It was a day for home comforts in the quarter-finals of the Ulster Junior Cup as Castlefin Celtic, Glengad United, Cavan Town and Greencastle booked their spots in the semi-finals of the competition.
Castlefin Celtic 3 Kildrum Tigers 1
Castlefin advanced to the semi-final of the Ulster Cup after a hard-fought victory over rivals Kildrum Tigers.
In a real battle from start to finish the hosts started the brighter and had long range efforts that flew over from Ronan Tourish and Corrie Lee Bogan.
In the 25th minute Castlefin took the lead when Tourish picked up a loose ball drove at the Kildrum defence and fed Shane Gallagher who finished well.
In the 35th minute the hosts doubled their lead when Peter Bryson fed Tourish who turned well before his shot flew into the bottom corner.
In the second half Kildrum applied more pressure and went close when Damien Crossan had an effort well saved.
Kevin McHugh also went close with a couple long range efforts and was rewarded in the 65th minute when his shot flew in from 25 yards.
The visitors had plenty of pressure but failed to create many clear-cut chances. Castlefin increased their lead in the dying moments when Emmett White converted a penalty.
Glengad United 4 Kilmacrennan Celtic 1
The home side started well and on 8 minutes Christopher McLaughlin drove at the visitors defence before unleashing a 25-yards effort which whistled just past the post.
Kilmacrennan replied and when Daire McDaid fed Enda McCormick he dragged his effort wide when he really should have done better.
Good inter change between Terence Doherty and Conor Barrow saw the latter see his effort tipped over the bar by Conor Tinney.
From the corner the ball was cleared to Dillon Ruddy who unleashed a 25-yards effort to the top corner.
Glengad increased their lead on 37 minutes after James McKinney and Adam Byrne combined well for Byrne to split the defence and Barrow raced onto the pass to drill low past the advancing Tinney.
Glengad created the first chance of the second period when Stephen McLaughlin crossed for Doherty who laid the ball back to Barrow but his effort was brilliantly saved by Tinney.
On the hour the visitors got back into the game after McCormack broke on the right and when the home defence failed to clear McDaid slotted low past Seamus Houten.
Glengad upped the tempo and John G Mclaughlin saw a header cleared off the line by Ryan Shields.
On 75 minutes McKinney fed Barrow on the edge of the area and he turned brilliantly to slot low into the corner and make it three one.
Kilmacrennan kept pushing and substitute Stephen McEwen broke into the area but saw his effort clip the crossbar.
Glengad sealed the tie on 89 minutes after a long clearance from Houten sent Doherty clear to fire low past the advancing Tinney and send Glengad to the semi-finals.
Cavan Town 7 Redcastle United 2
The home side exerted pressure from the start and took the lead on 13 minutes following a corner when Paul O’Connor headed past Michael McCole.
They doubled their lead again from a corner with Paul Boyle unmarked heading home this time. Redcastle replied with a Corey Walsh free kick well saved by keeper Gary Donnelly.
But the home side upped the tempo and when Arvio Dumitron crossed Paul Sheridan made it three nil with a fine diving header.
Before the break O’Connor threaded a fine pass into Sheridan’s path and he calmly finished past McCole to leave the home side in command at the interval. Cavan increased their lead minutes into the second half when Conor Boyle’s corner found Sheridan and he completed his hat trick slotting low past McCole.
Redcastle then got a goal back after Walsh rounded a defender and fired home. Darragh McConway then scored with a superb free kick from the edge of the area to make it six two.
Cavan added a seventh when Conor Boyle broke on the right and crossed for Declan Meehan to slot home.
The visitors misery was completed when Joe McCauley collected a second yellow card and was dismissed ten minutes from time.
Greencastle FC 2 Carn 1
In an entertaining first half the visitors took a shock lead on 5 minutes after Shane Doherty released Brandon Browne and he fired low past the advancing Dylan Doherty. T
he home side equalised after 20 minutes when Jamie McCormick broke and crossed for Ciaran Moore to slot low past Fergal Doherty from close range.
Moore then saw a header crash off the bar before McCormick’s shot on the run crashed off the post. The second half saw Greencastle have more possession but Carn dangerous on the break. Both Shane Doherty and Cade Cooke failed to hit the target for the visitors when well-placed while McCormick and Nigel McMonagle both had attempts saved by Doherty.
The crucial moment came in the 81st minute after McCormick released Christy Hegarty and he picked out McMonagle to slot home and send Greencastle into the semi-finals.
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