Ronan ‘Olly’ Doherty is eyeing up a treble for the second season in a row for Cockhill Celtic.
By Chris McNulty
Having booked their place in the final of the League Cup on Sunday thanks to a 5-2 win over Fanad, Cockhill – who are also still in the Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup – have a chance to open up a nine-point lead at the top of the 4 Lanterns Ulster Senior League this weekend.
Gavin Cullen’s team host Bonagee United at the Charlie O’Donnell Sports Grounds on Sunday (2pm), with a chance to put real daylight between themselves and Letterkenny Rovers.
“The treble is the aim anyway,” Doherty said ahead of a key period of fixtures, with Cockhill also having an EA Sports Cup clash against Finn Harps to look forward to in mid-March.
Winger Doherty had a trial at Harps over the winter, but while a move didn’t materialise to Finn Park, the Carndonagh man said: “It was good to get the call-up to Harps. That was a good experience. You never know, I might get that opportunity again.”
Doherty is now in his second season at Cockhill and, after a trophy-laden season last time around, is enjoying his game.
He said: “It’s brilliant up here. I’m really enjoying it. It’s really professional up here. I love it. Training is good and it keeps us on the toes. We’re in great form again at the minute.”
Cockhill player-manager Cullen is delighted to see his side pick up again, having been beaten by Swilly Rovers in their first game back from the Christmas break.
A subsequent defeat by Derry City Reserves was overturned after the Candystripes were found to have played more than the allowed three senior players.
Cullens said: “Things have picked up again. We weren’t great at the turn of the year, but we’re starting to come around again. Hopefully we can push on because we have a lot of big games coming up.”
On Sunday, Cockhill came good in the second half to defeat Fanad 5-2 in the Donegal News USL League Cup semi-final.
Cullen said: “We were excellent at the start of the game but Fanad, in true Fanad style, came back and got an equaliser. At half-time, we addressed what was wrong and the boys stepped up to the mark.
“I felt we let Fanad get on top, which doesn’t happen with us too often. They made it scrappy and it became a game of free-kicks. But we started the second half on the front foot.”
FIXTURES
Sunday, February 26, 2pm
4 Lanterns Ulster Senior League
Cockhill Celtic v Bonagee United
Fanad United v Derry City Reserves
Finn Harps Reserves v Swilly Rovers (match switched to Swilly Park)
| 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
