Area Shield Finals serve up some brilliant cup action

It was Area Shield Cup Final day in the Donegal League on Sunday with the four finals in each of the cup areas taking place.

Lifford Area

Kildrum Tigers 0 v 0 Raphoe Town

(Kildrum Tigers won on penalties)

The Lifford Area Shield Final was played at Station Road, St. Johnston with league status making the hosts pre-match favourites.

Raphoe had already accounted for both Convoy Arsenal and Lifford Celtic and went to St. Johnston full of confidence in their ability to cause an upset. Despite playing at the higher grade Kildrum couldn’t see off the Raphoe men in normal time so extra time was needed.

It was long time club servant and team captain William Lynch who got the deciding goal. Fair play to Raphoe who fought a gallant campaign and well done to Kildrum who progress to the Cup semi-final.

Gweedore Area

Glenea United  . . . 2  

Kilmacrennan Celtic . . 4

The opening 15 minutes were quiet with very few chances and both teams seemed afraid to over commit. 

In the 18th minute it was Kilmacrennan who opened the scoring with a corner to the head of Kevin O’ Donnell, who made no mistake from 4 yards.

Two minutes later it was the visitors who struck again, good play from O’ Donnell found James Doherty one on one with the keeper, but Joe Coll saved and Doherty finished off the rebound.

Things got worse for Glenea in the 25th minute, between Christopher Dillion shooting and a defensive clearance the ball ended up in the Glenea net.

Glenea pulled one back in the 52nd minute when Ryan Mc Fadden got on the end of a corner, turning in the 6 -yard box and shooting to the roof of the net. 

With Kilmacrennan always looking dangerous at set-pieces and corner kicks they made it four in the 60th minute with Kieran Gorman rising highest from a corner. 

Glenea kept battling and got their second when a Sean Coll free kick found Shaun Curran who calmly picked his corner with a 20-yard strike. With only minutes remaining Joe Coll pulled off a good save to deny Ryan Shields by tipping over his well struck shot.

Referee: Dessie Mc Laughlin 

Donegal Area

Ballybofey United . . .  2 

Cappry Rovers . . . 2

(Cappry Rovers won on penalties a.e.t.)

Cappry Rovers took Ballybofey United’s Donegal Area Shield Crown but they had to come from behind and prevail in a tense penalty shoot-out at The Finn Valley Complex.

Mark Griffin had given Ballybofey a first half lead when he converted after Niall Mc Closkey’s free-kick had come back off the woodwork.

Jude Patton increased the home side’s advantage and Ballybofey looked favourites at this stage.

Cappry kept plugging away and got a goal back when Sean Mc Bride scored. Then, just when it seemed that Ballybofey would hold out, Jamie Murray got Cappry’s equaliser.

Neither side could find the net during extra-time so it went to penalties. Cappry won the spot-kick contest and claimed the Donegal Area Shield. They will now progress to the Brian Mc Cormick Cup semi-final in the Spring of 2020. 

Letterkenny Area

Bonagee United  . . 2  

Whitestrand United . . . 1

The visitors should have taken the lead on twenty-eight minutes when Kevin Loughran headed wide at the far post from an Arron Curran cross.

Aaron Wasson for Bonagee was a constant threat to the Strand defence and he shot wide on thirty-three minutes from just inside the box.

Bonagee United pictured after their win over Whitestrand United

The visitors took the lead on thirty-six minutes when a cross from the left fell to Kevin Loughran and he shot home from fifteen yards.

The home side started the second half on top and a good save by the visiting keeper from six yards on fifty minutes from a Noel O’ Donnell header maintained the scoreline. He made another great save on fifty-six minutes from an Aidan Mc Laughlin header from an Eamon Cannon cross.

Carr in the home goal also made a great save three minutes later when a cross from the left fell to Shane Mc glade on the edge of the six yard box and he turned and shot for goal but Carr turned the ball over the bar.

The home side levelled the match on eighty five minutes when a cross into the box was headed down by Aidan Mc Laughlin and Darren Ashmore shot home from five yards.

The final goal of the game came on eighty eight minutes when a long ball over the defence fell to Ashmore and he broke clear, his strike was blocked by the keeper and the ball broke loose and he hammered the ball home from fifteen yards.

Match Officials: Paddy Martin, Paddy Duffy and Colm Mc Conigley.

RESULTS

Saturday, Sept 6 

Glencar Inn Saturday Division One

Arranmore United 0 v 6 Keadue Rovers Reserves

Strand Rovers 1 v 3 Donegal Town Reserves

Fintown Harps AFC 1 v 1 Milford United Reserves

Glenea United Reserves 0 v 4 Glencar Celtic 

Old Orchard Saturday Division Two

Castlefin Celtic Reserves 1 v 2 Dunlewey Celtic

Cranford United Reserves 1 v 3 Drumkeen United Reserves

Ballybofey United Reserves 0 v 4 Drumbar F.C.

Cappry Rovers Reserves 1 v 0 Kilmacrennan Celtic Reserves

Drumoghill F.C. Reserves 4 v 0 Copany Rovers 

Sunday, Sept 8 

Brian Mc Cormick Cup Area Shields Finals

Lifford Area

Kildrum Tigers 1 v 0 Raphoe Town

Gweedore Area

Glenea United 2 v 4 Kilmacrennan Celtic 

Donegal Area

Ballybofey United 2 v 2 Cappry Rovers

(Cappry Rovers won on penalties) 

Letterkenny Area

Bonagee United 2 v 1 Whitestrand United

FIXTURES

Saturday, Sept 14 

Glencar Inn Saturday Division One K.O. 2p.m.

Arranmore United v Fintown Harps AFC

Donegal Town Reserves v Keadue Rovers Reserves

Glencar Celtic v Oldtown Celtic

Kildrum Tigers Reserves v Strand Rovers

Milford United Reserves v Glenea United Reserves 

Old Orchard Saturday Division Two

Ballybofey United Reserves v Cappry Rovers Reserves

Copany Rovers v Castlefin Celtic Reserves

Dunlewey Celtic v Cranford United Reserves

Kilmacrennan Celtic Reserves v Drumoghill F.C. Reserves

Sunday, Sept 15 

Brian Mc Cormick Sports Premier Division K.O. 2p.m.

Bonagee United v Milford United

Cranford United v Kildrum Tigers

Donegal Town v Kilmacrennan Celtic

Drumkeen United v Keadue Rovers

Temple Domestic Appliances Division One

Convoy Arsenal v Ballybofey United

Drumoghill F.C. v St. Catherines

Glenea United v Rathmullan Celtic

Gweedore Celtic v Lifford Celtic

Kerrykeel ’71 F.C. v Letterbarrow Celtic

Donegal Physiotherapy & Performance Centre

Deele Harps v Raphoe Town

Glenree United v Whitestrand United

Gweedore United v Swilly Rovers

Lagan Harps v Curragh Athletic