Donegal League: Results as Premier Division and Voodoo Venue Cup action takes place

Keadue Reserves made it through to the quarter-final of the Voodoo Venue Cup but only just against a very determined Gweedore side. It was a decent day for football at Central Park and Gweedore, assisted by a strong breeze, had the brighter opening ten minutes.

By fifteen minutes Keadue were getting on top and Ultan Boyle had a shot deflected to the net by Luke Neely but the goal was disallowed.

Keadue did go ahead on twenty minutes when a good ball from Luke Neely was thumped home low to the net by Boyle.

The away side responded well and had a couple of efforts just wide before the half-hour mark. However, on thirty-two minutes a fine Keadue move down the left wing led to a ball played through to Daniel Mc Hugh and his pinpoint cross met Michael Greene on the run who struck first time to the net.

Gweedore again though were good in their response and had a lot of the ball but didn’t threaten the home goal in that time. At the start of the second half, Gweedore had one back on forty-eight minutes when centre-half, Donal Mac Giolla Bhride, poked home from close range after a corner.

They were buoyed by this and just after the hour a ball to the far post led to a missed chance. They were deservedly level after sixty-three minutes when Johnny Gallagher tapped home in a crowded box. The home side though did have a good patch after this and with the introduction of a few subs had a lot more of the ball but didn’t stretch the away keeper.

On seventy-three minutes Luke Neely had a great chance but it was well saved by the Gweedore keeper. Damien Hanlon had a free kick for Keadue wide on seventy-eight minutes with the home side well on top.

Just after eighty minutes, Michael Coll saw his shot saved by Ben Boyle following a mix up in the home defence.

Just when it looked like extra time a ball played over the top by Ultan Boyle was met by substitute Christy Greene who poked the ball over the line past the advancing keeper for what proved to be the winner.

A decent game of football and while Keadue prevailed it was a very dogged effort from a plucky Gweedore side who were a little unlucky. Best for Gweedore Celtic were Conor Boyle, Donal Mac Goilla Bhride and Michael Coll while best for Keadue were Michael Greene, Luke Neely and Daniel McHugh. 

Referee: Tony McNamee.

St. Catherine’s and Milford started the Cup tie well, the pace and quality of play from both teams in the first half was of an exceptionally high standard. Each team had chances in the first period but due to some outstanding defending, it remained scoreless at half-time.

The relentless pace continued in the second half and Milford broke the deadlock on 55 minutes with a thunderous strike from the edge of the box leaving the Saints’ keeper Shane O’ Gara with no chance. Donal Mc Guire equalised in the 66th minute after a well-worked short corner.

He exchanged passes with the ever-youthful Kristian Mc Nelis and smashed it home high into the net from an acute angle.

The winner came with just 5 minutes remaining when the ball broke to Mc Nelis just inside the box. He rifled home a venomous volley which just edged a thrilling encounter.

Milford almost forced extra time in the dying minutes as somehow the ball stayed out when on the Saints’ goal line. Both teams players deserved great credit in an evenly contested match. Best for St. Catherine’s Donal McGuire, Connor Knox and match winner Mc Nelis.

Cappry Rovers Reserves 1 Glencar Celtic 3

The away side started brightly and put the youthful Cappry team under pressure from the first whistle. Their pressure finally paid off when they took the lead following a scramble in the Cappry box.

The away side kept the pressure on right through the half and forced Dylan Doherty into a number of fine saves.

Cappry started the 2nd half well but the Glencar defence was well on top. Glencar made it 2-0 in the 60th minute with a fine team move. The Cappry youngsters wouldn’t give in and got a goal back when Jamie Murray found the net. The game was end to end now with both teams having chances.

Jamie Murray should of made it 2-2 but he fired wide when through on goal. Glencar wrapped up the game in the 89th minute when Graham Cullen fired home from 25 yards. Two Team Performances. Referee: George Clinton

Underdogs Fintown Harps pulled off a dramatic result in the Voodoo Venue Cup on Saturday afternoon.  From the start, Fintown were up for this match putting the Donegal side under pressure. In the fifteenth minute, Fintown won a free outside the box.

