The gap at the top of the Jackie Crossan Premier Division is down to just three points after Buncrana Hearts defeated Culdaff.
It means Buncrana are now within striking distance of leaders Moville Celtic who have two games more played.
Jackie Crossan Premier Division
Buncrana Hearts . . . 3 Culdaff FC . . 0
The home side started brightly and in the fourth minute John Timlin’s shot went just wide of Zach Conlon’s goal.
Bart Wesolowski was next to threaten when he got clear but his shot from the edge of the area was well gathered by Conlon.
The Hearts deservedly took the lead in the 10th minute after McEneff’s corner was flicked on by Ryan Doherty for Christy McKinley to tap home past Conlan from ten yards. Midway through the half the Hearts had a glorious chance to extend their lead when Brown played the ball across goal for Wesolowski but he smashed his shot off the crossbar from six yards.
Wesolowski made up for that opportunity minutes later after McKinley fed the big striker who from twenty five yards fired the ball past Conlan for a superb finish.
The visitors had their first chance on the half hour with Jack McLaughlin’s shot producing a decent save from Eoghan O’Doherty in the Hearts goal. On 40 minutes Wesolowski broke clear but his shot was superbly saved by the legs of Conlan.
Right on half-time the Hearts went three up Wesolowski got in down the left and picked out McKinley who fired first time past Conlan from ten yards.The home side started the second half were they left off with winger Ryan Doherty almost catching Conlan out but his shot hit the side netting.
The same player came even closer on 51 minutes cutting in from the left and curling a lovely effort beyond Conlan but unfortunately it stuck the post. At the other end on the hour mark Bryan McCandless had an opportunity when he got in behind the home defence but his shot was saved by O’Doherty.
Jack McLaughlin was next to threaten but his shot hit the post via a deflection. McKinley had the final chance of the game when substitute Jordan played him in but again Conlan was quick off his line to save with his legs.
Donegal Signs Challenge Cup
QPS . . 0, Carn FC . . . 3
The visitors got off to a quick start and opened the scoring in the 10th minute after Cian Burke found space inside the area to drill low past Oisin Burke in the home goal.
The point replied and Stephen Harley went close with an effort from distance. Carn doubled their lead before the break when Burke latched onto a long clearance over the home defence to calmly shoot low past the advancing keeper.
The home side had the first chance of the second period when Carn keeper Kyle Harkin made a superb save to keep out a San Mcintyre header. Midway through the half the visitors sealed the tie and advanced to the semi finals when Burke completed his hat trick with a close range finish.
Buncrana Hearts . . . 0, Greencastle FC . . . 2
The first half as expected was a cagey affair with few clear cut chances. Greencastle had the first opportunity early in the game when a Nigel McMonagle cross found Brennan Moore but under pressure he fired wide.
Buncrana responded and a Kieran McDaid cross found Bart Wesolowski whose header was tipped over by Conor Browne.
McDaid then tried his luck from twenty five yards but it drifted wide. Greencastle had a good chance before the break after a Michael Henry free found Moore whose header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Rory Kelly to keep it scoreless at the break.
Greencastle had the first chance of the second half when Michael Henry advanced and unleashed an effort which Kelly gathered. At the other end McDaid ‘s free kick found Matthew Browne whose glancing header flew just wide with keeper Browne stranded.
The home side suffered a blow then on the hour mark after Wesolowski received a red card for two bookings in quick succession. Greencastle upped the tempo then with James Henry seeing an effort parried by Kelly before the same player released McMonagle who blazed over the bar from ten yards.
The visitors broke the deadlock in the 71st minute when James Henry advanced and his effort from the edge of the area squeezed past Kelly . Buncrana responded and a superb diagonal ball from Paul McDermott found McDaid who slipped the ball into the path of Jamie McDaid but his effort was saved by Browne.
Greencastle secure their passage to the semi finals late on when Ciaran Diver broke on the right and released Moore who cooly slotted past Kelly.
Aileach FC . . . 1, Cockhill Youths . . . 2
Played on St Patrick’s Day Cockhill caused a big upset in this cup tie and got a dream start when they grabbed the lead with just two minutes on the clock.
A Conor McDaid cross found Eoin Deery on the edge of the box who controlled well and fired low past Matthew Gallagher’s left hand.
Aileach had a decent chance just a few minutes later after Ethan Canning got down the left and crossed for Darren Bradley whose flicked effort goalward was cleared by a retreating defender.
It got better for the visitors in the twentieth minute when a free kick from the left was headed low past Gallagher by Odhran Brian Daly.
Aileach almost pulled a goal back after a Caolan Doherty free kick was headed powerfully from eight yards by Thomas McMonagle but his effort scraped the outside of the post.
