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Injury overshadows Cockhill
victory
03.11.11
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Cockhill Reserves...1 (Fullerton) QPS Reserves...0 Caoimhinn Barr reports from Cockhill (Photos: Evan Logan) A SERIOUS injury to a young player overshadowed Sunday morning’s Reserve League clash between Cockhill and Quigley’s Point Swifts. With 18 minutes remaining and the Hoops leading courtesy of a Ricky Fullerton second-half strike, Christy Duffy collapsed in agony following an innocuous challenge with an opponent. The talented Cockhill full-back suffered a suspected severed knee ligament and lay stricken near the centre-circle while an ambulance was dispatched from Carn. Players and coaches from both sides, including Cockhill senior boss Donal O’Brien, tended to Duffy while referee Tom McAree called a halt to the game for almost an hour. After the arrival of the paramedics the brave young player was given pain relief before being removed to Letterkenny Hospital for further tests and treatment. Prior to the injury Cockhill had bossed the game and, but for the heroics of QPS keeper Conor McColgan, could have been two or three clear. |
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Thereafter the Swifts
raised their game and almost snatched a point at the
death with Ian Cullen’s acrobatic volley flashing just
wide. While Cockhill coaches Christy McDaid and Tommy Doherty were understandably concerned primarily with the well being of Christy Duffy, they were happy too to claim three valuable points. Quigley’s Point could have been in front inside the first minute but Dean Hegarty missed his kick in front of goal following Stephen Grant’s fizzing cross from the left. Swifts striker Hegarty then embarked on a fantastic solo run, beating three defenders but his shot lacked the necessary power to trouble Leo McColgan in the Cockhill goal. At the other end, Point keeper Conor McColgan did well to fist Kevin McDaid’s threatening cross clear before Cockhill frontman Seamus Gill fired wide from distance after good work by Sean Donaghey and Kevin McClean. |
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Stephen Grant had the Point
on the attack soon after; his cross finding Mickey
Morrison at the near post with McColgan saving well once
more. Becoming more of a threat going forward, Cockhill were almost in business minutes later but Conor McColgan denied Seamus Gill with a smart stop before Sean McIvor brilliantly blocked Sean Donaghey’s stinging effort. Conor McColgan came to the Swifts rescue again, saving Kevin McDaid’s drive before superbly denying Seamus Gill with a point blank reflex stop following a lightning Cockhill counter involving Darragh Davenport and McDaid on the left. Gill and McDaid combined again, this time almost carving out an opening for Sean Donaghey before Quigley’s Point defender McIvor was quickly across to thwart Kevin McClean. |
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With the clock ticking down
towards half-time, Paul Hegarty set his sights high and
wide for the Swifts before Cockhill’s McClean flashed
wide from 25 yards. The home team began the second period in determined fashion and were threatening again when McClean’s shot was well saved by Conor McColgan before Cockhill substitute Christy Hegarty curled over the bar from the corner of the box. |
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Cockhill duo Ricky
Fullerton and Darragh Davenport then combined well on
the left before Point full-back Mark Barron cleared the
danger. Just before the hour mark Cockhill finally found a way past McColgan. Impressive winger Ricky Fullerton gathered Barry Donaghey’s pass before driving home right-footed after cutting in from his left wing post. Keeping the pressure on, Cockhill’s Christy Hegarty then headed Fullerton’s corner wide before Seamus Gill lifted the ball over the bar after being put in the clear by a perfect Kevin McDaid pass. Relieving the pressure briefly, Quigley’s Point’s Paul Hegarty then saw a shot blocked before Cockhill keeper Leo McColgan saved easily from Mickey Morrison. The other McColgan, in the Swifts goal, was busy soon after, first denying Seamus Gill from distance before diving bravely at the feet of Darragh Davenport in the box. With eighteen minutes remaining an innocuous looking challenge led to a serious injury for talented Cockhill full-back Christy Duffy. After a lengthy delay it was the visiting Swifts who looked most likely to change the score. Substitutes Daniel McLaughlin, John McCloskey and Ian Cullen breathed new life into the Point challenge. McCloskey fired wide from the edge of the area before McLaughlin set-up Stephen Grant, who saw his shot well saved by Cockhill stopper McColgan. Ian Cullen almost salvaged a draw for the visitors at the end but his spectacular overhead flashed narrowly wide much to the relief of the Cockhill players, who just about deserved all three points. Cockhill Reserves: Leo McColgan, Christy Duffy, Barry Donaghey, Kieran Bradley, Bruce Waldron, Kevin McClean, Kevin McDaid, Sean Donaghey, Seamus Gill, Darragh Davenport, Ricky Fullerton. Subs: Brendan Gillespie, Christy Hegarty, Henry Donaghey, Daniel Martin Doherty, Adam Duffy. QPS Reserves: Conor McColgan, Mark Barron, Christy Harkin, Paul Harkin, Sean McIvor, Gerard Greene, Mickey Morrison, Paul Hegarty, Odie McColgan, Dean Hegarty, Stephen Grant. Subs: Daniel McLaughlin, John McCloskey, Ian Cullen. Man of the Match Dean Hegarty and Stephen Grant caught the eye in the Quigley’s Point attack while Conor McColgan was excellent between the posts. Bruce Waldron and Barry Donaghey stood out for Cockhill but the award goes to clever left-winger Ricky Fullerton, who threatened all morning and scored a fine goal. Turning Point Hard to see past Fullerton’s goal but a number of Quigley’s Point first-half misses also ended up proving decisive. Overall Cockhill deserved the three points. Prior to the delay they were in control and could have won by more had it not been for Conor McColgan’s superb display in goals. Christy Duffy The Cockhill full-back suffered a painful knock in the second period. He is a talented young player with a fantastic future in the game. A knee injury can be a very difficult one to overcome and Christy is wished every bit of luck on his road to recovery. Hope to see him in action next year. For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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