John Molloy found the net with a superb free kick. Fintown pressed hard and were unlucky not to get a second or even a third with some great football being played by Eunan Doherty, Christopher Mc Glynn and Dermot Gallagher in midfield.

Donegal Town came into the game when they scored from the penalty spot and Donegal could have made it two but Jordan O’ Donnell pulled of a string of super saves. At half-time, Fintown introduced 3 sub’s from what was a strong panel.

Fintown pushed hard for a second and got their reward in the seventy-fifth minute when Sean Mc Millan was taken down in the box.

Christopher Mc Glynn converted a well-taken penalty for Fintown making it 2-1. Fintown were in no mood to give this lead-up and every man gave 100% to make sure they would move on to the next round. It was a great game of football and could have gone to extra time.

Joe Shankey, Eunan Doherty and Francis Mc Devitt were best for Fintown.  Great achievement for Barry Mc Monagle making his 500th appearance for Fintown and still pretty nifty at 50.

Glenea United Reserves 2 Castlefin Celtic Reserves 3

Glenea Reserves’ interest in this year’s Voodoo Cup was ended with this defeat in a hard-fought game. Castlefin playing with the aid of a strong breeze started well and took the lead on two minutes when Mathew O’Rourke’s header from a deflected shot was turned in at the back post by Sean Kennedy.

Glenea tried hard to get back into the game but found themselves two down on 15 minutes when Matthew O’Rourke was played in and he drilled the ball home from a tight angle.

Glenea were still finding it difficult to create any clear-cut chances and it was Castlefin that almost extended their lead on 40 mins when a header from a corner came back off the bar.

In the second half, it was the home team that started the better and almost pulled a goal back on 48 minutes when Michael Ferry got onto a Neil McGeever cross but saw his effort well saved by Keith Nelis.

Glenea continues to press and were rewarded on 6o minutes when Michael Ferry took advantage of a mix up in the away defence and his cross was turned in from close range by Christopher Barrett.

Glenea equalized on 62 minutes when from a Padraig McGee free-kick, Christopher Barrett headed back across goal and Nathan O’Brien was on hand to steer the ball home.

Glenea pushed for a winner but were rocked on 80 minutes when after good work down the left the resultant cross found Mathew O’Rourke and he scored from close range.

As Glenea pushed on for an equalizer they left themselves open at the back and Castlefin had a couple of chances to extend their lead but were denied by a couple of good saves from Shaun McCafferty.

Glenea almost got their equalizer in injury time but Nathan O’Brien saw his effort from the edge of the box come back off the post. Tommy Rodgers and Odhran McBride did well for Glenea, Mathew O’Brien was always a threat for Castlefin.

Strand Rovers 5 Oldtown Celtic 1

Strand Rovers took the lead in the first minute of the game when Doalty Boyle crossed the ball into the penalty area to find Dylan Boyle who opened the scoring. Strand increased their lead midway through the first half with a Conor Greene volley from ten yards out.

Strand scored their third goal early in the second half through Dylan Boyle. James Mc Cole then scored the goal of the game from thirty yards out into the bottom left corner of the net.

Oldtown replied with a late goal from Michael Mc Laughlin. Strand scored the last of the goals with a great run and a composed finish from Ethan Ward.

(No Report Submitted)

Kildrum took the lead in the 25th minute when, after a foul on Damian Crossan, William Lynch drilled a free kick, low and hard into the Cappry net.

Just eight minutes later, Kildrum doubled their advantage as Crossan rose high to nod home from a corner kick. Five minutes into the second half, the Tigers added a third when Barry O’ Donnell’s ball in from the right was fumbled by the Cappry ‘keeper and was adjudged to have crossed the line.

The game turned a little sour with three men – two from Cappry and one from Kildrum – sent off. Kildrum added a fourth goal as James McNulty headed home.

Cathal McShane’s penalty ten minutes from the end pulled one back for the visitors. McShane hit a second for Cappry, but Kevin McHugh’s strike earned Kildrum – who also finished with nine men – a big win.

Milford United went away from the Hospital Field with all three points after an impressive performance. Milford started the game well and drew a couple of excellent saves from Donegal ‘keeper John Leonard. They took the lead in the 43rd minute when Christy Mc Cafferty finished well inside the area.

