It was another busy week in the Donegal Junior League.
Brian McCormick Sports Premier Division
Rathmullan Celtic 3 v 3 Kildrum Tigers
Wednesday 26th April 2023
Rathmullan Celtic welcomed Premier Division kingpins Kildrum Tigers to the Flagpole Field for their last home game of the season on Wednesday evening.
This was a midweek special that certainly delivered, particularly in the second half as both sides shared the spoils after a six-goal thriller which also included a last gasp equaliser for the Hoops. It was the Hoops who started brightest and dominated much of the first period with the front two strikers Oisin Mc Menamin and Mark Mc Ateer combining superbly for the opener on the quarter mark. Mc Menamin delivered a perfectly lobbed ball over the Tigers defence and Mc Ateer controlled exquisitely before lobbing keeper Chris O’Donnell.
Sheridan’s Hoops went in search of a second with direct football and duly got their rewards on the half hour mark with left winger Jay Curran selflessly heading on to the incoming McMenamin inside the area. The sharp shooter unleashed a strike low which keeper O’Donnell blocked with McMenamin making no mistake with the rebound, tucking it away into the bottom right corner. Man of the Match Kieran Gorman kept the Tigers forwards at bay throughout the half alongside Peter Curran at the heart of the Hoops defence as the home side were comfortable and were unlucky not to have gone in three to the good at half time when Mc Menamin unleashed a thunderous strike on the half time whistle which was tipped round the oust exquisitely by O’Donnell.
Roll on the second half and a very different Kildrum side came onto the field as manager Mc Ginty certainly awakened the Tigers. It was all out attack from the visitors and they came right back into it on 53 minutes when their star striker David Walsh was upended in the area and the experienced forward coolly dispatched a penalty with class. The Tigers were only starting their revival and equalised on 65 minutes from a corner swung in by Oisin McFadden with the ball falling to Walsh just outside the area and the talismanic striker struck low into the bottom right corner to level proceedings. The Hoops were in shock moments later when McFadden crossed in to the unmarked Darryl Browne in the box and the forward had the easier of headers into the Hoops net to give the visitors a lead which never seemed on the cards after the opening 45 minutes. Sheridan rang the changes for the Hoops with Charlie McAteer impressing on the right wing when introduced on 70 minutes and Gorman was ushered up front to try and steal an equaliser. McMenamin tried on Cain on a few occasions but a resolute Kildrum defence gave no joy to the Hoops onslaught. However, deep into stoppage time Kildrum were finally broken down when a Shaky O’Donnell from 25 yards out on the right wing was whipped into the centre and winger Curran rose highest to get the flick on that beat O’Donnell and into the back of the net. This gave Hoops the point they needed to secure third place and earn a draw in what was the fairest result in such an entertaining game. Referee: Vinny McLaughlin
Glencar Inn Saturday Division One
Glenea United Reserves 4 v 2 Strand Rovers
(no Report Submitted)
Cappry Rovers Reserves 1 v 5 Oldtown Celtic
(No Report Submitted)
Saturday 29th April 2023
Voodoo Venue Cup
Strand Rovers 0 v 1 Kildrum Tigers Reserves
(No Report Submitted)
Glencar Inn Saturday Division One
Glencar Celtic 1 v 4 Donegal Town Reserves
(No Report Submitted)
Copany Rovers 1 v 2 Cappry Rovers Reserves
(No Report Submitted)
Dunlewey Celtic 2 v 3 Arranmore United
(No Report Submitted)
Old Orchard Saturday Division Two
Ballybofey United Reserves 5 v 6 Gweedore Celtic Reserves
Ballybofey got off to the best possible start inside the first minute when Johnny Bell played a perfectly weighted through ball into Leo McAleer whose shot was deemed to have crossed the line by the referee.
It didn’t take long until Gweedore started to take charge of the possession, and got the equaliser within 5 minutes after a through ball split the defence. Gweedore kept the intensity up and played some great football and were rewarded with a further three goals in a 10-minute spell leaving Ballybofey with an uphill battle in the second half. Ballybofey got one back inside 5 minutes when an inswinging corner was put into the back of the net by a Gweedore player. Gweedore were then awarded a penalty which they duly converted. Ballybofey dug deep and showed great determination. They pulled one back through Gavin Doherty with a trademark header at the back post. Ballybofey got their 4th when Barrie Mc Ghee ran onto a great through ball and fired low and hard into the back of the net. Ballybofey’s tails were up and, against the odds, they equalised when Conor Mc Glynn (Mig) finished from close range leaving it 5-5 going into injury time. Gweedore, however, got the last gasp winner to claim the points.
Castlefin Celtic Reserves 3 v 1 Milford United Reserves
Castlefin and Milford rounded off their respective campaigns on Saturday in a competitive outing.
