Strand Hotel First Division – www.inishowenfl.ie
Greencastle FC 1-1 Gleneely Colts
This was an entertaining end of season encounter even though there was little to play for in terms of league positions.Greencastle started the better when Andrew McLaughlin fed Sean Cavanagh but he shot wide from ten yards.Gleneely replied when a speculative Gavin McLaughlin effort sailed over.Ronan Doherty then for the home side cut in from the right but saw a twenty yards effort saved by Martin Mooney.At the other end the colts JP Lafferty evaded two tackles and fed Billy McCann but he fired wide from a good position.Before the interval Gavin Harkin advanced on the right and fed Doherty but again Mooney saved well.On the restart a Dean McGeoghaghan corner foudn Killian Dougal but his header crashed off the top of the post before Eugene O Donnell advanced from the back and fired over.The colts then went clsoe when McCann crossed for Pete Bond who fired wide.The colts then took the lead on 66 minutes when Bond forced the ball home from a scramble in the home area.Greencastle upped the tempo and Andrew McLaughlin headed over when well placed.They were then awarded a penalty for handball and when Conor Barrow’s effort was svaed by Mooney the rebound fell for Harkin to tap in.Greencastle pushed for a winner with Jude Harkin seeing a shot saved and Barrow firing over from eifght yards as the game ended all even.
Carrowmena FC 0-3 Rasheney FC
Playing with the wind in the first half Rasheney dominated possessiona nd it was no surprise when they took the lead on twenty minutes when the home defence failed to clear an inswinging corner and James McConalogue hammered low past Michael Noone from fourteen yards.They continued to press and made it two nil just after the half hour when Damien Friel’s long range shot squirmed under Noone and into the corner.Carrowmena had more possession on the restart but found it hard to create any clear cut chances against a well marshalled Rasheney defence.The visitors sealed the points then on 67 minutes when Friel collected possession on the left and cut in to drill a low shot to the bottom corner from twenty two yards.
QPS get the POINT to clinch the title
Dunree United 1-1 QPS
QPS won the league title with this hard earned share of the spoils played in windy conditions in St Egneys Park. They started the better with Raymond Buchanan seeing a first time effort clip the top of the post in the opening minute.They took the lead on 15 minutes after Buchanan fired a superb free from twenty yards to the top corner past Paul Mcgettigan.Dunree levelled six minutes later when Liam Baldrick fed Conor McBride who turned and fired low from twenty yards to the bottom corner.On 35 minutes a David Laird free found Daniel Mclaughlin whose header was pushed out by Conor McColgan and in the scramble McColgan smothered at the feet of McBride.Dunree started the second period well and when Thomas Mulhern played a ball over the top for Philip McGuinness he fired wide.Good build up by the point then ended with Oisin McCool cutting in from the left and seeing his low shot superbly saved by McGettigan.Dunree replied on 68 minutes when Liam Baldrick fed Daniel McLaughlin who fired over when well placed.The point were then awarded a penalty afetr Dean Barron was upended but Buchanan drove the kick down the middle and McGettigan saved with his legs.There were nervy moments then for the point after McGuinness cross found Ryan Bradley but he was crowded out by the point defence.In the end the poitn gained the draw they needed to clinch the title and these teams will meet again in two weeks in the top four semi final.
Tuesday 23rd April
Strand Hotel First Division
QPS 10-0 Greencastle FC
The point made absolutely certain there was to be no slip ups when they hammered a weakened Greencastle side.The surprise was that it took until the 30th minute to see them break the deadlock when Adam Harkin sent a ball over the top to Kevin Wallace and he composed himself before drilling low past Dean McGeoghaghan.Dean Barron fired low and wide then before Odhran McColgan released Karl Donnelly to fire low to the net from ten yards.Seannan McColgan then scored with a cross cum shot which deceived McGeoghaghan before on the stroke of half time Odhran McColgan released Raymond Buchanan who calmly picked his spot to drill home.In the opening minute of the second period McGeoghaghan saved well from Donnelly but minutes later after McGeoghaghan had blocked an Odhran McColgan effort the point player laid the ball off to Buchanan to fire to the roof of the net. Buchanan completed his hat trick when he rose at the back post to head home a Paul Grant cross from the left.The visitors suffered another blow when Jamie McCormick was redcarded for two fouls in succession and the point increased their lead when firslty substitute Fergal Buchanan headed home a Seannan McColgan cross before the roles reversed with McColgan supplying Buchanan.Greencastle tried to get one back and there best chance arrived on 66 minutes when James Henry released Conor Barrow who beat a couple of defenders but fired over when well placed.Another substitute Stephen McCarron advanced on the elfta nd cut in before drilling home from a tight angle before Barron completed the scoring with a fine individula goal when he went past two defenders before shooting low to the corner.
