Illies Celtic maintained their seven-point advantage in third place following their draw with the team immediately behind them, Moville Celtic, in the Jackie Crossan Inishowen League Premier Division.
Jackie Crossan Premier Division
Moville Celtic 2-2 Illies Celtic
Illies struck late in each half to earn a share of the spoils in perfect conditions at Glencrow. Michael McNaught had an early chance for the home side after a one two with Stephen Harley but Johnathan Noone advanced well to block at the expense of a corner.
But from the corner Johnathan Havlin rose highest to head past Seamus Houghton. Illies replied and Gavin Doherty just failed to convert Adrian Donaghey -Doherty ‘s cross before Donaghey –Doherty blasted over when well placed. Moville responded and Finn Mclaughlin fired staright at Noone when well placed and Marc Bell had an effort cleared off the line by Frankie O Connor before Liam Grant shot over at the other end.
Illies got back on terms on the stroke of half time with Paul Doherty getting away on the right crossing for Donaghey-Doherty to sidefoot home from six yards. The second half was a much tighter affair and it was the 73rd minute before a chance arrived with Grant’s cross sum shot tipped over by Houghton.
Moville retook the lead five minutes later after great work by Ryan McColgan saw him block Noone’s clearance and from an almost impossible angle he fired home. Noone then saved well at full stretch from Marc Bell with McNaught failing to convert the rebound. But as in the first and half deep into stoppage time substitute William McLaughlin fired a brilliant twenty five yards effort low into the bottom corner to salvage a point.
Culdaff FC 2-3 Carn FC
Carn got off to a dream start on 4 minutes after defensive hesitancy allowed Brandon Browne to win possession and fire home from a tight angle.
Carn continued on top and on Sean O Neill had efforts deflected away. The visitors had the final chance of the half when Cooke fed Gert Dzerins but his left footed effort was well gathered by McLaughlin. Carn had the better of the opening exchanges of the second period with Dillon Cooke unleashing a twenty five yards effort which went just past the angle of post and bar. On the hour mark they doubled their lead when Cade Cooke was left all alone on the left and he fired a powerful low effort inside Mclaughlin’s right hand post from sixteen yards.
Five minutes later they made it three nil when the same player raced onto Dzerins through ball and hammered high to the top corner. Culdaff tried to respond with substitute Jack McLaughlin crossing to the back post but Coyle headed wide. They got a goal back on 75 minutes after Coyle was upended in the area and he calmly slotted past Crossan.
Minutes later they got another after Darren Mullarkey free broke to Aiden Cunningham whose driven effort squirmed past Crossan to set up a grandstand finish. Carn brok and their substitute Declan McGonigle was denied by a brilliant point blank save from Mclaughlin. The home side pushed hard in the closing stages but the visitors stood firm to boost their automatic survival chances.
Strand Hotel Division One
Dunree United 0-1 Clonmany Shamrocks
This was a very tight game with defences on top for long periods and one which league leaders Clonmany will be delighted to have claimed all three points albeit in fortuitous fashion.
Steve Harkin had the first chance for the visitors on 22 minutes after he latched onto a ball over the top but fired wide from fifteen yards. Dunree responded and Peter O Neill fed Kyle Barrett but his effort sailed over from twenty yards.
The Shamrocks struck for the winning goal on 38 minutes after home keeper John Lafferty had collected a free kick but collided with a defender and the ball ended up in the net. Conor Barrett had the final chance of the half for the home side but fired over.
Chances were fewer in the second half. On the hour mark a Liam Baldrick corner was headed wide by Dermot Graham who was well placed.At the other end a Mark Mclaughlin cross found Pearse Mccarron but his header was straight at Noone. The final chance fell to the home side when O Neill crossed for Ryan Bradley but he fired straight at Patrick Harkin.
Inishowen Engineering Division Two A
Redcastle Res 2-3 Moville Res
Conor Lafferty opened the scoring on 21 minutes with a fine shot from twenty yards past Ryan McCole. But the home side got back on terms on 38 minutes after Terry McColgan advanced and unleashed a stunning twenty five yards effort to the top corner.
Moville upped the tempo after the restart but fell behind in the 72nd minute after Noel McGowan fired home from six yards. Moville rallied and Danny Murphy brought them level firing home from just inside the area. Then on 86 minutes the visitors clinched all three points after Kyle Harkin burst into the area and drilled low to the corner.
Clonmany Celtic 5-3 Aileach Youths
The league leaders opened the scoring on 17 minutes when Paul Mclaughlin curled a superb free around the wall and into the bottom corner. But the visitors equalised when Brendan Hegarty got on the end of a Stephen O Donnell cross to fire past Kieran Friel. Clonmany regained the lead after the visitors keeper failed to deal with a back pass and the ball rolled into the net. Clonmany started the second half the better and increased their lead when Michael Grant went past three defenders before slotting low to the corner. It became four one on the hour mark when Dessie Doherty went on a fine solo run before calmly finishing from sixteen yards. Aileach mounted a comeback then with Wallace poking home from close range after O’Donnells free fell to him. They made it four three on 83 minutes after Daithi Grant unleashed a brilliant effort to the top corner. But the home side sealed the points when Grant released substitute Gerard Mc Daid to race clear and slot home.
Inishowen Engineering Division Two B
Rasheney Res 0-3 Carn Res
Rasheney had the first opening of the game after they were awarded an indirect free six yards out which Caelum Long ‘s effort was blocked behind and from the corner Ciaran Dillon fired wide.
But Carn took a hold of the game then with Dion Diver breaking clear and Roger McGilloway advanced to smother at his feet. Dayton Cooke then fed Ryan O’Donnell but McGilloway held his effort. The visitors took the lead on 35 minutes after Diver beat the offside trap to race clear round McGilloway and slot home.
Diver then had the final chance of the half when he latched onto a ball over the top but his effort was blocked by the legs of Mc Gilloway. The trend continued in the second period with Cooke’s free clawed away at the last minute by the unsighted McGilloway.
McGilloway then denied substitute Kyran Cantwell before another substitute Cian Burke looped a header over the bar.Rasheney responded and both Callum Doherty and Aiden Bambrick fired narrowly over the bar. But Carn sealed the points on 82 minutes after Diver broke and crossed from the left for Cian Burke to slide the ball home. They added a third minutes later when another cross from Diver was glanced home by Cantwell.
Illies Res 2-2 Clonmany Res
In a tight scoreless first half Killian McCarron in the visitors goal produced a superb save to deny Ethan Doherty midway through the half.
At the other end Alex McFadden unleashed a powerful effort but Kevin Gallagher done well to hold the shot. Clonmany opened the scoring on 51 minutes when Tiernan McDonald fired a penalty low to the corner after McFadden was fouled in the area. But Illies were level within minutes after Nathan Doherty broke and crossed for Stephen McGonigle to slot home at the back post.
On 77 minutes the visitors regained the lead after a defensive mix up allowed Paul Devlin to drill low through a crowd of players and past Gallagher. But again the home side levelled after Doherty’s snapshot came off the post for Ronan Hegarty to slot home. Illies pressed hard in the closing stages with Hegarty seeing a header cleared off the line before a dipping Alan Fletcher effort was tipped over by McCarron.
