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Clonmany make up for League defeat
27.05.09
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Redcastle...0 Clonmany...2 (Stephen McLaughlin 35; Paddy Doherty 57) by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent, at Maginn Park BEATEN by Redcastle in the league the previous weekend, Clonmany gained a measure of revenge when they won the Buncrana Credit Union Cup in Maginn on Sunday evening. Goals on either side of half time from Stephen McLaughlin and Paddy Doherty, and a commanding defensive performance from Philip Devlin and Phil Pat Doherty, helped the Shamrocks retain the Credit Union Cup, to add to the League Cup won earlier in the season. Redcastle were rarely given a sniff of a chance, with their strike force of Brian Tracey and Ciaran McGrory muscled out of it by the solid Clonmany rearguard. Even when two goals down, Redcastle seemed curiously unable to raise their game and go on the offensive. They were reduced to lumping long balls forward, which was meat and drink to the Clonmany centre halves. Sunday evening was Redcastle’s tenth consecutive cup final defeat, but having wrested the League crown from Clonmany they can reflect on an otherwise successful season. |
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The game opened brightly.
Clonmany’s Paul McLaughlin whipped in a cross from the
right in the second minute but Steve Harkin headed
straight at Crossan who needed the help of his defence
to clear the danger. Redcastle almost caught Clonmany
out on the break when Liam Davenport crossed into the
box but while Ciaran McGrory stooped to head it, he
couldn’t connect and the ball went wide. Stephen McLaughlin, whose trickery caused Redcastle all kinds of trouble until he was replaced late on, fired a 30 yard free kick straight at Crossan soon after and it was Clonmany who were settling better. Mark and Paul McLaughlin made hay on the right touchline with their pace and their willingness to take turns in going on the attack causing problems for Redcastle. Paul McLaughlin’s long-range effort in the 12th minute was gathered on the second attempt by Crossan in the Redcastle nets. Redcastle had a great chance to take the lead when Seamus Doherty took a pass from Brian Tracey in the 13th minute and Peter Devlin dived full length to parry before Devlin came quickly off his line to save a shot from Eamon Donnelly that deflected almost to the feet of the Tracey. Clonmany took a deserved lead in the 35th minute. Mark McLaughlin crossed from the right and Crossan made a |
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superb reflex save to keep
Stephen McLaughlin’s header out in the first instance,
he was left stranded as Stephen poked to the back of the
net on the second attempt. Redcastle had the last meaningful chance of the half when Eamon Donnelly whipped a free kick across the face of goal and with Peter Devlin beaten Donnelly could only look on as the ball struck the right hand post and was cleared by the Clonmany defence. A goal down, one expected Redcastle to dispense with their defensive approach and throw everything into getting back into the game, but while manager Brian Bell made a number of changes amongst his attackers, they failed to seriously trouble Peter Devlin in the second 45. They did get a rare shot on target on 56 minutes when Cathal Faulkner got a slight flick onto a good delivery into the box from an Eamon Donnelly free kick, but Clonmany custodian Devlin was up to it. Clonmany’s second goal came from an unlikely source. They capitalised on a Cathal Faulkner slip in midfield, burst down the left and crossed into the box. Crossan came to collect and did enough to put off Stephen McLaughlin, but the ball spilled to Paddy Doherty and the midfielder fired to the roof of the net for a rare goal. Despite the industry of substitutes Gavin McCauley and Damien Coyle, Redcastle were creating few clear chances. Coyle hit high to the right and wide in the 78th minute and Bell threw Martin Farren, who had a solid game at centre half, up front in the dying minutes in the hope of nicking a goal. But it was Clonmany who finished the stronger. Substitute Brendan Devlin fired wide after being set up by Raymond McDaid, while fellow sub Niall McDaid had the ball in the net twice, only to see them ruled out for infringements. Patrick Harkin, Clonmany’s third and final substitute, had the best chance to make it three for his side. With Martin Farren at the wrong end of the pitch, Harkin raced onto a through ball from Paul McLaughlin but Crossan dived full length to his right to push the shot away. The reaction from the Clonmany squad at the full-time whistle showed just what the victory meant to them. It couldn’t have been easy for Redcastle to watch yet another side celebrate a cup win, but they remained on the pitch long enough to take three cheers from the champions. Redcastle: Gerard Crossan; Liam Davenport, Seamus Doherty, Martin Farren, Cathal Faulkner; Jimmy Gallagher, Eamon Donnelly, Raymond Campbell (Colm McLaughlin 56 mins), Daniel Harkin (Gavin McCauley 58 mins); Ciaran McGrory (Damien Coyle 74 mins), Brian Tracey. Clonmany: Peter Devlin; Mark McLaughlin, Liam Hirrell, Phil Pat Doherty, Philip Devlin; Steve Harkin (Patrick Harkin 87 mins), Raymond McDaid, Paddy Doherty, Paul McLaughlin; Jason Devlin (Niall McDaid 81 mins), Stephen McLaughlin (Brendan Devlin 75 mins). *Man of the Match: The Man of the Match award went to Clonmany’s central midfield player Paddy Doherty who drove his side forward, made numerous tackles and interceptions, passed the ball well and scored the crucial second goal. For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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