CARNDONAGH FC have retained their Premier Division status after hard-fought play-off win over QPS at Maginn Park.
Carn FC 2 QPS 1
Carn had the first chance on two minutes after Michael McDermott played a superb pass into Cade Cook on the right hand side of the area but he delayed and was crowded out.
The Point replied on 17 minutes with great work by Shea Lynch on the left and he laid the ball across to David Healy on the edge of the area but he fired over the bar.
Brandon Browne’s low cross at the other end was spilled by Oisin Burke but Darragh McIntyre was alert to the danger and cleared.
Again the point responded with a Josh Boyle cross headed narrowly wide by Sean McColgan. Carn had a good spell midway through the first half with Burke punching away a Cian Burke cross to Shane Doherty but the keeper recovered to save Doherty s goal-bound effort.
A minute later Cade Cooke pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the area but drove over. The key moment of the first half came on 33 minutes when the Points Caolan McColgan outpaced a defender cut in and was upended for a penalty. McColgan picked himself up but saw his spot kick brilliantly saved by Crossan flying to his left. The point finished the half the stronger with Boyle and McColgan both firing narrowly over.
The Point were on top in the opening quarter of the second half with Caolan McColgan racing onto a ball over the top and when he tried to round Crossan the veteran keeper got a tough forcing him wide but McColgan’s shot on the turn drifted over the bar. In another race for the ball McColgan got in between defenders and from the right hand side of the area fired off a shot which Crossan saved diving low to his right.
On 63 minutes McColgan again unleashed a shot from the edge of the area but again Crossan was equal to it.
Against the run of play Carn broke the deadlock on 68 minutes after a Kyle Cooke free fell to Will Quinn who stooped to head home from twelve yards.
Ryan Kelly headed wide from a free kick before Carn doubled their lead on 84 minutes. A brilliant run on the left from Brandon Browne ended with a superb cross for Cade Cooke to head home from six yards.
But the Point set up a grandstand finish with McColgans shot parried by Crossan for substitute Fionnbhar Harley to slot home.
They missed a great chance on 90 minutes after an in-swinging cross from the right by Darragh McIntyre was headed over by the unmarked Deaglan Bowen.
Deep in injury time another McIntyre cross was knocked back across goal by Healy but eluded all as Carn preserved their premier division status for next season.
