Glengad United and Buncrana Hearts played out a scoreless draw at The Crua this afternoon while Aileach crept into second following a 3-1 win over QPS. Here’s how the Premier Division action panned out:
Jackie Crossan Premier Division
Carn FC 2 Greencastle FC 3
Greencastle got off to a great when a Shaun Doherty cross found Nigel McMonagle but he fired wide from ten yards. Then Shaun McKinney fed Doherty who squared for Matthew Henry to fire low past Kyle Dougal from ten yards in the 5th minute.
On 9 minutes a left wing corner from Michael Henry deflected off Dougal and into the net to give Greencastle a two goal lead.
The home side reduced the deficit when Michael McDermott released Cade Cooke to chip Dylan Doherty from the edge of the area. Midway through the half Aaron McCarron fed Darragh Deery whose cross ended with Gert Dzerins firing over from 15 yards.
On the half hour Greencastle made it three one when Doherty found Matthew Henry to drive low to the corner from 20 yards.
They went close again when Christy Hegarty released McMonagl but he fired narrowly wide. After the restart Carn had the first chance but Michael McDermott fired low and past the post from 15 yards.
The home side were awarded a penalty after McDermott was upended and he fired the kick to the bottom right hand corner.
At the other end McMonagle was picked out by Henry but he failed to hit the target. Carns Donal Doherty then fed McDermott to square to Cooke but he fired high and wide from inside the area. Finally a Cooke corner found Conor Doherty but he headed over from 12 yards.
Glengad United 0 Buncrana Hearts 0
In a poor game overall the best chance of the first half came in the opening minute when Stephen McLaughlin fed Terence Doherty who beat a defender and fired goalwards but Seamus Houghton parried at full stretch with the ball breaking to Christopher McLaughlin but his low effort shaved the outside of the post.
Buncrana replied on 15 minutes when Kieran McDaid’s corner found Kevin O’Loughlin and he headed at Kevin McLaughlin from eight yards.
The remainder of the half was amid field battle with neither keeper troubled. On 48 minutes Christy McLaughlin broke on the left and again his effort shaved the outside of the post.
On the hour Jason Doherty’s first time effort also clipped the outside of the post as Glengad pressed.
On 65 minutes another McDaid corner for the visitors was cleared back to McDaid whose driven effort across the area found Ryan Curran who failed to convert from six yards.
Glengad pressed but had to wait until the final minute when a Shane Canning free from half way found unmarked Seamus Doherty in the six yard box and his poked effort was brilliantly saved by Houghton low to his right to earn the visitors a share of the spoils.
Culdaff FC 2 Clonmany Shamrocks 2
In an entertaining game the home side might feel it was two points dropped as they led two nil at one stage but in fairness Clonmany probably deserved something from the game.
Dillon Ruddy dragged one effort wide from the edge of the area before after good work by Brendan McLaughlin his effort was gathered by Patrick Harkin.
At the other end Mark McLaughlin fired just wide before Steve Harkin got on the end of a Fearghal Harkin free but failed to get enough on the ball at the back post. On 28 minutes an inswinging Conor Keddy corner found McLaughlin for the home side but he failed to get enough power on the header.
But Clonmany hit back with a Steve Harkin effort well saved by Daniel Mullarkey before Fearghal Harkin fired a free kick over the wall and just past the post.
The home side broke the deadlock on 41 minutes after great work by Brendan McLaughlin saw him nick the ball off a defender and square for Michael Coyle to fire home left footed from twelve yards with his effort going in off the post.
On the stroke of half time Clonmany were awarded a penalty after Aaron Harkin was dragged back but Patrick Harkins spot kick was saved low to his right by Mullarkey. Culdaff started the second period well with Conor Keddy firing narrowly over before Michael Coyle had a header deflected behind.
They doubled their lead with a brilliant strike after keeper Harkin punched clear to the left corner of the box where Darren Mullarkey unleashed a 20 yards thunderbolt which flew past a crowd of players and into an unguarded net.
Midway through the half a great surge from McLaughlin took him into the area where the ball broke to Coyle who fired just over.
Clonmany got back into the game minutes later after a Raymond McDaid ball into the area was brilliantly volleyed over Mullarkey by Mark McLaughlin from ten yards.
They had two good chances to level then when Oisin Hession broke on the right but Mullarkey stood firm to block and then Andy Doherty ‘s header from close range was clawed away by Mullarkey.
Pressure told on 77 minutes when the home side gave away possession allowing Jason Devlin to break and his superb cross beat the despairing dive of Mullarkey for McLaughlin to slot home his second of the game. Culdaff almost won the game late on when Keddy advanced into the area but his effort was deflected over and from one corner Coyle had a header cleared off the line before the next corner was blocked by Harkin to Dermot Diver whose effort tricked just past the post. Clonmany had the final chance when Raymond McDaid volleyed over when bearing down on goal.
Aileach FC 3 QPS 1
Q.P.S. were ahead within 8 minutes when the Aileach defence failed to clear a left wing corner and Barry Molloy was on hand to bundle the ball over the line from close range.
The equaliser came on 20 minutes when Dermot Doherty picked the ball up 25yards out and curled a lovely left footed effort high past the stranded Aidan Lynch in the Point goal. On the half hour Aileach were ahead when Gareth McGlynn converted a free kick from the edge of the box in off Lynch’s left hand post.
Within five minutes of the re-start Aileach added a third when Gareth McGlynn put Anthony Doherty clear on the right channel
and he slipped the ball under the advancing keeper. Q.P.S. responded and Stephen McKendry stung the hands of Peter Devlin when he shot from a narrow angle.
The Point were looking more dangerous at this stage and the home side again had Devlin to thank for keeping the status quo when he denied Josh Boyle in a one on one situation. On 80 minutes John
McCloskey saw his looping header just drop over Devlin’s bar following left wing cross. At the other end Ronan Coyle brought a fine save from Lynch when the centre forward fired goalward from 16 yards with the keeper turning the effort onto his bar. The last action of the game saw Dermot Doherty see his angled shot from 12 yards clip the outside of a post.
