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Missed chances cost Inishowen
dearly
04.03.09
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Inishowen League...0 Sligo-Leitrim League...2 (Long 3, Wolfe 69) by Liam Porter, Inishowen Independent, at Caratra Park, Culdaff A LITANY of missed chances cost Inishowen dearly at the weekend as they fell to defeat against a Sligo-Leitrim side who could well have been dead and buried at the break. The visitors played some neat football at times and battled bravely throughout the game, but Inishowen will wonder how they managed to leave Culdaff with victory after they had created so many chances. The visiting goalkeeper Jimmy Kilgallon certainly had a busy afternoon and made a string of fine saves, but when the home side saw a penalty awarded mid way through the second half they must have thought their luck was changing. |
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However even from the spot
Inishowen couldn’t find the net and it was no real
surprise that the visitors found the net for a second
time late in the game after they dominated the last ten
minutes. That was in no small part due to the introduction of substitute Paddy Wolfe who showed an excellent touch on the ball and also made some brilliant passes to split the home defence and keep them on the back foot towards the end of the game. But it wasn’t like that throughout the game even if the visitors had got off to an almost perfect start with a goal that stunned the home side. A long free-kick from centre-half Christor Davie eluded the home defence and fell to his defensive partner Darragh Long. He turned and fired a first time shot with his left foot into the bottom corner from six yards and the visitors had a priceless lead. However it might have been different had Inishowen not failed to find the net with the first of their many chances, a minute earlier. |
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A speculative strike from
Kevin O’Loughlin looked to be heading wide of the target
until Kevin Toner nipped in to head it towards goal, but
his header was too close to Kilgallon who made a smart
save to deny the Inishowen lad. After that the best chances still fell to the home side. A long clearance from goalkeeper Hughton sent O’Loughlin clear of the visiting defence, but he hurried his shot from the edge of the box when he had much more time, and saw his effort drag well wide of the target. That chance had fallen in the 7th minute and four minutes later a good run down the right by Toner set up O’Loughlin again, but once again Kilgallon reacted brilliantly to make an excellent save to deny the Buncrana lad. Ryan McLaughlin was next to try his luck for Inishowen, but his fine strike in the 34th minute was again well saved by Kilgallon and having weathered the storm the visitors almost struck right at the end of the half. Ben McGarry who had an impressive game in midfield for Sligo clipped a clever through ball to Michael Casey but he was denied by a brilliant save from Hughton and while the visitors managed to retrieve the ball and head it to the net within seconds, the half-time whistle had already sounded and they had to be content with a one goal lead. It looked for all the world as if that would be pegged back quickly as Inishowen stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half, but once again they were unable to make the best of the chances that fell their way. A flick on by Kevin Toner fell to Robbie Fullerton and he once again fed O’Loughlin, but Kilgallon was winning that duel and again made a brilliant save to keep his side ahead. It certainly wasn’t O’Loughlin’sx day in front of goal and when Robbie Fullerton was hauled to the ground following a great run in the 47th minute, he saw his penalty drag wide of the post to the delight of the visitors. From then on they certainly seemed to believe that luck was on their side and they might have bagged a second goal in the 57th minute when Michael Casey headed wide from close range from a great cross from Kevin Coen who had been sent clear by Wolfe. With just three minutes left on the clock Wolfe fired a first time strike wide of the target, but he kept his cool two minutes later when Casey played him in, rounding the advancing Hughton and sliding the ball into the empty net to secure the win. Inishowen: Seamus Hughton, Kieran McLaughlin, Oisin McCool, Dean Kelly, Andrew McGinley, Darren McMonagle, Kevin Toner, Ryan McLaughlin, Conor Fagan, Kevin O’Loughlin, Mark Timlin. Subs: Robbie Fullerton for McCool (16), Jamie Coyle for Fagan (half-time). Sligo-Leitrim: Jimmy Kilgallon, Michael Gordon, Michael Croyan, Darragh Long, Christor Davie, David Brick, Ben McGarry, Colm Egan, Cian Foy, Michael Casey, Niall Walsh. Subs: Kevin Coen for Walsh (6), Paddy Wolfe for Foy (48), Cathal Moran for Gordon (56). For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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