Cockhill Celtic opened up a nine-point lead at the top of the 4 Lanterns Ulster Senior League thanks to a comprehensive win over Bonagee United, while Derry City had the edge on Fanad United.
And on Thursday night, four goals by Darren McElwaine aided Letterkenny Rovers in a 6-2 win over Fanad in the Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup.
4 Lanterns Ulster Senior League
Cockhill Celtic 4 Bonagee United 0
Cockhill Celtic ran out convincing winners today Sunday against a Bonagee United side that was hit with suspensions to key players namely Moran, Breslin and McCauley
The home side opened the scoring on 5 minutes when Conor Keddy got on the end of a Ronan Doherty ‘Olly’ cross to head past Gareth Wade from eight yards giving the keeper no chance.
Bonagee United found the opening 10 minutes tough and failed to get any real passing going. They had their keeper Wade to thank on 11 minutes when he saved a Gerry Gill penalty diving low to his right after Darren Hunter had been penalised for a foul on Ronan Doherty ‘Olly’.
Derek Doherty then picked up a loose back pass on 18 minutes but after rounding the advancing keeper was closed down by the visiting defence and the chance was gone.
Cockhill scored a second on 25 minutes when Bonagee United failed to clear a Gerry Gill corner a James Bradley, on for the injured Keddy, tapped home from 3 yards in the middle of the six yard box with the keeper nowhere.
Cockhill added a third on 32 minutes when the referee awarded a free to the home side wide on the left after keeper Wade advanced outside the area to foul James Bradley; Peter Doherty headed home a delightful free kick from Gerry Gill at the back post with Wade getting a hand to it but not able to keep it out.
Bonagee’s first effort on target arrived on 35 minutes when Aiden McLaughlin played a great diagonal ball over the home defence and found Sean Meehan who controlled the ball expertly with his left foot only to lack composure with the finish and Cullen saved well.
The second period saw Cockhill with a change in nets as Cullen replaced himself with Martin McLaughlin, the substitute keeper was brought into action on 52 minutes when Dean Larkin let fly from all of 35 yards but it was no trouble to McLaughlin. The visitors never once got in behind the home defence that was well marshalled by Doherty & McColgan in the middle.
The home side brought on Daniel Martin Doherty for Ronan Doherty ‘Olly’ on 60 minutes for their final change of the afternoon and on 85 minutes it was Doherty who got on the end of a Bradley cross to side foot home, past Wade, from 12 yards to seal the victory
Cockhill Celtic: G Cullen, J Breslin, C Duffy, P Doherty, O McColgan, G McLaughlin, D Doherty, R Varma, C Keddy, G Gill, R Doherty. Subs: J Bradley for Keddy; M McLaughlin for Cullen, DM Doherty for R Doherty.
Bonagee United: Wade, D Stolarczyk, D Hunter, R McGarvey, T Russell, M De Cook, A McLaughlin, D Frankowski, D Larkin, S Meenan, S Browne. Subs used: J Rogers, R Moran, A Wasson.
Fanad United 1 Derry City Reserves 2
Derry City Reserves came away from Traigh-a-Loch with all three points when they defeated Fanad United 2-1 on Sunday.
Davitt Walsh had the first chance of the match after 3 minutes when he broke through but seen his shot fly just wide.
In the 10th minute Cathal Farren was played through and his shot produced a decent save from Oran Blaney.
Derry did take the lead the 18th minute when Rory Holden capitalised on a defensive error and finished into the bottom corner.
Daire McDaid came agonisingly close to equalising five minutes later when his shot from 20 yards crashed back off the post and away to safety.
Derry doubled their lead just before half time when Cathal Farren slotted home.
Fanad did get a goal back on the hour mark when a Marty McAteer free from the right was fumbled by McElhinnney and Davitt Walsh was on hand to finish from close range.
Five minutes later McAteer seen another free from 25 yards go just over the bar.
With 20 minutes remaining Mark Timlin seen a similar free go just over the bar for Derry.
Fanad’s best chance of an equaliser came with 15 minutes to go when Darren McElwaine dragged a shot just wide after being set up by Walsh.
