Redcastle roll on after penalty shoot-out
Umbro FAI Junior Cup 07.02.08

Redcastle United...0 Ballyphehane Celtic...0 (Redcastle United win 3-1 on penalties after extra time) by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent, at Foyle Park REDCASTLE United saw off the challenge of Ballyphehane Celtic to book their place in Sunday’s draw for the quarter-finals of the Umbro FAI Junior Cup – but this was far from the straightforward win many had been predicting. In terms of possession and chances created, the Murphy’s AUL Premier Division side shaded the contest, but neither team did enough going forward to warrant the win. And with both defences resolute, it was down to what is sometimes referred to as 'the lottery’ of a penalty shoot-out. Bryan Bell is a coach who believes that players make their own luck, however, and he had good reason to be confident going into the shootout.

“We meet up every Saturday to practice set-pieces. We always finish that session with a penalty shoot-out. Yesterday we didn’t, because we couldn’t get on the pitch because of the snow, but for us penalties were not an issue,” said Bell. Ballyphehane, it has to be said, hardly turned up the heat on Redcastle’s takers, missing their first three spot kicks and four out of five. Benny McDermott and Marty McNutt put Redcastle in the driving seat and although ex-Cork City Youths keeper Alan Crowley saved well from Mickey Feeney and Paul Doherty, Willie Ahearn’s weak kick sealed Ballyphehane Celtic’s fate. It was a relieved Redcastle manager that spoke to the Inishowen Independent after the game’s dramatic conclusion. “We had to roll up our sleeves and grind out a result and we were lucky enough to do it. I’ll be honest, I was disappointed in out overall performance, but we have to look at the pitch [condition], it did cut up very badly. We only

A posse of Redcastle clubmen, including Francie Lafferty and the defender Cathal Faulkner had toiled for six hours on Saturday clearing four and a half inches of snow from the Foyle Park pitch so the show could go on. Yet when the curtain went up on Sunday, the home side seemed to suffer stage fright. The Munster men took the game to their hosts in the opening twenty minutes and could have taken the lead after three, when Mickey Feeney’s slip allowed Johnny Towler space in the home penalty area, but he dragged his shot wide of the far post. Redcastle looked a nervous side and after Feeney’s loose cross-field pass put his team on the backfoot, Marty McNutt needed all his speed to prevent a Ballyphehane break.

The visitors went close on 14 minutes when Gary O’Shea was upended 25 yards from the Redcastle goal. O’Shea took the free himself and curled a shot just beyond Crossan’s right-hand post. At the other end of the pitch Charlie McCormick nearly made the most of uncertainty at the heart of the Ballyphehane defence, ghosting in to flick the ball narrowly wide. Then O’Shea almost opened the score with a fine curling shot that just cleared Crossan’s crossbar. As the rain got heavier, Redcastle dug in. Anchoring the midfield, Eamon Reddin did well to negating the threat of Celtic’s top scorer Danny Long, who hit the net in his side’s win over Moville the previous Saturday. Redcastle were somewhat predictable going forward. Too often they sought the head of centre forward Joe Doherty who won his fair share of flick-ons but had shortage of red and black-stripped shirts supporting him. At the start of the second half the home side enjoyed their best spell of the match. On 51 minutes Crowley made his first save of the game after McCormick’s free was headed back to McNutt who struck a fearsome 25-yard drive that the Ballyphehane keeper tipped over. Shortly after McCormick brought another neat save from Crowley with a low shot. Back came the Cork men. Willie Aherns free from the right led to a scramble in the Redcastle box as first Martin Farren, then Cathal Faulkner slid in to prevent a shot on goal. Eight minutes into the first half of extra time Ballyphehane squandered the best chance of the match when Towler raced through onto a perfect pass and chipped the advancing Crossan who, at full stretch, tipped the ball over. With three minutes of extra time remaining Benny McDermott and McCormick fashioned a chance for Reddin but his low shot was blocked and the game went to penalties, whereupon the Lee-siders imploded. Ballyphehane boss Dave O’Mahony felt hard done by to be heading back to the Rebel County without the spoils. “I felt we were the better side and played some good football. We kept possession well, but I was disappointed with the supply of ball to our forwards, the crossing wasn’t good enough. We didn’t deserve to lose that game, but we won’t dwell on this result. We’ve only one game played in the league with this competition and winning the Mossie Linnine Cup,” he said. Meanwhile, Bell added he was proud to be flying the flag for Donegal in the quarter-finals of the FAI Junior Cup after Milford crashed out to Corduff on Sunday. “It does make me proud. I was sorry to see Milford go out. Corduff are another technically good side and we will have to play a hell of a lot better than we did today if we are to get any further in the competition.” Redcastle United Gerard Crossan, Marty McNutt, Brian Treacy, Martin Farren, Cathal Faulkner, Eamon Reddin, Mickey Feeney, Jimmy Gallagher, Charlie McCormick, Joe Doherty, Eddie McIntyre. Subs: Paul Doherty for Eddie McIntyre (HT), Liam Davenport for Jimmy Gallagher (75) Benny McDermott for Joe Doherty (84). Ballyphehane Celtic Alan Crowley, Jonathan Murphy, Aidan Callnan, John Paul Heffernan, Alan O’Mahoney, Danny Long, Trevor Dunlea, John Towler, Wayne Dunlea, Willie Ahern, Gary O’Shea. Subs: Keith Gathan for Wayne Dunlea (71), David Bennett for John Towler (108). Referee: Mick Lagan (Donegal) For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent.

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