Buncrana Hearts and Greencastle will contest this season’s Clubman Shirts League Cup final after they came through their respective semi-finals today.
Buncrana needed extra time before beating Clonmany Shamrocks 1-0 while Greencastle were also 1-0 winners over Glengad United.
The semi-finals were also played in the Charlie O’Donnell Cup with Quigley’s Points Swifts and Greencastle Youths advancing to the cup final.
Round up – Sunday, April 2nd
Clubman Shirts League Cup Semi Finals
Buncrana Hearts 1
Clonmany Shamrocks 0 (AET)
The home side had the first chance of the game on 11 minutes but Kieran McDaid’s shot was well saved by Liam McGonigle.
Clonmany responded and a Jason Devlin run and shot flew just over the bar.
At the other end a McDaid cross shot was superbly clawed away by McGonigle. Before the break a short corner to McDaid saw him beat his man and dink the ball across to Ryan Doherty who somehow headed wide from point blank range.
Buncrana dominated the second half but failed to create the clear cut chance to finish Clonmany who defended superbly throughout.
On 56 minutes a John Timlin cross was headed wide by Aaron McDaid. Ten minutes later another cross from Timlin found Kieran McDaid whose superb header was brilliantly turned away by McGonigle at full stretch and from the corner Ryan Doherty’s header was cleared off the line.
The final chance in normal time came when Jamie McDaid fired over when well placed.
The home side had the first chance of extra time when an Eoin Murphy cross found Kieran McDaid whose volley crashed off the bar. Buncrana broke the deadlock in the seventh of extra time after Calvin Gallagher despatched a superb 20 yards free kick to the top left hand corner. Clonmany had a chance on the stroke of half time after Pearse McCarron’s cross found Devlin but Rory Kelly gathered comfortably. The home side controlled the second period but Clonmany had a late free kick from McCarron which deflected off the wall and into the arms of Kelly.
Glengad United 0
Greencastle FC 1
Greencastle began the game dominating possession but it was not until the 20th minute when a long ball from goalkeeper Conor Browne found Odhran Kennedy in the penalty area and he cushioned a header back for James Henry to fire low past Ciaran Gallagher to the bottom corner.
Henry then fed Nigel McMonagle on the left and he cut inside before shooting weakly at Gallagher. Glengad ended the half strongly when Matthew Byrne found Joe Doherty who fired over from 25 yards.
On the stroke of half time Doherty beat his man and squared the ball across the six yards box but there were no takers.
The home side dominated the second half with the visitors content to sit back and soak up the pressure. Stephen McLaughlin sent Fergal Doherty clear on 51 minutes but he fired weakly at Browne. Then a long ball from John G McLaughlin released Terence Doherty who was denied by a brilliant recovery tackle from Michael Barr.
Glengad had another good chance when Seamus Doherty‘s long ball found John G McLaughlin inside the area but he failed to hit the target from eight yards.
Their final chance came when the unmarked McLaughlin headed a John G McDermott cross over the bar.
Charlie O’Donnell Cup Semi Finals
QPS 4
Aileach Res 0
The Point got off to a dream start in the opening minute after Mark Murray advanced on the left and crossed for Stephen Harley to side-foot low past David McGeady from ten yards.
Four minutes later in a carbon copy move Murray ‘s cross from the left was this time dummied by John McCloskey for Harley again to slot low to the same corner.
Aileach tried to reply and from a Dillon McGrory corner Cathal McElhinney headed wide when well placed at the back post.
But the home side added a third on 18 minutes after a long kick out from Conor O’Neill found McCloskey who turned a defender and fired past McGeady from fifteen yards.
Good interplay then between Harley and McCloskey set up Murray but McGeady was equal to it. Aileach then had a very good spell before the break with Kevin Wallace twice heading just over the bar and when a Stephen Doherty corner caused a scramble inside the area the ball was cleared off the line by a home defender.
In the early exchanges of the second half McClean fired wide while Wallace fired just over at the other end.
The home side tightened their grip on the game then with Murray denied by a good save from McGeady before a Ruairi O’Donnell free found Jamie McLaughlin who headed wide.
