Donegal Junior League Administrator Terry Leyden pictured presenting the Downtown Cup to Tommy Rodgers captain of Glenea United Reserves. Included is League Secretary Christina O’ Donnell. Pic.: Gary Foy, League PRO
Castlefin Celtic Reserves 0 Glenea United Reserves 1
From the very first few minutes of play this match had all the hallmarks of going to penalty kicks. Indeed this was the opinion of most of the half time tea drinkers as they gathered in the clubhouse at Diamond Park, Ballyare to oil their vocal cords in anticipation of the second half of the Final.
On eleven minutes Barry Tourish created the first real opening when he cut in from the left wing before sending his shot wide of Ciaran Gallagher’s net. Both sides found it difficult to settle and the heavy underfoot conditions didn’t exactly help.
On twenty four minutes Barr Tourish sent a dangerous fee kick across the Glenea penalty area but it was cleared for a corner. The corner, delivered by the same man, caused great confusion amongst the players in the Glenea box but Ciaran Gallagher did well to gather the ball under pressure.
Gallagher had to be at his best on thirty two minutes when Neilis tried to chip the keeper but Gallagher proved well capable, making a fingertip save at full stretch to keep the game scoreless. Meanwhile at the other end Simon Mc Menamin had very little to do.
Glenea were winning their fair share of the midfield battles but all too often couldn’t find the final pass as Eamonn Mc Hugh led the line, marshalled by the experienced duo of Peter Bryson and Mark Lafferty.
Glenea started the second half on top and Mc Menamin made a great save to deny the Glasserchoo men an opening goal, diving to his right while badly sighted. Much of the game was now centred around the middle of the field with neither side seemingly capable of breaking the other defence on the day.
The Linesmen were busy as time and again the forwards were caught offside by two vigilant defences. Glenea made the breakthrough after eighty seven minutes, somewhat against the run of play at that time. Eugene Maguire pumped a speculative ball over the Castlefin defence and the quick thinking Shane Ferry raced away from the Castlefin defence to get to the ball first. With the defenders closing in Ferry shot low and hard past Mc Menamin who was unlucky to slip as the ball almost in slow motion made it’s way through a goalmouth puddle and across the line.
Prior to this Castlefin had the best chance of the game when Barry Tourish sent an inviting ball across the Glenea penalty area and with Gallagher rooted to his goal-line neither of the inrushing Castlefin forwards could connect with the ball as it flew past the back post uninterrupted. A let-off for Glenea which they took warning from. So the season ended with silverware making the journey to Mc Gettigan Park where the Downtown Cup will reside for the next twelve months. The envisaged penalty kicks uncalled for.
Castlefin Celtic Reserves: Simon Mc Menamin, Jason Curran, Paddy Dooher, Peter Bryson, Mark Lafferty, Paul Logue, James Mc Menamin, Keith Neilis, Barry Tourish, Brian Dooher. Subs: Ronan Tourish for Marcus Curran, Gary Mc Nulty for Jason Curran.
Glenea United Reserves: Ciaran Gallagher, Martin Ferry, Tommy Rodgers, Paudgie Mc Gee, Kevin Mc Fadden, Eugene Maguire, Shane Coll, Shane Ferry, Martin Maguire, Eamonn Mc Hugh, Michael Mc Clafferty. Subs: Shaun Sweeney for Martin Maguire, Mark Harley for Eamonn Mc Hugh.
Referee: Michael Mulhern. Assistants: Barry Hunter & Brian O’ Kane.
Tags:
