Business as usual for rampant
Redcastle
09.09.10
Under-strength Carn find
the going tough
by Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen Independent, at Foyle Park
Redcastle United...6
Carn...3
News of Redcastle United’s demise has been greatly
exaggerated. The defending champions may have lost a
manager and a number of top class players but the Foyle
Park club have retained a core group of players, who can
compete with anyone in Inishowen.
Locals have spent much of the summer talking down the
chances of their team but last Sunday Redcastle served
notice of their title credentials with a thumping 6-3
win over newly-promoted Carn who struggled to match a
rampant home team with a point to prove. |
With players of the calibre
of Cathal Faulkner, Seamus Doherty, Andy Porter, Brendan
Murphy and Sean Curran, Redcastle will not relinquish
their grip on the title easily. The Foylesiders have
also retained the services of the one of the best
players in the Inishowen League in Brian ‘Banjo’ Tracey
and have club stalwart Martin Farren recovering well
from surgery.
Under the charge of John Logue and Sean Breslin for the
2010/11 season, Redcastle have gone quietly about their
business in the offseason before exploding out of the
blocks in the opening league fixture |
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last weekend.
Time and again flowing home moves led to impressive
goals and it was business as usual at Foyle Park, where
a large crowd gathered to watch the beginning of a new
chapter in the history of Redcastle United.
Carn, who were missing a number of key players, battled
well in their first Premier League fixture and
threatened to spoil the home party on a number of
occasions. Dermot Coyle’s men were in the contest until
the final fifteen minutes, when Redcastle finally pulled
away to secure a deserved opening victory.
Newly-promoted Carn will have learned much from a game
in which they battled gamely and will hope for better
this weekend when they take on Brian Bell’s new team,
Aileach. |
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Following a bright opening
spell Redcastle took the lead after ten minutes with
Sean Curran firing home to put the final touch to a
flowing move involving Brendan Murphy and James Curran.
Murphy and the Curran duo continued to torment the Carn
defence with Shane Gibbons denying the Redcastle trio
with two fine stops.
James Curran almost doubled the home team’s advantage
but Gibbons saved his headed effort after an expert
cross by Liam Davenport.
Another fantastic move saw |
Davenport and Murphy
combine brilliantly to set-up James Curran whose
resultant volley was blocked by Carn defender Sean
McLaughlin.
A mistake by Carn centre-half Gerard McEleney gifted
Redcastle a second goal after twenty minutes. In an
uncharacteristic error the number five attempted to head
back to his goalkeeper but succeeded only in presenting
the ball to Redcastle striker Brendan Murphy, who
rounded Gibbons before tapping the ball into an empty
net.
An incisive pass by the excellent Andy Porter gave
Murphy the chance to make it three moments later but
Carn keeper Gibbons denied the home forward with a
stunning stop.
Threatening to be overrun time and again by home
attacks, Carn stole a lifeline after 35 minutes when
Liam Doherty latched onto a long ball to poke home past
a stranded Johnny Noone, who found himself in no man’s
land in the Redcastle goal.
Brendan Porter should have restored Redcastle’s two-goal
cushion before the break but the playmaker fired too
high after excellent work by Brendan Murphy, James
Curran and Colm McLaughlin.
Within two minutes of the restart Redcastle made it 3-1
after Brendan Murphy poked home following a goalmouth
scramble after a Brendan Porter corner.
Carn almost responded immediately when Liam Doherty’s
cross flashed across the Redcastle goal and was almost
turned into his own net by home defender Cathal
Faulkner, who just managed to turn the ball behind.
Referee Laurence Duggan handed the visitors a lifeline
after the hour mark when he pointed to the spot after an
alleged handball by Faulkner. The award seemed harsh on
the Redcastle defender, who protested his innocence
vehemently.
The home supporters felt justice was done when Johnny
Noone dived brilliantly to his right to deny Carn winger
Liam Doherty.
Continuing to battle well, Premier-League new boys Carn
were back in the hunt ten minutes later when Shane
Doherty’s shot deceived Noone in the Redcastle goal to
reduce the deficit to just one.
Five minutes later and all Carn hopes were dashed after
quick-fire goals from Sean Curran and substitute Conor
Doherty made it 5-2 to rampant Redcastle.
Curran slammed home from a free-kick on the edge of the
box after Brendan Porter was upended before Conor
Doherty tapped home after a mix-up between Carn defender
Sean McLaughlin and goalkeeper Gibbons.
Cathal O’Kane expertly fired home a third for Carn
before Conor Doherty rounded off the scoring for
Redcastle after flicking over the head of Carn keeper
Gibbons from twenty yards following excellent play by
Andy Porter and Brendan Murphy.
Redcastle United: Johnny Noone, Liam Davenport,
Seamus Doherty, Barry Kearney, Cathal Faulkner, Gavin
McCauley, Colm McLaughlin, Andy Porter, Brendan Murphy,
James Curran, Sean Curran. Subs: Emmett McConway, Conor
Doherty.
Carn: Shane Gibbons, Brendan Tabb, Kevin Kelly,
Sean McLaughlin, Gerard McEleney, Dermot Doherty, John
Doherty, Cathal O’Kane, Tiernan Coyne, Shane Doherty,
Liam Doherty. Subs: Ronan Doherty, Caoimhin Canny, James
McCloskey, Fergal Doherty, Andrew Doherty.
For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the
Inishowen Independent. |
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