They sealed their passage to the final and a date with Greencastle Youth when Harley’s corner found Sean McIntyre who scored with a superb diving header from eight yards.
Greencastle Youths 3
Dunree United 3
Greencastle win 4-2 on pens
In lovely conditions at Chapel Lane it was Greencastle who had the first chance of the game with a Kyle Harkin free kick in the opening minute going just over the bar.
After a tight opening it was Dunree who took the lead when a great cross to the back post from Mark Moran was met by Conor Barrett and he steered his header into the net.
Ten minutes later Dunree doubled their lead when the ball was played through to Bernie Doherty who ran through and slotted it past Evan Davenport.
The rest of the half was a tight affair with both teams working hard to keep chances at a premium.
The second half started in the same vein with Greencastle enjoying most of the possession. But on the hour mark Dunree went 3-0 up. Connor Barrett went in for a strong challenge in the middle of the pitch and the ball looped 35 yards over Evan Davenport and dropped into the net. Midway through the half Greencastle got a goal back after good work from Tony McClenaghan set up Christy Hegarty who finished at the back post.
Greencastle really set the comeback in motion when they pushed on. Again good work from McClenaghan down the right set up Ronan Doherty who bundled it over the line from close range.
Within minutes the comeback was complete when a long ball from Evan Davenport set Tony McClenaghan on his bike and he beat Adam Harrigan to the ball in the Dunree net with a header.
Both teams worked very hard in what was a fascinating second half with Luke Bradley having the last chance of the game but Dunree’s Jamie Brosnan making a great recovery tackle.
After extra time, the game went to penalties with Evan Davenport the hero for Greencastle saving two of the spot kicks to see the home side advance to the final.
Inish Engineering Division Two A
Cockhill Res 0
Carn Res 3
In a tight scrappy first half there were few chances for either side.
Carn scored the only goal of the half when Brandon Browne got in behind the Cockhill defence and squared for Cormac McLauglin to finish low past Cockhill keeper Darragh O’Donnell. Cockhill responded well after the break, pushing Carn back but without creating any clear cut chances with Carn keeper Daniel McDaid not forced into action.
As the game got stretched in the closing stages Carn doubled their lead when Connor McLaughlin headed home at the back post.
In the last action of the match Carn were awarded a penalty for a hand ball and Dion Diver stepped up to drill the spot kick high into the roof of the net to seal the points for Carn.
Moville Res 2
Illies Res 2
Moville started this game well and Ronan McCarron created chances in the opening ten minutes for both Norbert Indyka who fired wide and Andrew Burke who was denied by Ciaran Sharkey.
They took the lead in the 10th minute after a long ball was cleared to the edge of the area where Rowan Doherty fired to the roof of the net.
Illies responded and Shane Devlin fired one effort just over before seeing another saved by Stephen Teles in the Moville goals.
They got back on terms in the 35th minute after Shay McCarron advanced into the area on the left hand side and slotted low to the far corner.
Moville ended the half well and were out of luck when both Indyka and Michael McCarron saw efforts crash off the post.
Illies took the lead in fortuitous fashion ten minutes after the restart when a long clearance from Oran Doherty deceived the home defence and landed in the net.
The game developed into a midfield battle with defences on top then until the 80th minute when the home side salvaged a point. The Illies defence failed to clear a corner and Indyka pounced to slot home from six yards.
Both sides had a half chance to claim the win but failed to convert.
Culdaff Res 2
Rashenny FC 1
Rashenny stunned Culdaff early on in the first minute, when they broke from the kick-off. Shane Cregan picked the ball up from a Declan McGonagle cross – slotting in past Peter Doherty. Rashenny kept niggling at Culdaff’s defence, but Dermot Diver was always there to rescue. Culdaff equalised on the 30th minute. A 25 yard free-kick from Darren McLarkey was parried by Gavin McLaughlin to the feet of Niall Gordon who slotted home from close range.