Minutes after the restart Caolan Doherty got through one on one with Eoin Colhoun but the keeper did well to deny the forward as Aileach upped the tempo. A few minutes later the home side were awarded a penalty but Caolan Doherty fired his spot kick high over the bar.
Aileach were on top in the second half and forced Cockhill to defend for long periods. On 55 minutes Dermot Doherty floated a lovely cross which just evaded Darren Bradley at the back post.
Ten minutes later Darren Bradley was played in by Caolan Doherty but his effort from a narrow angle hit the side netting.
Aileach finally got on the score sheet in the 80th minute when Gavin Doherty converted a penalty after Jordan McGeady was fouled in the box. Try as they might the home side couldn’t find the equaliser and Cockhill progress to the semi final.
Strand Hotel Division One
Greencastle Youths . . . 3, Clonmany Res . . . 3
Greencastle started positively and took the lead in the 12th minute when Ryan McDermott won the ball out on the left.
He passed to Luke Bradley whose dink into the box was met by Ronan Doherty on the volley who fired it past the keeper.Clonmany tried to hit back straight away and nearly did when Aaron Porter cut inside and shot narrowly wide of the goal.
Clonmany equalized on the half hour when Greencastle didn’t clear a corner and Jake Harkin stabbed it home from close range.Clonmany nearly took the lead then when Logan McDaid had a snapshot from the edge of the box which scrapped the post on the way wide.
With Clonmany on the front foot it was Greencastle who took the lead against the run of play. Kyle Harkin won a free kick twenty five yards out and expertly dispatched the resulting set piece into the top corner.
But Clonmany equalized before half time when a long ball into the box from a free kick was challenged by Evan Davenport in the Greencastle net and two Clonmany players with the result being Jake O Donnell poking the ball over the line.
The visitors then took the lead 15 minutes into the second half after a free kick was delivered into the box and Conor Doherty scored with a header into the corner.
Both teams continued to battle hard but keepers Dylan McEleney and Evan Davenport produced excellent saves. Greencastle had a chance to equalise in the last minute when Ronan Doherty won a penalty. Captain Josh Lafferty stepped up and rifled it into the top corner to share the spoils.
Inish Engineering Division 2A
Rasheney FC . . . 0, Carn Res . . . 0
The home side had the first opportunity of the game in the 10th minute after a left wing cross from Shane Skelly found Tonny Doherty who cushioned the ball into the path of Anthony Doherty but his effort was superbly saved by Daniel McDaid.
But the visitors dominated the remainder of the half with Kyran Cantwell firing one attempt over the bar before racing clear and only denied by a superb last ditch tackle from Shane Gordon.
On the half hour Tiernan Doherty bore down on goal and slipped the ball past home keeper Gavin Mclaughlin but it scraped the outside of the post. Before the break Mark Scott set up Conor McLaughlin who swivelled and from eight yards saw his effort parried by McLaughlin. The trend continued in the second half and in the opening minute Dion Diver fired into the side netting from a tight angle.
Rashenny responded with a David McLaughlin effort saved by McDaid and then Anthony Doherty had a clear sight of goal but elected to pass and the chance was lost.
Carn ended the game the stronger and spurned a couple of good chances firstly when substitute Dayton Cooke sidefooted a cross from Scott over the bar from ten yards. Cooke was then unlucky to see a well hit effort crash off the underside of the bar.
The final chance also fell to the visitors with substitute Diarmaid Doherty firing over from eight yards after fellow substitute Nathan McConalogue had found him in a central position.
Culdaff Res . . . 1, Sea Rovers . . . 2
Sea Rovers got off to a dream start when they broke the deadlock in the third minute.
Daniel Gallagher broke down the left flank, beating his man and fed Conor McGeoghegan who put it on a plate for Declan McGonagle to slot past Dermot Callaghan from seven yards.
At the other end Rovers keeper Mark McLaughlin made a brilliant save from ten yards to deny the home sides Niall McLaughlin and then another superb save to thwart Dermot Diver.
Culdaff continued to test McLaughlin’s goal and on the half hour a corner from Sean McGrenaghan was met by the head of Niall Gordon who planted a firm header into the bottom corner.
Rovers regained the lead on the stroke of half time after a deep corner from Daniel Gallagher found Joey Holland who gave rovers the halftime lead. In the second half Culdaff continued to press, but was McLaughlin kept them at bay .
Culdaff came very close to snatched a point late on, when veteran Diver’s scorpion kick was tipped onto the crossbar by McLaughlin who had an excellent game . Also to mention, a good display from Referee Eddie McNamee.
Cockhill Res . . . 3, Illies Res . . . 0
This local derby proved to be a keenly contested match right from the start as expected.
Cockhill started the brighter of the teams though and got off to a flyer when Liam Bradley set up Marc Doherty who rifled a twenty five yard effort into the top corner giving Illies keeper Ciaran Sharkey absolutely no chance.
