Donegal League reports: Fanad United move to the top of Division 1

On a tough day for football in, by and large, terrible weather conditions, 2-0 win for Fanad United took them to the top of the Temple Domestic Appliances Division One. Here’s all the reports:

Brian McCormick Sports Premier Division
Glenea United 1
Bonagee United 1
Both teams left Glasserchoo with a point each after playing in wet and windy conditions. There was very little action in the first half hour with the wind making it hard to play decent football. Bonagee went one up in the 35th minute, Aidan Mc Laughlin struck a free from 30 yards, using the wind well to curl the ball around the wall. Glenea started the second half stronger and kept Bonagee pinned in.
In the 48th minute Lee O’ Brien played a through ball to Michael Mc Hugh and his effort came off the post. Five minutes later Mark Harley picked out Killian Gallagher from 40 yards with the keeper saving his effort. Glenea managed to break down the Bonagee defence in the 80th minute, Lee O’ Brien got on the end of a Sean Coll free to header high to the net. Good team performances in such bad conditions.

Temple Domestic Appliances Division One
Fanad United 2
Ballybofey United 0
Fanad United moved top of the Donegal League Division One with a 2-0 victory over Ballybofey United at Traigh-a-Loch on Sunday.
The game at times was played in horrendous conditions and both teams deserve huge credit for trying to play decent football. The first half chance of the game arrived in the seventh minute when Paddy Mc Ginley shot wide from the edge of the Ballybofey box. Ten minutes later following a good break, Keelin Mc Elwaine broke through only to see his shot well saved by Chis Patton in the Ballybofey nets. On the half hour mark Ballybofey created some good space for Jude Patton but he dragged his shot wide of the post.
Fanad started on the front foot in the second half and five minutes in Eddie O'Reilly forced an excellent save from Chris Patton. However, two minutes later Fanad took the lead. Kyle Mc Garvey did well to hold the ball up and when he laid the ball back to Keelin McElwaine, he fired a lovely shot into the corner from 20 yards. A few minutes later Oisin Langan fired wide of the Ballybofey post when well placed.
Twice in the second half referee Michael Connolly was forced to take the players off the pitch due to worsening conditions. On the hour mark Caolan Marley had a good chance to get an equaliser for Ballybofey when he just failed to connect with a Mark Griffin cross. Fanad then made the points safe with five minutes remaining. Patsy Friel made a good run into the box and when he was taken down a penalty was awarded. Keelin Mc Elwaine stepped up to fire home his second of the game.

Drumoghill F.C. 2
Raphoe Town 7
Raphoe Town defied the gale-force weather conditions to secure all three points from this goal-fest at the Moss.
Playing with the advantage of a strong wind at their backs, the visitors cruised into a two-goal lead inside the opening 15 minutes through Scott Devenney and Corey Gillen and never looked like surrendering their lead. Keelin Bogle extended their lead even further on 38 minutes to make it 3-0 and that looked like game over. However, Drumoghill pulled one back on the stroke of half time when Corey Brolly diverted Carlos Rodgers free kick past Hepburn to give Drumoghill hope for the second half.
That hope soon evaporated though as Raphoe repeated their first half trick by grabbing another two goals during the opening minutes of the second-half through Keelin Gillen (2), one of which was a rebound from a penalty after Devenney’s penalty came back off the cross bar. Devenney though wasn’t to be denied and he quickly made it 6-1 on 56 minutes. By now it was a damage limitation for the home side and they managed to restore some pride during the remaining 30 minutes, including a consolation strike from Liam O’ Donnell from his 62nd minute penalty. Although emphatic, the score line was harsh on the home team, and they will rue the lapses in concentration that led directly to some of the goals. Raphoe were deserving winners and both teams deserve credit for attempting to play football in what can only be described as dreadful conditions.

Swilly Rovers 2
Gweedore Celtic 2
A share of the spoils in a very entertaining game played at a wet and windy Letterkenny Community Centre. Gweedore went ahead on ten minutes when Thomas Diver set up Aidan Brannagh and he fired home from close range. Swilly levelled on 30 minutes when Ciaran Kelly headed home a Paddy Sheridan corner. There were chances at both ends before Kyle Black set up the inrushing Ryan Mc Daid who finished in style. Half time two one to Swilly.
On 46 minutes Gweedore equalised when a low long range free kick by Cian Mc Bride ended up in the bottom corner going in off the post. Jamie Lee Blaney in the Swilly goal then denied Cian Mc Bride and Thomas Diver with two smart saves. Swilly’s Conor Gormley was narrowly wide near the end with two good efforts. All in all a fair result in poor weather conditions.

Donegal Physiotherapy & Performance Centre Division Two
Gweedore United 2
Letterkenny Rovers 2
This game played in extremely windy conditions in Gweedore saw a share of the spoils in an entertaining encounter. Considering the terrible conditions, the home side got off to the best start with good chances falling to Stephen Mc Fadden, Ciaran Mc Fadden and Paul Doogan. United took a deserved lead in the 23rd minute when Frank Mc Gee nipped in at the back post to tap home to make it 1-0. United continued to press and went 2-0 up in the 38th minute when Stephen Mc Fadden drove home an excellent shot from 18 yards into the bottom corner leaving the Rovers’ keeper with no chance.
United looked comfortable at this point, however a good Letterkenny side pulled one back in the 41st minute when a Jack Dwyer corner was tapped in at the back post by Eddie Moore for 2-1. One minute later the visitors were back on level terms with an excellent shot by Dylan Doogan from 20 yards floated into the top corner leaving Peadar O’ Baoill in the United nets with no chance. In the second half both sides found the conditions difficult with chances minimal. Letterkenny thought they had the game won in the 78th minute when they were awarded a penalty. Jack Dwyer stepped up and took the spot kick however Peadar O’ Baoill saved and the game ended 2-2.