Donegal got back on terms just after half-time when Ronan Mc Hugh broke through and finished well. Milford then reasserted their dominance on proceedings and retook the lead when Joey Cullen headed home from a corner.

Darragh Black was on hand shortly afterwards to finish off a fast break to give the visitors a two-goal cushion heading into the final quarter.

Mc Hugh cut the deficit to one with ten minutes remaining, getting his second of the game with an excellent strike from the edge of the area. Donegal tried in vain to get the equaliser but were unable to do so. Best for Donegal was Ben Sweeney, with Joey Cullen was Milford’s standout performer.

Kilmacrennan Celtic sent out a message of clear and present danger to the elite of Donegal soccer with a pristine victory over their hosts Rathmullan Celtic. The Hoops were missing key players heading into this fixture, with the notable absence of skipper Eoin Sheridan evident in midfield, which Raymond Shields’ Kilmacrennan took full advantage of.

The visitors took the lead on 23 minutes following a corner whipped in by Enda Mc Cormick and finished with aplomb by Shields with a downward header giving keeper Sean Gallagher no chance. Kilmacrennan dominated in midfield with Gorman marshalling his defence.

The second half saw Kilmacrennan dominate proceedings as the Hoops failed to come to grips with their pass and move football all afternoon.

The visitors doubled their advantage on 55 minutes when Mc Laughlin was unmarked at the far post and tapped in a fine Shields’ cross from the right wing with ease.

Kilmacrennan put the game behind doubt on 64 minutes when their talismanic sharpshooter Mc Laughlin was on hand yet again unmarked inside the area to finish off a McDaid cross.

The Hoops tried in vain to register with Barrett trying to create chances against a resolute Kilmacrennan defence which boasted three of the Oscar Traynor team’s back four.

Kilmacrennan topped a class team performance on 82 minutes when Mc Laughlin turned provider with a fine cross from the right wing to set up McDaid who calmly tapped in at the left post to round off a fine afternoon at the Seaside for the travelling team.

Conditions were perfect for football in Glasserchoo with both teams eager for points to start climbing the table.  Glenea started off the brighter, creating a few half chances through Ciaran Mc Geady and Carlos O’ Reilly. The deadlock was broken on the 17th minute when O’ Reilly fed in Mc Geady and his low cross was deflected into the St. Catherines net.

For the rest of the first half St. Catherines soaked up the pressure, leaving Glenea to shoot from distance with good efforts from Kyle Mc  Mullan and Eamonn Mc Hugh.

The 2nd half started with both teams pushing and in the 50th minute a teasing cross from Carlos O’ Reilly found Darren Ferry who headed low to the corner but Michael Mullan got down well to save. With Glenea starting to dominate now they scored their 2nd in the 67th minute.

Mullan blocked a low cross but the ball fell to Darren Ferry who calmly placed to the corner. With nothing to lose St. Catherines were committing more men forward and on 75th minutes David Mc Guinness found himself one on one with Joe Coll, but Coll timed his dive to perfection to smother the danger.

Glenea got their third on 78th minutes with persistence from Ciaran Mc Geady who stole possession deep in the St. Catherines half to slot past the out-coming  Mullan.

St. Catherines pulled one back five minutes from time when Shaun Curran was taken down in the box and Ryan Cunningham slotted home the resultant penalty.

In the final minutes Glenea scored their 4th with Eamonn Mc Hugh striking from 25 yards leaving the keeper with no chance.

Castlefin came away with all three points in a very competitive game played in Parkview on. The game started off at a fast pace with both sides eager to get on top early on. In a half of few clear-cut chances, both teams were limited to long-range attempts.

Corrie Lee Bogan was first to try his luck but his shot just went wide. Corey Gallagher and Aiden Mc Hugh both had efforts for the visitors but they were well saved by Chris O’ Donnell. In the second half, Castlefin controlled the game.

Jp Malley went close but his shot was well saved and Ronan Toursih went close from the left. In the 80th minute, the hosts took the lead when a cross from Marty Owens was headed home by Tourish.

The visitors pushed for the equaliser and came close with a Corey Gallagher free kick in the dying moments the hosts held firm.

Best for Castlefin were Peter Bryson and Corrie-lee Bogan. Best for Keadue was Jack O’Brien.