Cockhill Celtic and Swilly Rovers have won four of the last six Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup titles and the two meet in Ramelton this Sunday (2pm).
Cockhill overcame Inishowen League champions Glengad United in last year’s final at Maginn Park, where Ronan ‘Ollie’ Doherty (2) and Malachy McDermott secured the title for Gavin Cullen’s team after a 3-0 win.
Cockhill scored a big 6-0 win over Lifford Celtic in the 2011 final.
In the 1994/95 final, Cockhill lost 1-0 to Finn Harps Reserves in a competition that has been dominated by USL teams since its inception in 1993.
Swilly won two Knockalla Cups lately, taking victory under Jason Gibson’s management in 2013 and 2014, following 1-0 wins over Glengad United and Letterkenny Rovers.
Swilly have been on the rise lately and in January gave a first League defeat on Cockhill since 2012, ending a run of 72 unbeaten League games for Cullen’s men.
Two goals by Laurence Toland and another by new recruit Tony McNamee saw Swilly claim one of the results of the season in a 3-2 win at the Charlie O’Donnell Sports Grounds.
After suffering two heavy defeats, shipping seven goals in the process each time, against Cockhill, Swilly tightened things up considerably for their recent meeting and, having also defeated Derry City a fortnight ago in the League, will go into this Sunday’s game against the Cup holders in good confidence.
Derry City Reserves will travel to Inishowen League second-placed side Quigley’s Point Swifts while Bonagee United will aim to bounce back from Saturday’s loss to Derry when they make the short trip out the dual carraigeway to face reigning Donegal League champions Drumoghill FC.
The Fanad United-Letterkenny Rovers game in the Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup will be played on Wednesday, February 22
FIXTURES
Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup, First Round
Sunday, February 12
Drumoghill FC v Bonagee United (1.30pm)
QPS v Derry City Reserves (1.30pm)
Swilly Rovers v Cockhill Celtic (2pm)
*The Fanad United v Letterkenny Rovers game will be played on Wednesday, February 22
| USL | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | |
| Cockhill Celtic | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 34 | 10 | 24 | 28 | * |
| Letterkenny Rovers | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 26 | 19 | 7 | 22 | |
| Fanad United | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 13 | 5 | 18 | |
| Bonagee United | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 20 | -9 | 14 | |
| Derry City Reserves | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 20 | 1 | 13 | * |
| Swilly Rovers | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 28 | -12 | 9 | |
| Finn Harps Reserves | 11 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 26 | -16 | 5 | |
| * Cockhill Celtic awarded a 3-0 win after Derry City Reserves team deemed ineligible on Jan 22 | |||||||||
TOP GOALSCORERS (LEAGUE GOALS ONLY)
Cathal Farren (Derry City Reserves) 8
Darren McElwaine (Letterkenny Rovers) 7
Mark Moran (Cockhill Celtic) 6
Laurence Toland (Swilly Rovers) 5
Jimmy Bradley (Cockhill Celtic) 4
Gerard McLaughlin (Cockhill Celtic) 4
Aaron McCready (Finn Harps Reserves) 4
DONEGAL NEWS USL LEAGUE CUP
THE outstanding group game in the Donegal News USL League Cup will take place next Thursday night when Fanad United welcome Derry City Reserves to Triagh-A-Locha. Kick-off is at 7.30pm. The group winners in one group will play the runners-up from the other group in the semi-finals.
The Fanad-Derry game had been due to be played this Wednesday, but was called off due to a bereavement in the Fanad United club. The semi-finals are pencilled in for Sunday-week, February 19, with the pairings to be confirmed following next Thursday’s game.
| Group A | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
| Cockhill Celtic | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Letterkenny Rovers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Swilly Rovers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | -7 | 0 |
| Group B | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
| Derry City Reserves | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Bonagee United | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 3 |
| Fanad United | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
