Here are all of the results and match reports from this week’s Inishowen League action.
Donegal Signs Challenge Cup Semi Final
Redcastle United 1
Buncrana Hearts 6
The home side stunned the premier league side in the 12th minute when a Shaun Curran corner found Lee Barr to head past Taylor Clarke. But within three minutes the visitors were level after Kieran McDaid’s corner was headed past Michael McCole by Shaunie Bradley. Jamie McDaid then headed Buncrana ahead after he got on the end of a Kieran McDaid free ,before another corner from McDaid found Kevin O’Loughlin to powerfully head home. In first half injury time a good run and cross by Kieran McDaid found Aaron McDaid and he headed home to leave the visitors in control at the break. Any hopes of a second half resurgence were dashed in the 58th minute with Jamie McDaid breaking on the left and crossing for Liam Jordan to fire low past McCole. Jamie McDaid completed the scoring with a late goal to send Buncrana into an eagerly awaited final against Cockhill.
Charlie O Donnell Cup Semi Final
Culdaff FC 3
Dunree United 1
Culdaff were made to work hard to secure a place in the final as Dunree pushed them all the way in a game played in good conditions. Dunree threatened first as a Liam Baldrick right footed free-kick from twenty yards went narrowly wide. Both sides were guilty of wayward passing and bad decisions offensively resulting in few chances created in the opening exchanges. On the 20th minute mark Jack O Brien’s shot from corner of the 18 yard box was well parried by Adam Harrigan at full stretch and hooked to safety by Ryan Bradley who had a steady game throughout. Culdaff enjoyed a sustained period of pressure around the half hour mark and their best effort saw a thundering Jamie McLaughlin header from an O Brien corner come crashing off the crossbar. A Benny McLaughlin cross saw Michael Coyle’s side-footed volley saved by Harrigan and Ryan Green’s shot was deflected wide by a resolute Dunree defence to leave the game scoreless at half time. Dunree came out all guns blazing at the beginning of the second half and were very unfortunate when a brilliant turn and shot from Bernie Doherty came rebounding of the crossbar from 20 yards. Dunree full back Adam Worriskey then got clear of the Culdaff defence and was about to shoot on goal only to be denied by a brilliant Ben Curley tackle. Culdaff had a good chance on 55 minutes after a deep cross from Keith Norris on the left was blazed over on the volley by McFeely at the back post. However it was Dunree who were in the ascendancy at this stage and Jamie Brosnan toe poked an effort just wide of the target. Dunree deservedly took the lead on the hour mark as Baldrick’s pass from the centre circle was collected on the run by Brosnan and he finished brilliantly past McLaughlin to the roof of the net from sixteen yards out. Culdaff’s substitutes Noel and Eugene McLaughlin did add some impetus to what was now a very lacklustre display from the home side. With only eight minutes remaining Brendan McLaughlin did well on the left wing as he cleverly released Eugene McLaughlin and his low driven cross across the face of the goal came off an unfortunate Dunree player to gift the home side a fortuitous equaliser. Dunree’s impressive winger Cian Moran had a left footed shot well held by McLaughlin in the home goal as the referee blew up for full time. With momentum on their side Culdaff dominated the extra time periods with Michael Doran, Green and Coyle pushing the home team forward at every opportunity. Culdaff took the lead at the end of the first half of extra time when substitute Noel McLaughlin curled in a powerful low shot from the edge of the area. Culdaff sealed the deal in the second half of the extra time after great work by Brendan McLaughlin on the left saw him cross low to his inrushing brother Noel, who side footed to the net from six yards and score his second goal of the game. Dunree will be disappointed having done so well to keep Culdaff at bay up until the latter stages of the game. Culdaff will be delighted to reach this final but will know that they will need a better performance than today if they are to defeat Redcastle United for the first time this year.
Strand Hotel Promotion Play Off
Buncrana Res 2
Sea Rovers 1 AET
For the second time in four days Rovers left the league HQ with a heartbreaking defeat when they fell to a last minute extra time goal. Buncrana started well and a superb Eoin McNamee ball found Shaunie Bradley who cut inside a defender but fired over. At the other end Mark Diver played a neat one two on the edge of the area and saw his powerful effort turned behind by Sean Daly. From the corner the ball broke to Diver whose well hit effort crashed off the bar to Daniel Gallagher who blazed the rebound over. On 15 minutes a ball into the Rovers penalty area fell to Bradley but he was eventually crowded out. When Daly misjudged a back pass at the other end he just recovered to clear the ball at the feet of Gallagher before a Gallagher free from the left was flicked onto the top of the bar by Diver. Buncrana then had a good spell with Seannan Murphy heading wide when well placed before Mcnamee’s effort on the turn bounced just over. The same player then had an effort after good build up from the edge of the area well saved by McLaughlin. But Rovers ended the half strongly and an inswinging corner found Matthew Harley from point blank range his effort came off the post. Then when the Hearts defence and Daly failed to cut out a long ball Conor McCluskey fired over from a tight angle as the half ended. Three minutes after the restart Buncrana took the lead when Bradley converted a penalty after he had been upended. Liam Duncan then had an effort but it was straight at McLaughlin while at the other end substitute Andrew Gallagher broke into the area but was denied by a brilliant tackle from Colin Murphy. Kevin O’Loughlin then unleashed a snapshot from distance which flew over the bar before Rovers got back on terms. After a corner was cleared to the edge of the area substitute Aiden Doherty despatched a brilliant volley to the back of the net giving Daly no chance. With the game in the balance Rovers Diver played a one two on the edge of the area before shooting narrowly wide. The final chance fell to Buncrana after Bradley flicked the ball into Duncan inside the area but McLaughlin advanced to block. In extra time Buncrana carried more of a threat in the first period with with Jack Gill firing just wide from the edge of the area before O’Loughlin’s driven free kick was well gathered by McLaughlin. With the game petering out and penalties looking likely Buncrana pounced with Bradley outpacing the Rovers defence and under pressure managed to poke the ball past the advancing Mclaughlin and help Buncrana retain their status in the first Division.
Strand Hotel Promotion Play Off
Cockhill Youths 5
Greencastle Youths 1
In this final league game of the season Cockhill started brightly with Danny McDaid’s left wing corner making it’s way to Ronan McLaughlin at the edge of the box with his fierce half-volley cannoning off the crossbar. They took the lead on 6minutes when Gareth McLaughlin’s precise cross from the right was headed home from close range by Paul Mullen. But Greencastle responded and were level five minutes later when Evan Davenport was fouled as he advanced into the box and Kyle Harkin’s free kick was nodded in by Gavin Rowan. Harkin was denied a goal midway through the half when his brilliant lob from thirty yards was superbly tipped over by Darragh O’Donnell in the home goal. Cockhill had the next chance after Kieran McElroy advanced from defence to square for Paul Mullen but he dragged his shot wide. Gareth McLaughlin was the next to go close for Cockhill but his well struck shot was parried away by Stephen Teles. Cockhill then regained the lead in the 38th minute when the overlapping PJ Doherty latched onto a Mullen layoff to coolly finish across the keeper to the far corner. Greencastle had a big chance to equalise early in the second half when Davenport sprung the offside trap but his lob dropped the wrong side of the post. Doherty almost had a second when he advanced through midfield but substitute keeper Dean Mason pushed his shot away. Shay Doherty had a shot fly narrowly over for Greencastle on 76 minutes before PJ Doherty made the game safe with his second, and Cockhill’s third, with a well struck effort from the left of the D. The home side made it four on 81minutes after a Liam Bradley right wing cross was volleyed home at the back post by Donal Og O’Brien. O’Brien almost got his second but his shot from the edge of the box after controlling a cute pass from Darragh McDermott his effort hit the post.Danny McDaid made it five late on rifling home from just inside the box to complete the scoring.
