucial save.
It took Cockhill until midway through the second half to stretch their lead. This time breaking quickly, Niall Breslin did well to hold the ball up, Cahir O'Donnell made a great overlapping run down the right and Breslin timed his pass in to him well to allow him to finish first time into the far corner past Michael McCole for a great team goal.
The scoring was complete with fifteen minutes to go. Good work down the left between Lughaigh Duffy and O'Toole opened up Redcastle allowing Breslin to pick the ball up on the edge of the area and from his driving run he picked out Gallagher again with a great cross who made no mistake from ten yards to slot it low past McCole for a seal a well earned win.

Sea Rovers 4
Aileach Youths 3
Rovers had the first good chance of the game when a good strike by Oisin Hasson forced the Aileach keeper, Dylan Clarke, into making a fine save.
Aileach opened the scoring then after an excellent solo run from Yanga Molodo, who beat the Rovers defence and finished well. Rovers responded when Declan McGonagle picked up a loose ball in midfield and his through ball sent Daniel Gallagher clear to finish low past Clarke.
Andrew Gallagher for Rovers took advantage of a gap in the Aileach defence with a fine strike to the roof of the net to put the home side ahead on 38 minutes. Rovers' lead was extended before the interval after Tiarnan Stevens unleashed a superb effort from thirty yards to the top corner, giving Clarke no chance.
The second half was a tighter affair, with both teams failing to break either defence. Andrew Gallagher made a break and was taken down on the edge of the Aileach box allowing Joey Holland to dispatch a fine free kick beyond Clarke.
Aileach kept up a lot of pressure and were rewarded when Gavin Bradley tapped in from close range to reduce the deficit. Minutes later, Aileach got another when Aaron Clarke Doherty rose well unmarked to head to the roof of the net from twelve yards. Rovers John Doherty had the final chance when he advanced into the area but was well close down by keeper Clarke who smothered the ball at his feet as the home side ended their league season with a win.

Inishowen Engineering Division Two B
Glengad Res 1
Rashenny Youth 3
Played on Saturday evening, Rasheeny started on the front foot and created the first chance after five minutes when a cross-field ball from Brian Devlin found Shea Grant, who beat a defender but pulled his shot wide when well placed.
Glengad came more into the game as the half progressed and forced two corners after 15 minutes the first inswinger from Martin Mc Laughlin was cleared away from the near post by keeper Sam Coyle and from the resultant corner Glengad took the lead after a good delivery from McLaughlin was headed to the roof of the net by PJ mc Daid from eight yards giving keeper no chance. Rasheeny had a good chance to equalise on the half hour with David McLaughlin feeding Grant but keeper Liam Doherty made a good save.
Rasheeny started the second half brighter and were unlucky not to equalise after when Abdul Al Rasheed got the ball in midfield and slipped a pass to Grant, who lobbed the advancing keeper from the edge of the area but the ball went just wide.
Play was largely confined to midfield after this up until midway through the half when Glengad had a chance to double their lead when a PJ Mc Daid corner fell to Mc Laughlin at the back post but he fired wide through a crowded area from ten yards.
Rasheeny then began to dominate the play and found an equaliser after 75 minutes when David McLaughlin out left swung in a cross which was met by the head of Grant at the back post high to net giving the keeper no chance. Rasheeny took the lead straight from the kick off when they won back possession and Oran Mc Devitt passed to Grant whose shot from eighteen yards forcing a good save from keeper Liam Doherty however Grant followed up to tap the rebound into an open net. Rasheeny continued to press and McLaughlin forced a brilliant save from keeper Doherty with a free kick . Glengad had a chance to equalise after this when Jamie Toland played McDaid through but Jimmy Mc Conalogue made a good tackle as he was about to shoot. With the match nearly up and Glengad pushing for an equaliser Rasheeny hit Glengad on the counter with Grant getting the ball out right before cutting inside the last defender and finishing low past Doherty from ten yards to complete his hat trick and give Rasheeny a 3-1 win.

Carn Res 6
Moville Res 1
Carn broke the deadlock early on when Matthew McLaughlin broke on the left wing, rounded either defender and laid it off for Kayden Taitt who drove a powerful shot to the top right corner of the net from outside the area.
Carn nearly doubled their lead after a great run from Tiernan Cantwell, who crossed for Ronan Browne but he headed over the bar from twelve yards. The home side doubled their lead midway through the half when Cantwell broke on the right and pulled the ball back for Taitt who drove a powerful low shot to the bottom right corner of the net from fifteen yards. Moville replied on the half hour with PJ McDermott made a great pass from midfield to Jay Gillen who went one on one with Carn Keeper Jack O’Brien but shot wide from fifteen yards. Carn then made it three before the interval when Conor Doherty passed the ball to Ryan Diver who following some good individual play laid it off to Cormac McLaughlin to powerfully shoot to the top corner.
The home side increased their lead eight minutes after the restart when Cormac McLaughlin crossed from the right for Matthew McLaughlin to sidefoot low to the net from ten yards.. Carn continued to press the opposition and made it five when substitute Scott McElhinney made a great individual run from the right and drilled a powerful shot pass Moville keeper Vernon Kelly from outside the area. Conor Doherty then made it six with a fine solo run past two opponents before unleashing a superb strike to the top corner from 22 yards.
Moville kept battling and got a consolation goal late on after substitute Jack Lee saw his effort parried by Jack O Brien on the home goal but the rebound fell to Reece Gillen who tapped the ball in from eight yards.