‘Kinnego’ keeps Point at bay 20.05.10
Top Four Cup Final

QPS Reserves...0 Carn...1 (C. Doherty 80) by Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen Independent, at Maginn Park (Photos: Herbie Barr) ‘GOALSCORER, number nine, Cathal Doherty.’ The five words every Carn supporter waited to hear finally bellowed out over the Maginn Park tannoy at 3.35pm last Sunday. Ten minutes later and the Premier League bound Reds had capped a great season with the Top Four Cup. In front of a crowd of two hundred, Carn dominated proceedings from start to finish and few would argue that Dermot Coyle’s men deserved the trophy, which was eventually secured when Cathal ‘Kinnego’ Doherty rolled the ball into the Quigley’s Point Reserves net with ten minutes remaining. Captain Darren Loftus led by example. His get it, give it mantra kept Carn ticking in midfield and eventually wore down the Reserve men from the banks of the Foyle, who created only one clear chance in ninety minutes.

Loftus’ QPS counterpart, Trevor Gallagher, delivered a superb performance in the centre of defence, marshalling his troops to repel Carn attack time after time. Carn began the game on the front foot and were on the attack in the opening few minutes when Darren Loftus and Cathal O’Kane combined brilliantly on the right flank only for Trevor Gallagher to snuff out the danger. A Robert McCartney free-kick was then headed over the top by Ronan Doherty before QPS keeper Brian Lynch saved Brendan Tabb’s effort. Dermot Doherty and Ronan Doherty had Carn on the attack soon after before Point captain, Trevor Gallagher, intervened again to alleviate the pressure. Brendan Tabb latched onto Cathal Doherty’s

neat flick and almost found himself in on goal until Quigley’s Point keeper Brian Lynch dived bravely at the feet of the Carn winger. Lynch was in the thick of the action seconds later, picking up an injury while denying Carn wideman Dermot Doherty. Carn right-back Cathal O’Kane, who had an excellent game, almost opened the scoring midway through the first-half, missing Robert McCartney’s corner by inches at the back post. A rare QPS foray into the oppostion half ended when O’Kane halted Sean Harkin’s enterprising run and the ball ran harmlessly behind for a goal-kick. Dean Hegarty cut an increasingly frustrated lone figure in the QPS attack and the number nine was caught offside six times in the first period by a mechanical Carn defence, who failed to yield even a sniff of a chance to the number nine. Carn number nine, Cathal Doherty, fired his first shot in anger after collecting Brendan Tabb’s lay-off. The bustling forward’s attempt failed to trouble Lynch in the QPS goal, flying high and wide from thirty yards. Keeping the ball for long periods, Carn failed to create a clear cut opening until the 39th minute when Ronan Doherty released team-mate Cathal Doherty only for Lynch to save the forward’s weak shot. Carn keeper Richie Cunningham was finally called into action shortly before half-time, easily saving Adam Harkin’s header from Sean Harkin’s centre. The Point Reserves could even have snatched an unlikely first-half lead but Dean Hegarty drove his free-kick straight into the Carn wall after winning the award himself. At the start of the second-half Carn almost bagged the lead their play deserved but Trevor Gallagher was on hand yet again, this time clearing Brendan Tabb’s effort off the line with the QPS keeper beaten. Robert McCartney then saw a half-chance drift wide after a neat chested pass by Carn strike partner, Cathal Doherty. Carn centre-half Gerard McEleney almost showed the forwards how it’s done moments later but the big defender poked Ronan Doherty’s cross just wide under pressure from QPS keeper, Brian Lynch. Almost paying the ultimate price for their profligacy in front of goal, Carn could have found themselves behind after an hour when Dean Hegarty was put through by Raymond Buchanan. The frontman was denied however by Carn keeper Richie Cunningham, who raced from his line to quell the threat. With the roving Buchanan coming more into the game, QPS began to look like they might find the net themselves. Combining well with Mark Wallace, Buchanan won a 65th minute corner, which was swung in by Dean Hegarty and headed just wide by Trevor Gallagher. That spell was as good as got for the Point, who found themselves on the back foot when Brendan Tabb found Kevin Hirrel, who headed just wide.

The Carn supporters were beginning to think it wasn’t their day when Hirrel’s defensive partner Gerard McEleney struck the post in the 75 minute after getting on the end of Robert McCartney’s free-kick from the right. Five minutes later and the relief was palpable for the Carn men as Cathal Doherty got on the end of Ronan Doherty’s centre to keep his cool and gently caress the ball past Lynch and into the QPS net. Cathal O’Kane deserves much of the credit for the goal, picking out Ronan Doherty with a pinpoint crossfield pass from sixty yards. For once Gallagher was unable to make up the ground in defence and the Point’s race was run. QPS’ best player, Raymond Buchanan has a last gasp chance to force extra-time but his quick free-kick ran tamely into the arms of Carn keeper Richie Cunningham. The Point will reflect on an excellent season, which saw them earn promotion to the reserve top flight while Carn look a team ready made to compete with the best in Inishowen. QPS Reserves: Brian Lynch, Simon Wallace, Mark Wallace, Trevor Gallagher, Cathal McColgan, Paul Grant, Sean Harkin, Paul Hegarty, Dean Hegarty, Raymond Buchanan, Adam Harkin. Subs: Mark Duffy, Fergal Buchanan, Ian Cullen, Gerard Green, Damien McCallion. Carn: Richie Cunningham, Cathal O’Kane, Paddy McGuinness, Kevin Hirrell, Gerard McEleney, Darren Loftus, Brendan Tabb, Ronan Doherty, Cathal Doherty, Robert McCartney, Dermot Doherty. Subs: Dominic Doherty, Sean Doherty. For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent.

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