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Jubilant Moville lift Ulster Cup
29.04.09
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Report: Inishowen Independent Moville Celtic...2 (McMonagle 4, McElhinney 64) Redcastle Utd...1 (Farren 27) A BRILLIANTLY worked goal from Moville, mid way through the second half was enough to secure them their first ever Ulster Junior Cup title over a Redcastle side who must surely be wondering at this stage when their cup final jinx is ever going to come to an end. Richie McElhinney popped up on the end of a brilliant cross from Nigel McMonagle in the 64th minute to hammer the ball home from close range and in the end it was to prove enough to separate the sides come the final whistle. In fairness Moville had to cling on a bit towards the end as Redcastle threw everything forward in search of an equaliser, but try as they might Brian Bell’s men just couldn’t find a way through a stubborn Moville defence. |
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Indeed, while the two goals
were brilliantly worked, there is no doubt that the
performances of the Moville defenders played a huge role
in the win. Centre half Kevin Coyle was inspired throughout the game, while the two Dohertys at full-back and Mark Henry also turned in fine performances. But Redcastle will surely be disappointed that they didn’t do better when they had the ball and will wonder what might have been had they been able to put Maurice McGeady in the Moville goal under more pressure. Instead, missing their influential captain Jimmy Gallagher to drive them on, Redcastle never seemed to click into gear and while they played some neat football at times they never seemed to pose the same threat that Moville posed when they went forward. That may have been due to the fact that Redcastle had no-one in their ranks with the kind of energy and pace that Nigel McMonagle showed for Moville and it was no surprise that he was at the centre of the two Moville goals. The first, after just four minutes, was a brilliantly taken solo effort, cutting inside full-back Seamus Doherty before |
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unleashing a fine drive low
into the bottom corner past the despairing dive of
Gerard Crossan. It was a knock-out blow for Redcastle who hadn’t even got into a stride at all and it took them almost twenty minutes before they seemed to regain their composure. When they did, they looked the better side and they might have been back on level terms in the 26th minute when Daniel Harkin’s header was cleared off the line by McElhinney. It was all Redcastle at this stage though and when Eamon Donnelly’s free was headed goalward by Martin Farren, McGeady got down to save but Farren hammered in the rebound to level the game. At the other end Crossan made a terrific save to deny McMonagle in the 29th minute and a minute later McMonagle twisted and turned to find space but shot into the side netting. But Redcastle were still pressing too and it took a fine save from McGeady to palm away a fine effort from Ciaran McGrory. A minute later Brian Tracey’s pass to McGrory caught McGeady in two minds tempting him off his line, but while McGrory managed to find Damien Coyle his shot was deflected wide for a corner. From the corner the ball broke to Gavin McCauley, but his drive towards goal was also well saved by the Moville keeper who was by far the busier of the netminders at this stage. However his luck was in when he came to collect a cross in the 36th minute but was beaten to the ball by Ciaran McGrory whose header was just over the bar. At the other end Gerry Gill and McMonagle again combined at the edge of the box but Gill’s shot was saved well by Crossan. The chances towards the end of the first half fuelled hopes of a cracking second half, but the fierce battle was fought mostly in midfield and it wasn’t until nineteen minutes into the half that a clear cut chance was created. And that was the chance that won the game, McElhinney firing in from close range from Nigel McMonagle’s cross. There was time for Redcastle to hit back and they had a huge amount of possession in the last twenty minutes, but while their bad luck in cup finals must surely come to an end sometime, Sunday night was not to be that night. They almost levelled the game in the 73rd minute only to see Moville sub Ryan McMonagle head Cathal Faulkner’s effort off the line and then it looked for sure as if the equaliser would come in the 84th minute but Michael Devlin’s effort crashed off one of his team-mates and the danger was averted. There were more scares for Moville to survive in the minutes that followed, but none to trouble McGeady in their goal and the final whistle brought scenes of jubilation among the Moville men while the Redcastle team traipsed off to the dressing rooms wondering just what they’ll need to do to win a final. Redcastle Utd: Gerard Crossan, Eamon Donnelly, Seamus Doherty, Martin Farren, Cathal Faulkner, Gavin McCauley, Damian Coyle, Raymond Campbell, Ciaran McGrory, Brian Tracey, Daniel Harkin. Subs: Andy Porter for Damian Coyle (58 mins); Mickey Devlin for Daniel Harkin (66 mins); Liam Davenport for Ray Campbell (81 mins), Dee Coll. Moville Celtic: Maurice McGeady, Colin Doherty, Darryl Doherty, Mark Henry, Kevin Coyle, Richard McElhinney, Malachy McDermott, Shaun Canning, Graham Doherty, Nigel McMonagle, Gerry Gill. Subs: Ryan McMonagle for Richard McElhinney (66 mins); Tony McGeady for Ryan McMonagle (88 mins). Kevin McDermott, Darren Bredin, Gavin Doherty, Shaun McGuinness. For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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