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Redcastle lift League cup
27.10.09
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Redcastle United...2 (Donnelly ’23; S. Davenport ’87) Clonmany Shamrocks...1 (P. Doherty ’22) by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent, at Maginn Park THE long wait is over. Redcastle United shook a monkey off their backs at Maginn Park on Sunday night when they beat Clonmany Shamrocks 2-1 to end a run of ten straight cup final defeats. And they had to come from behind to do it after going behind to a Paddy Doherty goal midway through the first half. They responded immediately with man of the match Eamon Donnelly surging through the heart of the Clonmany rearguard and equalising within 60 seconds of falling behind. And while they had Gerard Crossan to thank for a couple of smart saves, Redcastle always looked dangerous in the second half. The winner came four minutes from full time with Stephen Davenport rising high at the near post to head Charlie McCormick’s corner to the net and spark off riotous celebrations on the Redcastle bench. The final was notable for other reasons too. The first local final to be staged under floodlights, its scheduling so early in the season was brought about by the Inishowen’s League desire to better spread out its finals across the 10 month season. |
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Clonmany created the first
clear chance of the game when right back Michael Grant
showed so nifty footwork in the middle before slipping
the ball into the right channel for Jason Devlin to run
onto. Devlin cut into the box, but Crossan was out
quickly to block the shot and Martin Farren cleared the
loose ball. Peter Devlin was the busier of the keepers early on. He watched Donnelly curl a 30 yard free kick wide on the quarter hour. In the 21st minute, Ryan McMonagle with his back to goals slipped the ball out to the ever-dangerous Eddie McIntyre but the latter’s shot flashed across the face of goal and skidded wide of Devlin’s right hand post. With the game being played at a frantic pace and chances being created at either end, it was only a matter of time before the crowd were warmed by the game’s first goal. Clonmany midfielder Paddy Doherty, who cut an imposing figure all night, ran strongly through the middle before nicking the ball out to Steve Harkin wide on the left. Harkin knocked a low cross into the box that a Redcastle defender won, but Doherty robbed him and shot low to the bottom left corner with Crossan left rooted to the spot. Redcastle’s equaliser came almost immediately from the kick off. Donnelly surged through the middle, side stepped a challenge from Philip Devlin and while Peter Devlin came out to close him down and half-blocked Donnelly’s shot with his legs he couldn’t keep it out of the net. Jason Devlin drew a fine one-handed save from Crossan in the 40th minute when his fierce left footed shot was tipped over, but Redcastle had the better of the chances before the break. |
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The fleet footed forward
pairing of Eddie McIntyre and Brian Treacy caused the
Clonmany defence trouble all night. Treacy played a
lovely diagonal ball through to Andy Porter but he and
McIntyre got in one another’s way and the chance was
lost. Moments later, Daniel Harkin attempted an
audacious lob from the left that had Peter Devlin
beaten, but the ball came off the post and was hacked
clear. Redcastle should have taken the lead on the stroke of half time when Donnelly whipped a dangerous free kick into the box, but Porter couldn’t climb high enough and his free header went harmlessly wide. Clonmany were forced to reshuffle their team at half time when right back Mickey Grant, apparently suffering from concussion, was replaced by Michael Devlin and Raymond McDaid went back to right back. It didn’t disrupt them too much. McDaid whipped in a cross from the right touchline in the 53rd minute that Crossan fumbled but claimed at the second attempt. Jason Devlin drew a magnificent save from Crossan four minutes later when he volleyed an over-the-shoulder flick from Martin Doherty from inside the penalty area. The same pair combined again moments later, but the result was the same with Crossan getting down smartly to save Devlin’s tame shot. McMonagle and McIntyre combined to create a clear cut chance at the other end in the 66th minute. McIntyre sped down the right and drove a low cross across the six yard line, Andy Porter slid in but failed to connect and the chance was gone. Redcastle will wonder how they didn’t take the lead on 75 minutes when substitute Charlie McCormick did everything but score. He raced onto a clever through ball from Treacy, held off Phil Pat Doherty, rounded Peter Devlin and with an empty goal gaping he pushed the ball too far to the left that made his shooting angle too narrow and a relieved Clonmany defence closed him down and averted the danger. With extra time looming, McCormick and his fellow substitute Stephen Davenport popped up to win the cup for Redcastle in the 87th minute. Davenport timed his run to perfection and rose at the near post to head McCormick’s corner from the right to the back of the net. Clonmany tried to respond, but the Redcastle defence, and Martin Farren in particular, dealt with everything they threw at them in the dying minutes and after ten final defeats in a row, the Foylesiders finally got their hands on a cup. Redcastle: Gerard Crossan; Liam Davenport, Martin Farren, Cathal Faulkner, Eamon Donnelly; Ryan McMonagle (Charlie McCormick, 71 mins), Andy Porter (Stephen Davenport, 71 mins), Jimmy Gallagher, Daniel Harkin; Eddie McIntyre (Raymond Campbell, 88 mins), Brian Treacy. Subs not used: Damian Coyle, James Curran, Brendan Murphy. Clonmany: Peter Devlin; Michael Grant (Michael Devlin, half-time), Phil Pat Doherty, Philip Devlin, Liam Hirrell (John McLaughlin, 81 mins); Paul McLaughlin, Steve Harkin, Paddy Doherty, Raymond McDaid; Martin Doherty (Mark McLaughlin, 72 mins), Jason Devlin. Subs not used: Niall McDaid, Patrick Harkin. For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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