A brace from Reece Gallagher and a strike from Rabeh got the goals for the home side while Jason Mc Conigley got on the scoresheet for Milford.
Cranford United Reserves 0 v 2 St. Catherines Reserves
(No Report Submitted)
Fintown Harps AFC 3 v 0 Kilmacrennan Celtic Reserves
Harps took the lead through Ethan O’Donnell after a flick on from Aaron Mc Glynn. Just before half-time Kilmacrennan’s Philip Buchannan saw Karl O’ Brien off his line but his lob went just wide of the post. A minute later Kilmacrennan had the ball in the net but the referee blew for offside. Kilmacrennan started the second half the better team and on 49 minutes a corner from Conor Gibson fell to Rory Mc Grenra but his shot was blocked. Kilmacrennan pushed hard for an equaliser and Cormac Brady had a shot saved by
Karl O’ Brien in the Fintown nets. Fintown’s first real chance of the second half came from an Ethan O’ Donnell header on 61 minutes but it drifted just wide. On 66 minutes John Molloy found himself 30 yards out on the right-hand side and let fly with an absolute screamer into the top corner to make it 2-0 to Harps. On the stroke of full time, Harps got their third of the afternoon thanks to Michael Doherty.
Swilly Rovers Reserves 1 v 1 Drumbar United
(No Report Submitted)
Brian Mc Cormick Sports Premier Division
Sunday 30th April 2023
Cappry Rovers 1 v 2 Castlefin Celtic
(No Report Submitted)
Keadue Rovers 5 v 1 Bonagee United
Keadue Rovers confirmed their place in next year’s Premier Division after this win which was a little harsh on a game Bonagee outfit.
On a good day for football, it was Bonagee who made the brighter opening, probing away at the home defence but after ten minutes, Keadue began to get a hold on proceedings but their final ball was just a little off, playing against a stiff breeze. On twenty five minutes, Bonagee had a decent chance on the edge of the box but just missed the shot wide. Keadue did take the lead on twenty nine minutes when a ball dropped to Brian Proctor twenty five yards out and he unleashed a great, swerving effort, which evaded the keeper to make it 1-0. They further increased their lead on thirty four minutes when a free kick on the left side was parried by the keeper and Martin Ferry was on hand to knock to an empty net. Despite having good possession in the first half, Bonagee found themselves behind by two while Keadue were playing a more direct style which was proving rewarding.
At the start of the second half, Keadue started to move well in possession, passing it around at pace and it yielded a third goal by Peter McGee, with a nice finish from close range. Just after the hour mark, a couple of substitutions made by Keadue, gave a little bit of pace while at the same time, Bonagee didn’t let the heads go down and created a few chances from set pieces, with Shane O’Gara in the Keadue nets having to make a few saves.
Keadue substitute Aidan Yank Boyle was proving dangerous up front and on sixty eight minutes, a fine through ball led to him slotting home on the right hand side. Bonagee did pull one back in the last twenty minutes, with Cody Brogan scoring a good header from a corner. But within a few minutes, Aidan Yank Boyle was once again on the scoresheet from the right hand side and this time slammed home a fine goal on the volley. In the end, a comfortable victory for Keadue with a real impressive second half to avoid relegation while for Bonagee, they will have to win next week to avoid relegation. A good team performance from Bonagee, while best for Keadue were Brian Proctor, Martin Ferry, Mark Forker and Barry Curran. Referee ; Mick Lagan.
St. Catherines 5 v 1 Kilmacrennan Celtic
The start of a comfortable day for the home side commenced on 10 minutes when Dan Breslin slipped a simple low ball through the Kilmacrennan defence and onto the left foot of Ryan Cunningham who needed no invitation to shoot low and hard from outside the box and past the helpless away keeper.
The young Kilmacrennan side were playing nice passing football but were never really threatening the saints goal and on 15mins the veteran Dan Breslin slotted home a penalty that was awarded when Paul O’Hare was tripped in the Kilmacrennan box.
The saints were now cruising at 2-0 and got a third before half time when a shot was palmed across the box by the away keeper and Paul O Hare found himself with a simple tap in from two yards.
Allister Gourley got the second half under way and the game followed the same pattern as the first half with the home team pushing to kill the game which duly came via two more goals from Paul O’Hare who secured his hat-trick and a superb individual performance.
Both his goals were individual efforts that really put the 3 points securely in the bag for St Catherines. Kilmacrennan got a consolation goal on 80mins when Cormac Brady bravely met a cross from the right with his head and prevented the home side from keeping a clean sheet.
Even though we had a hat trick man on the score sheet Ryan Carr was possibly the best player on the pitch with a commanding performance at centre half for the saints .
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