Illies and Cockhill share spoils
09.04.09
Illies Celtic...1
(Graham Doherty 87 mins)
Cockhill Celtic...1
(Stephen McLaughlin 27)
by Liam Porter, Inishowen
Independent, at Stranaclea Road
FOR A long time it looked as if a brave header from
Cockhill’s Stephen McLaughlin twenty-seven minutes into
the first half, was going to be enough to settle this
closely contested derby. And it wouldn’t have been a
surprise in a game that could just as easily have had an
air traffic controller as a referee.
But then, with just three minutes left on the clock
Illies midfielder Graham Doherty just stroked the ball
out in front of him and let fly with a rasping drive
from twenty yards. It was in the top corner before
Stephen Porter in the Cockhill goal could even move.
A point had been rescued in the most dramatic if
unlikely of fashions.
Unlikely that is, in the sense that there was no hint of
anything quite so spectacular in the 86 odd minutes or
so that had preceded Doherty’s strike. |
The game was hardly a
classic, but on a bobbly pitch that made dribbling,
control and passing difficult for both sides, it was at
least full of honest endeavour from two sets of hard
working players.
Illies, who were disappointed with the goal they had
conceded in the first half, certainly had the bulk of
the possession in the second, but until that fantastic
equaliser it was difficult to see where they might find
a goal.
Cockhill on the other hand will be wondering how they
hadn’t put this game to bed long before Doherty stepped
up to steal away two points from them.
They had a number of excellent chances to seal the win
in the second half, but John Grant in the Illies goal
made a number of important saves to keep his side in the
match.
Not that the home side hadn’t chances of their own in
the first half. Indeed they even had the ball in the net
in the 16th minute, but Dominic Coyle’s effort after a
good Illies move, was ruled out for offside.
Four minutes later Coyle who was a danger throughout the
match, sent in a teasing cross from the left, |
 |
but PJ McLaughlin, steaming
in at the back post, could only manage to get a toe to
the ball and direct it wide of the target.
At the other end Cockhill’s Stephen McLaughlin and
Dermot O’Donnell combined well in the 24th minute to
carve out a chance, but Cathal Doherty got back to snuff
O’Donnell’s shot out and divert it for a corner.
Three minutes later the visitors were in front. A clever
ball down the centre from Mark Gillespie looked as if it
might just favour the keeper, but McLaughlin bravely got
in ahead of Grant and his header flew past the Illies
keeper and into the net.
The lead might have lasted less than a minute following
a lovely through ball from Dominic Coyle that spilt the
Cockhill defence, but Frank O’Connor was unable to
convert the chance and Cockhill were on top for the rest
of the half.
O’Connor blazed over the bar five minutes into the
second half as Illies tried to quickly get back on level
terms and three minutes later Jim Doherty failed to
connect after good play by Dominic Coyle to set up the
chance.
Cockhill were weathering anything the home side could
throw at them and then almost added to their lead in the
63rd minute when Mark Gillespie found David Laird at the
back post but he saw his shot saved by Grant with his
feet.
With ten minutes left again it looked as if the visitors
would add to their advantage, but this time Grant
parried from Gordon Duncan and then saved again as
Stephen McLaughlin tried to hammer in the rebound.
Those saves were to prove vital for Illies in terms of
keeping them in the match and seven minutes later Illies
were rewarded for their efforts with that spectacular
equaliser.
Even then Cockhill might have nicked it at the death,
but with just seconds left on the clock Laird failed to
get a good connection on a cross from Duncan and Grant
again made the save to ensure a share of the spoils for
Illies.
Illies: John Grant, Raymond Doherty, Liam
O’Connor, Martin Coyle, Cathal Doherty, Graham Doherty,
Jim Doherty, Dominic Coyle, Joe McDaid, Frank O’Connor,
PJ McLaughlin. Subs: Kieran McDaid for Jim Doherty (54
mins); Dominic Doherty for Joe McDaid (73 mins); Paddy
O’Connor for Raymond Doherty (83 mins).
Cockhill Celtic: Stephen Porter, Martin Breslin,
Shaun McDaid, Brdan Gillespie, Gary Breslin, Kieran
McLaughlin, David Laird, Aaron McLaughlin, Stephen
McLaughlin, Dermot O’Donnell, Mark Gillespie. Subs:
Jarlaith Herrity for Brendan Gillespie (57 mins); Gordon
Duncan for Dermot O’Donnell (64 mins); Tommy Doherty for
Shaun McDaid (88 mins).
For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the
Inishowen Independent. |
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