Fanad United: Oran Blaney, Marty McAteer, Conor Blaney, Seamus Friel, Ciaran Gorman, Oisin Langan, Eoghan Rafferty, Daire McDaid, Davitt Walsh, Keelin McElwaine, Darren McElwaine. Subs used: Ryan Carlin, Arthur Lynch, Peter Curran
Derry City Reserves: Mark McElhinnney, Aaron Barry, Sam Todd, Alon Metzer, Conor Gormley, Harry Monaghan, Ben Doherty, Rory Holden, Mark Timlin, Cathal Farren, Paul Doherty. Subs used: Matt Doherty, Shane McNamee, Ronan Wilson
Referee: Marty Quinn
Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup First Round
Fanad United 2 Letterkenny Rovers 6
Darren McElwaine scored FOUR goals on Thursday night as Letterkenny Rovers advanced to the quarter-finals of the Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup with a win over Fanad at Triagh-A-Locha.
Veteran McElwaine was tormentor-in-chief with a stunning four-goal haul.
Rovers took the lead in the fourth minute when McElwaine hit a shot from 18 yards that was spilled over the line by the Fanad ‘keeper.
They doubled their lead in the 20th minute when McElwaine was needlessly taken down in the box and he got up to take the spot kick which sent the keeper the wrong way.
Fanad started to come into it a bit after that and on 25 minutes Matthew Crossan his a shot just wide after being set up by Davitt Walsh.
Crossan did pull a goal back two minutes later when he headed in a Marty McAteer free kick from the edge of the box.
McElwaine somehow missed a chance for his hat-rick on the half hour mark when he hit the post from 6 yards out.
He wasn’t to be denied a first half treble though as with six minutes remaining in the half he slotted home his third.
Five minutes into the second half McElwaine was at it again as he finished from close range after a good flowing move.
On the hour mark Eunan Kelly hit a well hit shot from 18 yards which Christopher Sweeney saved well.
Fanad did pull a goal back in the 66th minute when after some good work down the right from Patrick Carr his cross-shot was spilled by Sweeney and Daire McDaid finished at the second attempt.
John McGarvey then missed a great chance to get another goal back three minutes later when he headed over the bar from an Eoghan Rafferty cross. Rovers then turned the screw in the final five minutes.
Christy Conaghan rattled the crossbar from 20 yards out.
With four minutes remaining young substitute Dean O’Donnell scored the goal of the game when he hit a lovely shot into the top corner from the edge of the box.
With one of the final kicks of the game Kevin McGrath wrapped up the scoring from close range after some good work by Lee Toland.
Fanad United: Shane Graham, Oisin Langan (Darren McElwaine 88), Conor Blaney (Patrick Carr 45), Seamus Friel, Ciaran Gorman, Matthew Crossan, Marty McAteer, Keelin McElwaine (John McGarvey 65), Davitt Walsh (Eoghan Rafferty 68), Eunan Kelly (Peter Curran 90), Daire McDaid
Letterkenny Rovers: Christopher Sweeney, Ryan Gildea (Chris Flanagan 70) , Lee Toland, Conor Tourish, Paul Boyle, Kevin McGrath, Steve Okakpu-Emeka, Brian McVeigh, Darren McElwaine (Dean O’Donnell 85), Christy Conaghan, David Shovlin (Paul McVeigh 60)
Referee: Packie Coll
RESULTS
Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup, First Round
Thursday
Fanad United 2 Letterkenny Rovers 6
4 Lanterns Ulster Senior League
Sunday
Cockhill Celtic 4-0 Bonagee United
Fanad United 1-2 Derry City Reserves
FIXTURES
4 Lanterns Ulster Senior League
Sunday, March 5, 2pm
Cockhill Celtc v Derry City Reserves
Fanad United v Finn Harps Reserves
Letterkenny Rovers v Bonagee United
| USL | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | |
| Cockhill Celtic | 12 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 10 | 28 | 31 | * |
| Letterkenny Rovers | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 26 | 19 | 7 | 22 | |
| Fanad United | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 18 | |
| Derry City Reserves | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 23 | 21 | 2 | 16 | |
| Bonagee United | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 24 | -13 | 14 | * |
| 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 ONLY)
Cathal Farren (Derry City Reserves) 9
Darren McElwaine (Letterkenny Rovers) 7
Mark Moran (Cockhill Celtic) 6
Jimmy Bradley (Cockhill Celtic) 5
Laurence Toland (Swilly Rovers) 5
Aaron McCready (Finn Harps Reserves) 4
Gerard McLaughlin (Cockhill Celtic) 4
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