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Eccles spares Buncrana blushes
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Greencastle...1 (C Kelly, 35) Buncrana Youths...2 (Eccles, 48 & 78) by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent, at Chapel Lane FOR almost eighty minutes, Patsy Harvey and Joe Kellys’ Greencastle held promotion-chasing Buncrana Youths to just a single goal, but the visitors wouldn’t be denied their win and the irrepressible Jonathan Eccles powered a late header past Philip McClenaghan to give the Youths their win. Shaun Doherty’s table-toppers were good value for the win, having dominated possession and created the better chances in what was a slightly ill-tempered tussle. The visitors had the lion’s share of possession in the first half, but time and again their moves broke down in the final third. |
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At least the Buncrana boys
made it that far. Greencastle were non-existent as an
attacking force in the opening quarter, their more
direct style proving ineffective. On twenty minutes the visitors should have been in on goal when right back Karl Kelly played the ball inside to Greg Bradley whose through ball split the Greencastle defense but striker Pauric O’Flaherty’s control let him down at the crucial juncture. On the half hour O’Flaherty dispossessed Colm Doherty on the edge of the Greencastle area and pushed the ball inside to Eccles who tried a curling shot but succeeded only in finding McClenaghan’s midriff. Then the home side stirred. The Keyes brothers, Paddy and Jack, played a couple of one-two passes up the |
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right side wing that ended
with the former crossing low into the box, but his pass
lacked power and was cut out. Greencastle took the lead in the 35th minute with a fine 25 yard free from the left boot of midfielder Cathal Kelly who curled the ball over the wall and beyond Mark McGonagle’s dive to the keeper’s bottom right hand corner. Kelly had won the free-kick himself when Karl Kelly hauled him to the ground, ripping one of the legs off the Greencastle man’s royal blue shorts in the process. McClenaghan then had to be alert to push the ball off the toe of Tommy Caldwell in his six-yard box. John Gillen, who had earlier been shown a yellow card, skated onto thin ice five minutes before half time when, after being blown up for heavy challenge, he kicked the ball away. Gillen survived, despite several men in yellow calling for the Greencastle man to receive his marching orders for his indiscretion. |
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The Castle Park men pushed hard for an equaliser before
half time. Darren McGlynn turned sharply on the right
side of the Greencastle box and played a low ball into
the centre of the Greencastle area where O’Flaherty
skipped past Jim Doherty’s tackle but his shot was
blocked out for a corner by Kevin Lake. The Greg Bradley released Simon McGrory on the right and his shot was turned around his near post by McClenaghan. Greencastle had the first chance of the second half when McGonagle fumbled Paddy Keyes cross but Jack Keyes couldn’t prod the ball past him and the Youths keeper recovered to smother the ball. That save proved vital as up the other end came the visitor, and after Eccles bundled the ball past McClenaghan from close range at the second attempt. That goal began an extended period during which the game was played almost exclusively in the Greencastle half, Simon McGrory and Co. mopping up clearance |
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after aimless clearance to
keep the ball in the opponent’s half. There was some concern for the visitors after their keeper injured himself making a clearance in the 55th minute. McGonagle could take no further part, and with no ready made replacement on the bench Adrian Doherty, a Buncrana gaelic footballer, was judged the safest pair of hands. Kevin Cavanagh was called upon to make two telling interventions in the space of a few minutes, sliding in to deny Tommie Caldwell before blocking Darren McGlynn’s shot. The Youths kept forcing corners and free kicks, but on the few occasions that the Greencastle defense was breached the finishing - like O’Flaherty’s header in the 75th minute – left a lot to be desired. Fortunately Eccles was on hand to show his teammates how it was done, heading past McClenaghan with twelve minutes to go. Greencastle substitute JP Doherty tied the score in the 79th minute but he wasted a golden opportunity, fluffing his shot from eight yards after Paddy Keyes’ low cross. Buncrana should have put the game out of reach two minutes from time but Fletcher’s powerful header was acrobatically repelled by McClenaghan; Greencastle, though, had had their last chance. There was little doubt that the Youths deserved their win but Greencastle will feel aggrieved that after their committed display, they still came away empty-handed. Greencastle: Philip McClenaghan, Jim Doherty, Liam Kelly, Kevin Cavanagh, Kevin Lake, John Gillen, Colm Doherty, Cathal Kelly, Paddy Keyes, Jack Keyes, Christy McLaughlin. Subs: JP O’Doherty for Gillen Buncrana Youths: Mark McGonagle, Karl Kelly, Conor McConnell, Brian Bradley, Michael Caldwell, Greg Bradley, Michael Caldwell, Greg Bradley, Tommie Caldwell, Simon McGrory, Darren McGlynn, Pauric O’Flaherty, Jonathan Eccles. Subs: Adrian Doherty for McGonagle (55), Diarmuid Fullerton for Tommie Caldwell (67), Darren McGlynn for Paddy Fletcher (76). For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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