The match settled down after a frenetic start and on the half hour mark Cockhill almost doubled their lead. Shane McLaughlin cut in from the wing past a few men before being brought down 20 yards out on the right side of the box.
Connor McDaid stepped up and curled a great effort towards the far top corner but Ciaran Sharkey pulled off a great save to parry his effort away.The second half was a bit more of a scrappy affair with clear cut chances limited.
Cockhill’s Liam Bradley was still proving a threat and had a few good opportunities to edge Cockhill further ahead early in the half and was unlucky to see one goal bound effort rebound off a Cockhill player.
Illies threatened from set pieces in particular and had a good spell of pressure in the second half but failed to test Cockhill’s Eoin Colhoun in nets. Cockhill settled down as the half wore on and eventually got the all important second goal.
A corner by PJ Doherty was flicked on by Donal OG O’Brien and Connor McDaid was sharpest to react and made no mistake from six yards.The points were made safe with five minutes left as Donal OG O’Brien was put through on goal by Dean O’Donnell but he was brought down in the box by Ciaran Sharkey. Connor McDaid stepped and made no mistake from the spot sending Ciaran Sharkey the wrong way.
Inish Engineering Division 2B
Glengad Res . . . 4, Dunree Res . . . 4
All the action came in the second half of this game but it was Glengad who took an early lead when after a Matthew Mooney effort was parried by Oran Doherty the loose ball deflected off an unfortunate defender to the net.
Glengad were on top for the remainder of the half but Dunree defended stoutly to keep the deficit at one. Dunree then got back on terms four minutes after the restart when Cian Moran cut in from the left and unleashed a dipping effort to the roof of the net from twenty yards.
The visitors took the lead just after the hour mark with a Neil Moran free which deflected off a defender and looped over Danny McGonagle to the net.
Midway through the half they made it three one after Neil Moran intercepted a defensive pass and slotted low to the net from ten yards. The home side replied and reduced the deficit after a PJ McDaid cross was swept home from ten yards by Calvin White.
Glengad then got back on terms to make it three each when Owen Doherty advanced through the middle lifted the ball over the visitors defence for substitute Ryan McLaughlin to shoot high past Doherty.
But Dunree regained the lead on 83 minutes after a Cian Moran effort was well parried by McGonagle but Jerry Farrell pounced to slot home. Glengad threw everything forward and salvaged a point in the 89th minute when a Caolan McColgan free was cleared off the line but the ball fell to Ryan McLaughlin to hammer home from twelve yards.
Redcastle Res . . . 3, Carrowmena FC . . . 3
Redcastle took the lead after 10 minutes when Shay Sweeneys corner was put into the net by Lennon McLaughlin from 10 yards. Carrowmena threatened when Eddie McIntyres through ball put Sean Diver through on goals but his shot went just wide.
Carrowmena equalised then after 30 minutes when a free kick from twenty five yards by Eddie McIntyre found the top corner.
But the home side regained the lead again on the stroke of half-time when Mark Farrens through ball found Keelan Henry and he scored high into the net from fifteen yards.
Redcastle started the second half well but found Mickey Noone in the Carrowmena goals hard to beat, Noone making a brilliant double save from Mark Farrens free kick and the follow up from Keelan Henry.
On the hour mark Alan Clarkes shot from twenty yards brought another great save from Noone. Carrowmena rallied and got back on terms in the 70th minute when a cross from Jude Harkin was turned into the net by Gerard Gill.
But for the third time in the game Redcastle went ahead after a brilliant free kick from Alan Clarke found the top corner giving Noone no chance in the Carrowmena goals. On the stroke of full-time Carrowmena salvaged a point when a cross from Gerard Gill found Jude Harkin and he slotted into the bottom corner from fifteen yards.
QPS Youths . . . 3, Aileach Youths . . . 0
This was a crucial win for the home side and one which puts the destiny of the league title firmly in their hands.
They began well and n 15 minutes a Ronan Lafferty effort was well saved by Dylan Clarke. The homeside continued to press with Aaron Scott releasing Lafferty but again Clarke was equal to it. The visitors responded with Rory O Donnell racing through but seeing his effort gathered by Stephen Slattery.
At the other end the Point went close when a Cormac McColgan free was cleared off the line by Kevin Wallace. Aileach had the final chance of the half from a Dillon McGrory free but Slattery made a good save to leave it scoreless at the interval.
After a dour start to the second period the home side broke the deadlock on the hour mark when after Jason McCallion evaded to challenges inside the area to slot home from close range.
McCallion then doubled his sides advantage five minutes later when he collected a clearance from a corner and placed the ball low into the bottom corner from twenty yards. They sealed the points after a Dean Hegarty cross found McColgan who headed home at the back post .