Whitestrand United 0
Curragh Athletic 4
On a day when it was difficult for supporters to watch a match never mind ask players to play, Curragh Athletic, under new management, left Mc Garvey Park deserving winners on a 4 - 0 scoreline.
Referee Con McLaughlin consulted with the management teams on both sides before the resumption to express his concern about the weather conditions. When play did resume, Curragh defended well and held out to half time for a scoreless first half. Curragh, playing with the assistance of the strong wind in the second half, took the lead on the 47th minute when Calvin Bradley scored direct from a left footed corner kick which deceived the Strand defence and goalkeeper, with the ball nestling into the top left corner of the net.
Two minutes later Whitestrand missed a great chance to equalise when Jack Lafferty shot over from six yards when it seemed easier to score. In the 59th minute Curragh doubled their advantage, this time a swirling long range right footed effort from Conor Galvin dropped in over the top of Mc Carry into the net. The third goal for Curragh resulted from a free kick from Calvin Bradley which was spilled by the stand-in Strand keeper and the in-rushing Denis O' Brien had the easiest of tap-ins from two yards in the 68th minute.
At this point, Matthew Stewart took over from the injured Mc Carry in the Strand goal. As the wind strengthened and the hail battering down Whitestrand's miserable day was compounded when Curragh got their fourth goal in the 77th minute, again direct from a corner kick, a carbon copy of their first goal. The left footed in-swinging corner from Oisin Duffy deceived the defence and again flew into the top corner of the net.

Glencar Inn Saturday Division One
Keadue Rovers Reserves 2
Kilmacrennan Celtic Reserves 1
Keadue Reserves got back to winning ways with a vital win over Kilmacrennan Reserves at Central Park. It was a decent day for football after the storms of recent days and it was an open first ten minutes where the visitors were on top.
After an early substitution and a tactical reshuffle, Keadue took the lead against the run of play when Luke Neely pounced on a defensive error and rounded the keeper to shoot from a tight angle for the opening goal on fifteen minutes.
Towards the end of the half, the visitors were threatening with lots of possession and forcing Keadue back. Both Chris Dillon and Gerard Mc Granaghan were showing well for Kilmacrennan at that stage however they found themselves two down on 42 minutes when following a superb pass from Ethan Mc Caffrey, Liam Boyle fired home excellently past the keeper.
Kilmacrennan pulled back a well-deserved goal on the stroke of half time when a cross was met in the box by Danny Sandilands.
Following on from that chances fell to Luke Neely and Liam Boyle once again as Keadue finished the last ten minutes on the front foot. A much-needed confidence boosting win for the home side, while the visitors will consider themselves slightly unlucky not to have taken a point.

Kildrum Tigers Reserves 1
Donegal Town Reserves 0
Kildrum took an important three points against the league leaders. It was settled after 20 minutes when Gareth Colhoun scored a spectacular half volley from 25 yards. Kildrum started the brighter and had a few missed chances. Donegal Town came into the game following what turned into the only goal of the game and had a couple of one on one chances that were well saved by Friel in the Tiger's goal.

Old Orchard Saturday Division Two
Gweedore Celtic Reserves 2
Drumbar F.C. 1
Drumbar started the game well putting the Celts on the backfoot but Gweedore eventually began to get a foothold in the middle of the park where Dean O’ Donnell, Micheal Doherty and Ryan Doherty gained the upper hand.
The first chance fell to Cathal de Burca but his goal-bound shot was well saved by the Drumbar keeper. Liam Gallagher was a thorn in the side of the home team with his darting runs and crosses and his duel with Neil Doran on the right-hand side of midfield was a feature of the first half. Gweedore broke the deadlock in the thirtieth minute.
Ryan Doherty and Danny Diver set Cathal de Burca free on the right and his cross was finished by Cathal Boyle from six yards. Seconds earlier Robbie Murphy hit the post from an acute angle but on the stroke of half time the same player made no mistake from the penalty spot to send the teams in level at the break.
Gweedore were much improved in the second half. Cathal de Burca's pace was causing problems for Drumbar and he should have scored when his effort from twenty yards was just wde. Gweedore kept the pressure up and were rewarded 10 minutes from when Conor Boyle hit a thirty yard screamer to the net after a great through ball from Jonathan Gallagher. Drumbar pushed for an equaliser but solid defending from Danny Diver, Brendan Coll and man of the match Cian Mc Entee kept all three points in Gweedore. 

St. Catherines Reserves 3
Copany Rovers 5
An understrength St Catherine's side suffered their first home defeat of the season going down 5-3 to a well organised Copany team.
The visitors had the better of the first half and went ahead in the 25th minute when Daniel Brogan lobbed the keeper from the edge of the penalty area. Ten minutes later they increased their lead with a penalty from Darragh Quinn and on the stroke of halftime Glenn Harron made it three nil after a mistake in the home defence.
St Catherines replied immediately with Daniel O' Keeney finding the top corner with a superb 20yard free kick. Copany started the second half strongly and Daniel Brogan scored within a minute of the restart after more hesitancy in the home defence. Josh Maxwell reduced the deficit ten minutes later with a fine finish after being set up by James Callan. St Catherine's pressed hard after that but were undone again by poor defending as Glenn Harron scored his second of the match. The home side had several near misses before Josh Maxwell scored his second fifteen minutes from time.