Cockhill Celtic strengthened their grip on the 4 Lanterns Ulster Senior League title today with an away win at Fanad United while Letterkenny Rovers grabbed a win at Derry City Reserves.
Fanad United 1 Cockhill Celtic 2
Cockhill Celtic moved five points clear at the top of the Ulster Senior League with a win over Fanad United at Triagh-A-Loch.
The champions have a game in hand and their quest for a fifth successive Ulster Senior League crown is really gaining momentum after goals by Garbhán Friel and Gerry Gill saw them over the line against second-placed Fanad.
Those strikes, one in each half, put them in control. By the time John McGarvey, a substitute, fired in for Fanad in the 93rd minute, the home side had run out of chances.
Fanad, who came into this one with a chance to go top, made Cockhill earn their corn here.
Cockhill played the last 14 minutes with ten men after Derek Doherty was given a second yellow card.
Fanad felt that they should have had a penalty in the 75th minute when Daire McDaid, growing into the game at that point, went down under the challenge of Cockhill ‘keeper Harry Doherty.
Cockhill took the lead in the 41st minute when Friel netted from the spot after Kieran Gorman’s foul on the big Cockhill striker.
Friel rolled into one corner and, after being ordered to retake the kick, slotted into the other with his second attempt to give the Inishowen men the lead and bag his first League goal of the campaign.
Cockhill’s second goal, three minutes from the end, had a stroke of fortune about it. Gill and Friel worked a short-corner with Friel’s cross deceiving Oran Blaney, Fanad’s goalkeeper, and creeping into the far corner.
Doherty had to be on his game to keep out Shaun McElwaine’s header after the big defender connected with Marty McAteer’s inviting free-kick. With Davitt Walsh lurking, Doherty clawed away again.
Friel’s penalty had the visitors ahead at the break and Jimmy Bradley might’ve done better when Friel and Ryan Varma combined to set up a shot on goal, but he rolled wide from 20 yards.
McDaid smashed just off target and then saw a powerful effort held by Doherty as Fanad went in search of a leveller.
They did manage to find a way through, after Gill had doubled the lead, when McGarvey converted from Martin McElhinney’s cross and it was too late to summons one last push.
Fanad United: Oran Blaney; Oisin Langan, Shaun McElwaine, Kieran Gorman, Seimi ‘Nanny’ Friel; Marty McAteer, Matthew Crossan, Daire McDaid, Killian Gallagher; Keelin McElwaine, Davitt Walsh. Subs: Martin McElhinney for Gallagher (58), Conor Blaney for Walsh (80), John McGarvey for McAteer (80).
Cockhill Celtic: Harry Doherty; Derek Doherty, Peter Doherty, Jonny Havlin, Jason Breslin; Conor Keddy, Jimmy Bradley, Ryan Varma, Ronan Doherty; Garbhán Friel, Gerry Gill. Sub: Gerard McLaughlin for R.Doherty (87).
Referee: Marty Quinn.
Bonagee United 3 Swilly Rovers 0
HE CONTINENTAL touches of Darek Frankowski and Francesco Crisci helped fire Bonagee United to victory over Swilly Rovers at Dry Arch Park on Friday night.
Second-half strikes by Pole Frankowski and Italian Crisci sent Peter Moran’s team on their way to a win.
Frankowski’s 55th minute goal opened the scoring and Crisci’s clinical second made the win safe for the home side, with a 78th minute header by Dean Larkin completing a good night at the office for the men in yellow and green.
Bonagee, still reeling from their Intermediate Cup defeat at Edenderry Town last Saturday, took a little time to come into the game, but they managed to hit the front ten minutes into the second half.
Aidan McLaughlin’s honesty perhaps denied the hosts a penalty just after the break, the striker clearly pulled as he entered the box.
McLaughlin steadied himself, stayed on his feet and missed out on what looked a certain penalty as a result.
But Bonagee were soon in front as Frankowski fired home in the box after Aidan McCauley’s free kick wasn’t dealt with.
Swilly came into this game – a home fixture for Gerry Crossan’s team, but reversed to Dry Arch Park – looking for a first League win of the season.
They had their moments in a first half that lacked in quality.
Centre-back Dylan Hegarty had a go from almost half-way and forced the back-peddling Gareth Wade to tip over the crossbar, denying the Swilly man an audacious goal.
Swilly showed decent promise at times without, that Hegarty attempt aside, really troubling Wade.
Swilly had a series of chances in the one move and their failure to put away any of them – when any one of a number of players could have applied a finishing touch – proved costly as Bonagee broke to score.
Crisci, from the right-hand side, got clear and coolly picked his spot, neatly clipping past Bolton from outside the box.
Crisci could have added a third, but saw his shot from a tight angle blocked by Hegarty.
Larkin’s tidy header, after connecting to a cross by Aidan McLaughlin, gave Bonagee further cushion and Swilly end 2016 still searching for a first League win of the season.
Bonagee United: Gareth Wade, Gareth Breslin, Taylor Russell, Ryan McGarvey, Darren Hunter, Darek Frankowski, Shane O’Doherty (Daniel Stolarczyk 6, (Ryan Moran 80)), Dean Larkin, Aidan McLaughlin (Jordan Rodgers 86), Aidan McCauley, Francesco Crisci.
Swilly Rovers: Caolan Bolton, Dylan Hegarty, Shaun Crossan, Ronan Boyce, Marty McDaid, Ricky Fisher, Mikey Sweeney (Daire Crossan 65), Ryan McDaid, Laurence Toland, Mark Wilson (Matthew Sweeney 72), Shay Durning.
Referee: Packie Coll.
Derry City Reserves 2 Letterkenny Rovers 3
DARREN McElwaine netted the winner, 12 minutes from time as Letterkenny Rovers got back to winning ways at Derry City Reserves.
Ryan Gildea gave Rovers the lead, but Matty Doherty leveled in the 12th minute. Just a minute later, David Shovlin restored Letterkenny’s lead.
Sean McBride’s chip beat Rory Kelly to level things up before McElwaine’s 6th League goal of the season earned Rovers the win.
RESULTS
Friday
Bonagee United 3 Swilly Rovers 0
Sunday
Derry City Reserves 2 Letterkenny Rovers 3
Fanad United 1 Cockhill Celtic 2
FIXTURE
Sunday, December 11, 2pm
Finn Harps Reserves v Cockhill Celtic
| USL | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
| Cockhill Celtic | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 5 | 15 | 16 |
| Fanad United | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 11 |
| Letterkenny Rovers | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 10 |
| Bonagee United | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 14 | -7 | 10 |
| Derry City Reserves | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 9 |
| Finn Harps Reserves | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 14 | -6 | 4 |
| Swilly Rovers | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 20 | -13 | 3 |
TOP GOALSCORERS (League only)
Cathal Farren (Derry City Reserves) 8
Darren McElwaine (Letterkenny Rovers) 6
Mark Moran (Cockhill Celtic) 5
Aaron McCready (Finn Harps Reserves) 4
Stephen Duffy (Derry City Reserves) 3
Aidan McLaughlin (Bonagee United) 3
Gerard McLaughlin (Cockhill Celtic) 3
Max Karner (Derry City Reserves) 3
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