Oscar Traynor Trophy Semi Final Report By www.inishowenfl.ie
Inishowen Football League 2-2 Athletic Union League Dublin
The Inishowen League Select suffered the agony of a 4-2 penalty shootout defeat in Sunday’s Oscar Traynor Interleague Semi-Final with the holders AUL Dublin at Maginn Park in Buncrana after the sides finished 2-2 after extra time.
The signs looked ominous in the opening 15 minutes as Inishowen were well pinned back by the Dubliners for whom Damien Joyce was dictating the play from midfield. In fact, before the Kieran McDaid’s equaliser Inishowen barely had a move in the final third, and as early as the fifth minute Graham Scott could have opened the scoring when a Dean Carpenter corner on the left broke to the striker and only a Gerard McEleney block prevented what looked certain goal.
On 15 minutes they came close again when Alan McCabe broke down the right side and send in a low cross that flashed across the face of goal and Conor Dillon just failed to turn home at the far post. On 20 minutes, Inishowen were grateful for the razor sharp reactions of Rory Kelly in goal as the ball broke to Scott inside the box and his well struck left footed shot on the turn was tipped over with a finger tip save by the Buncrana Hearts net minder.
On 24 minutes they got in behind Inishowen when a Joyce throughball attempted to release Towney and the striker just failed to control to set up a one on one situation with Kelly. The opening goal did come just two minutes later as another deep delivery by Carpenter was headed goalward by Brophy and although Anthony Doherty appeared to clear, the referee’s assistant signalled that it had crossed the line. While the opening 28 minutes gave considerable cause for concern, Inishowen’s emphatic response to that concession gave them the proof they needed that they could penetrate the holders.
From the restart, Inishowen worked the ball to Doherty down the right side and McDaid controlled his cross under considerable pressure before picking his spot in the bottom left corner of the goal.
Shortly before the break, Inishowen almost built on their lead when McDaid played a good one two with Nigel McMonagle but the Buncrana man was flagged offside before he could shoot.
Inishowen looked like a completely different side after the restart as they finally began to put the AUL on the back foot with their running game and they produced one of the moves of the match on 50 minutes as Michael Byrne released McDaid out of defence and he burst forward before feeding Brendan Fildara on the left side but his overhit cross evaded McMonagle.
The home side got the goal their attacking play deserved on 62 minutes with another flowing move as Shane Canning played in McMonagle and, although he was denied a shot on goal by a sliding Brophy tackle, Inishowen recycled as Doherty unselfishly squared from the right for McMonagle who calmly controlled and drilled home at the back post.
Inishowen were bossing possession in the second half but AUL were creating chances as John McGeady saw a daisy cutter flash past the left post and Towney squared for Mark Mooney who shot over with the goal at his mercy. As the game entered the last five minutes Inishowen looked in complete control however as Doherty tee’d up Shane Canning for a pile driver that deflected narrowly wide. From the resultant corner though everything changed as the AUL won back possession and broke up field and the impressive substitute Glynn was able to drill low past Kelly despite a strong attempt at a block from John G McLaughlin.
Inishowen could yet have won it at the death as a Christy McLaughlin cross from the right broke for Paddy McDermott at the edge of the box and his snap shot flew inches over the bar. The tempo dropped somewhat in extra time as Glynn continued to look a handful going forward for Dublin as he headed over from a good position. Both sides had a go at each other but could create little in clearcut chances as the lottery of penalties became a reality as Inishowen missed their first and fourth penalties and the Dublin League converted their first four to reach the final.
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