Rasheney FC 1-1 Buncrana Hearts Res
Played on Tuesday evening of last week and with nothing major at stake for either of these teams this match turned out to be a reasonably committed affair for an end of season fixture. The home side threatened first and Christy Ivers had a shot saved by Mc Gonagle in the opening minutes while John Mc Laughlin struck a free wide of target. At the other end Gerard Boyle had two early chances the first of which brought a diving save from Jonathan Noone while his second attempt saw him bring down Kieran Mc Daid’s corner and strike wide. After half an hour Alan Friel latched onto some slackness in the home defence, advanced in on goal but shot over and a Boyle snapshot from 16 yards was just wide. Rasheney’s Anthony Doherty then managed to get in behind the visiting defence but the alert Mc Gonagle came off his line to punch clear off Doherty’s head. In a further home attack John Mc Laughlin advanced along the left wing and laid the ball back to Aaron Friel who delivered towards the 6 yard box where David Mc Laughlin just failed to connect. Prior to the interval Mc Laughlin brought a smart save from Mc Gonagle when he turned on the 18 yard line and fired towards goal. The home side moved in front on 57 minutes when David Mc Laughlin controlled a long Noone delivery and laid the ball off to his brother John who advanced into the area and drove low past Mc Gonagle. Buncrana came close to equalising when the home defence had trouble dealing with a Mc Daid corner and the ball was hacked clear after a number of close calls in front of goal. From that clearance Rasheney broke downfield and Burke played the ball forward to David Mc Laughlin who miscued and a visiting defender was able to put behind for a corner. The visitors got back on level terms with 20 minutes remaining. Rasheney conceded a free in central position just outside the area and when Noone parried Boyle’s kick Alan Friel drove to a gaping net. The home side came closest to claiming a winner when Ryan Doherty (J)’s header from a corner was deflected past the base of a post.
Buncrana Credit Union Cup Semi Final
McLaughlin torments Glengad again !
Glengad United 0-1 Clonmany Shamrocks
Played in windy conditions at the Crua the home side will rus the defensive erros that cost them this semi final as there was very little between the teams.With the wind Glengad had the first chance when terence Doherty collected a return from his throw in wide on the left and his curling effort drifted just over.Midway through the half Clonmany replied after Alan Friel had clsoed keeper Martin Mclaughlin down and half blocked the clearance before he crossed to Marty Doherty but his effort was blocked by a defender.Glengad broke swiftly from this with Patrick McDermott releasing Stephen McLaughlin on the right and his dangerous cross was superbly cleared by Liam Hirrell.At the other end a superb Clonmany break by Jason Devlin on the left saw his cross intercepted by Shane Doherty with Friel lurking.A shot corner then found Devlin on the left but his powerful effort was well svaed by McLaughlin. Friel picked up an injury on 35 minutes and was replaced by Brendan Devlin .Before the break the Clonmany defence were caught out by a long ball over the top which Terence Doherty ran onto but Patrick Harkin advanced and blocked his effort.Minutes after the restart an excellent run and cross by Stephen McLaughlin just eluded Doherty in the centre with the Clonmany defence clearing.The crucial moment of the game came on the hour when firstly Glengad were caught in possession on the edge of the area allowing Brendan Devlin to bear down on Mclaughlin but the keeper blocked and when a defender tried again to walk the ball out he was dispossessed by Mark Mclaughlin only a yard from the endline but he hammered a superb shot from such a tight angle to the top corner.Glengad upped the tempo with Christopher mcLaufhlin glancing a header wide under pressure before Terence Doherty burst between two defenders but saw his shot superbly saved by the legs of Patrick Harkin. Doherty then found himself in space on the edge of the area but his attempted chip drifted wide.At the other end a poor headed back pass found Brendan Devlin who headed straight at McLaughlin from ten yards on 77 minutes.Glengad upped the tempo in the last ten minutes and threw dangerous balls into the area with keeper Harkin twice collecting heavy knocks when dealing with dangerous situations.The Clonmany defence with Hirrell and Michael Grant superb stood firm and they advance to the final where Moville or Rasheney will meet them.