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Glengad demolish Aileach
17.11.11
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Glengad United...5 (T. Doherty 3, P. McDermott 2) Aileach...0 Caoimhinn Barr reports from the Crua (Photos: Herbie Barr) GLENGAD United stormed to the top of the Inishowen League after dismantling title rivals Aileach at a windswept Crua on Sunday afternoon. A Terence Doherty hat-trick and a brace of strikes by Patrick McDermott helped the north Inishowen men ease to victory to leave Brian Bell’s one hundred per cent league record in tatters. If the spectators at one of the peninsula’s most remote pitches were in any doubt as to who the best team in Inishowen was prior to kick-off, there was no doubt by 3.45pm. Last year’s runners-up are no longer dark horses. Underlining their title credentials with some scintillating football, Glengad thoroughly enjoyed their win. Goalscorers Doherty and McDermott wasted no time in silencing the Aileach bench with vociferous displays of celebration. Missing regular goalkeeper David McGeady and lightning wideman Gary Collett, Aileach were never at the races and capitulated in the second-half, conceding four more times, after trailing 1-0 at the break. With United duo Patrick McDermott and Kevin McColgan keeping the ball impressively in midfield, winger Seamus Doherty was also in sparkling form as the home team played round their opponents with their own brand of ‘Tiki Taka’ football. |
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Marshalled brilliantly in
defence by Patrick and Shane Doherty, Glengad rarely
allowed their Inch opponents a sight at goal with keeper
Martin McLaughlin dealing admirably with a number of
difficult high balls in the swirling breeze. Playing against the wind in the opening period, Glengad were quickly out of the traps with Patrick McDermott flashing wide in the early minutes after excellent approach play involving Stephen McLaughlin and Terence Doherty. At the other end a dipping Eddie McIntyre cross was almost turned in by Aileach’s Declan O’Donnell before visiting defender Damien Barr came close to breaking the deadlock at the wrong end of the pitch; smashing a clearance straight at stand-in keeper Neil McElhinney. With the game’s first clear opening, Brian Bell’s team could have grabbed a priceless early lead but Declan O’Donnell poked wide after racing clear of the home defence following Damien’s Barr’s precision pass. |
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Picking up the pace once
more, Glengad threatened when Paul Anthony McDermott saw
a header cleared off the line by Brian Tracey after
connecting with Seamus Doherty’s corner from the right. Soon after, one of Aileach’s brighter lights on a dark day, Eddie McIntyre wasted another great opportunity, side-footing wide after being picked out by Jimmy Gallagher. That chance was as good as it got for the visitors however as Glengad found their groove and went on to dominate. On the half hour mark the home team hit the front when Terence Doherty rifled in Paul Anthony McDermott’s cross from the left after Seamus Doherty launched one of the passes of the season with the outside of his left boot. |
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The goal instilled a new
level of belief in the Glengad men and they were on the
front foot again when Charlie Byrne fired wide before
Terence Doherty almost added to his goal, skewing wide
at the far post after a fantastic move involving Kevin
McColgan, Paul Anthony McDermott and Seamus Doherty. Keeping Aileach in the hunt, Declan O’Donnell won a free-kick on the left with Dermot Doherty heading Brian Treacy’s delivery wide at the back post. Home substitute John McDaid then carved out another opening for Seamus Doherty with Aileach keeper Neil McElhinney making a good save to deny the Glengad winger. Doherty headed a McDaid corner wide in the last action of the first-half. The second-half became little more than a procession of Glengad goals after Neil McElhinney first made a fine save with his legs to deny Terence Doherty, Seamus Doherty drilled wide and Paul Anthony McDermott shot over. Just before the hour Patrick McDermott made no mistake though, arrowing into the roof of the net after Ruairi Doherty and Paul Anthony McDermott combined well on the left. Just over two minutes later the game was well and truly over as a contest when Terence Doherty gathered Kevin McColgan’s pass before slotting past McElhinney for his second and Glengad’s third goal of the afternoon. |
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In a rare Aileach attack,
involving Ciaran McGrory and Eddie McIntyre, home
centre-half Patrick Doherty was quickly across to clear
the danger before Terence Doherty collected a long ball
out of defence and was brought down in the box by
visiting keeper McElhinney. Referee Charlie Doherty had
no hesitation in pointing to the spot allowing Patrick
McDermott to roll in goal number four. Aileach stopper for the day, Neil McElhinney saved well from Seamus Doherty and Terence Doherty before the latter completed a superb hat-trick, sweeping home after Patrick McDermott cushioned Kevin McColgan’s cross perfectly into his path. Controlling substitute Gavin Doherty’s through ball, Ciaran McGrory almost pulled a late goal back for Aileach but Glengad keeper Martin McLaughlin made a smart save to preserve the home team’s clean sheet. Brian Bell’s Aileach players must now gather themselves for a tricky trip to Cockhill this weekend while Glengad can continue their title charge with a win at Greencastle. Glengad United: Martin McLaughlin, Charlie Byrne, Ruairi Doherty, Patrick Doherty, Shane Doherty, Patrick McDermott, Stephen McLaughlin, Kevin McColgan, Terence Doherty, Paul Anthony McDermott, Seamus Doherty. Subs: John McDaid, Paul McLaughlin, Ruairi Kelly, John Gerard McLaughlin, Daniel Mullarkey. Aileach: Neil McElhinney, Dermot Doherty, Brian Tracey, Dermot McGlynn, Damien Barr, James Gillespie, Anthony Doherty, Jimmy Gallagher, Ciaran McGrory, Eddie McIntyre, Declan O’Donnell. Subs: Ciaran Craig, Gavin Doherty, Stephen O’Donnell. Man of Match All the contenders were on the home side with Patrick and Shane Doherty excellent at the back and Kevin McColgan and Seamus Doherty impressive in midfield. Patrick McDermott too was superb, scoring two fine goals. The award though must go to Glengad hat-trick man Terence Doherty, who must now be considered Inishowen’s deadliest finisher. Turning Point Aileach had their moments prior to Terence Doherty’s opener and had Declan O’Donnell or Eddie McIntyre converted early chances, Sunday’s game could have taken on a very different complexion. As it was Patrick McDermott’s goal, early in the second-half to put Glengad two clear, was the game’s key moment. The visitors never looked like recovering from then on. Premier Favourites Before Sunday’s big game Brian Bell’s Aileach team was considered by many to be firm favourites for a first ever Premier title. After it there was no denying that Glengad are the new favourites to gain the coveted crown. With Moville and Clonmany lurking in third and fourth place positions this year’s title fight is shaping up to be a very close contest with every point crucial from now until April. For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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