Rasheeny were dealt a massive blow five minutes later. Darren McLarkey dribbled through the midfield, beating Peter Doherty, who dragged McLarkey down – receiving a straight red. Culdaff with the extra man were on top in the second half and took the lead in the 55th minute.
Jack McLaughlin picked the ball up from the sideline, dribbling inside and feeding substitute Oisin McLaughlin who got his first of the season. Rashenny began to push late on but home keeper Peter Doherty put in a man-of-the-match performance.
Inish Engineering Division Two B
Rashenny Res 1
Redcastle Res 1
Rashenny took an early lead in the 12th minute in fortuitous fashion after a Ryan Doherty cross found Damien Friel on the edge of the area and his mis-hit effort deceived Oisin Quigley in goal.
There was little action until the 40th minute with Redcastle enjoying lots of possession. Home keeper Roger Mc Gilloway made a superb save to tip a Lennon McLaughlin effort around the post and from the corner McLaughlin headed over from the edge of the area.
Redcastle levelled matters on 42 minutes after a long range Shay Sweeney free fell to Kealan Henry who fired home from twelve yards.
Before the break Rashenny’s Friel had a snapshot from inside the area well saved by Quigley.
The second half was devoid of action until the 70th minute when Sweeney broke into the area and saw his effort rebound off the post before being cleared.
At the other end Friel ‘s free was hooked over the bar by James McConalogue.
Redcastle then had a couple of chances with Henry firing into the side netting before Lennon McLaughlin broke through the centre but McGilloway advanced to smother.
Rashenny had the final chance of the game after Shane Ward fed Kyle Doherty whose superb cross just eluded the inrushing substitute Aiden Hirrell as both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils.
Aileach Res 3
Glengad Res 2
Aileach started this game well and went ahead in the sixth minute after Kevin Boyle advanced into the area and fired low past Michael McLaughlin from twelve yards.
A superb cross then from Boyle found Michael McClay who was denied by McLaughlin and the keeper recovered to save Benny Hegarty’s follow up.
Glengad hit back and PJ McDaid fired just wide from the edge of the area. They got back on terms in the 21st minute after a scramble in the area allowed McDaid to square the ball for Calvin White to slot past Dylan Porter from six yards.
The home side then had an effort from McClay turned round the post and when the corner fell to Ryan Long on the edge of the area his effort clipped the bar on the way over.
They regained the lead in the 33rd minute after Boyle knocked in the rebound when his initial effort was saved.
But Glengad made it two all on the stroke of half time when McDaid raced onto a ball over the top and rounded Porter to slot home.
Aileach began the second half well with Aaron Doherty firing over and Dermot Doherty seeing an effort clip the outside of the post.
At the other end McDaid saw a shot saved by Porter before Aileach’s Long raced clear and drove low across McLaughlin only to see the ball rebound off the inside of the post and cleared to safety.
The crucial goal came for the home side on 82 minutes when Shay Bowen flicked on a corner at the near post for Boyle to volley to the roof of the net . Glengad threw everything forward and in the closing stages both Ryan McLaughlin from a free and Brian Houten were denied by good saves from Porter.
Carrowmena FC 2
QPS 1
A long range Jason McCallion effort for the visitors in the opening minute was superbly tipped round the post by Michael Noone.
The home side replied instantly with a Declan McGuinness effort coming off the post to Sean Diver whose effort was blocked behind.
From the corner by James Gillen the ball broke to McGuinness who hit a powerful shot past Stephen Slattery from twelve yards.
The visitors equalised just after the half hour with Dean Hegarty despatching a brilliant free kick from twenty yards to the top corner.
The Point got on top until the break then with Hegarty seeing another effort from distance going just past the post. The visitors started the second half as they ended the first with Hegarty prominent but the home side showed great resilience.
On the hour the home side’s Gerard Gill found Eddie McIntyre whose speculative effort from distance flashed just wide. On 68 minutes a quickly taken corner from Jude Harkin to Gill was returned to Harkin who whipped the ball to the back post for McGuinness to slot home .
The Point pushed hard in an attempt to salvage a point but the home side stood firm.
