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Super Steve sinks Celtic
15.12.09
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Clonmany Shamrocks...3 (Harkin 48, Doherty 56, M McLaughlin 79) Moville Celtic...2 (McDermott 28, McElhinney 82) by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent, at Shamrock Park WITH THE festive season almost upon us, it was a case of Harkin now here at Shamrock Park on Sunday afternoon as Clonmany captain Steve led by example to inspire his side to a come from behind victory over Moville Celtic. The dynamic midfielder dragged his side back into the match at the start of the second half with a determined dart into the box, before helping his side seal the points with a powerful surge down the left and cross with just over ten minute of the contest left. With Harkin on top form, Clonmany controlled the midfield and at times threatened to overwhelm the Ulster Junior Cup holders. The visitors held out in the first half, but were breached three times after the interval before a late Richie McElhinney effort gave Darren Bredin’s boys hope that they might nick a draw in the final moment’s play. But it was not to be as Philip Devlin and company shut up shop to ensure Clonmany did not lose further ground in their pursuit of their formidable foe Redcastle in the race for the Premier Division crown. |
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With Shane Canning and
Nigel McMonigle away, Darren Bredin was forced to
shuffle the pack for this demanding away game. Declan
McGuinness was pressed into service at left back and Joe
Doherty was forced to lead the line on his own with wide
players Oran McDermott and Richie McElhinney given
licence to get beyond the striker. With 20 minutes gone the home side struck Maurice McGeady’s crossbar when Brendan Devlin and Paddy Doherty combined to tee up Mark McLaughlin. Then, out of the blue, Moville struck the opening goal when, under pressure from a couple of Moville attackers after Joe Doherty’s |
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through pass, Damien
Grant’s hasty clearance struck McDermott and flew past
Peter Devlin. Clonmany poured forward in search of an instant leveller. Brendan Devlin’s daisy-cutter didn’t trouble the Moville goal but when Harkin and Paul McLaughlin combined to release the Shamrock’s number nine on goal the Moville keepers sliding tackle prevented him from equalising. The visitors came under sustained aerial bombardment, but Darral Doherty and his defenders repelled all. Moville should have extended their advantage five minutes before the break. Joe Doherty’s swerving corner found McGuinness eight yards out but the Moville man failed to steer his header on target. At the other end Brendan Devlin got in on goal again from a Kevin McCarron pass but his shot past McGeady from the right cleared the far post. Clonmany’s fleet-footed forwards were giving the Moville defence a torrid time and when Mark McLaughlin spun his marker and was hauled down 25 yards out, up stepped Brendan Devlin to clip a free over the wall only to see it come crashing down off the crossbar and cleared by a hooped shirt. The frame of the Moville goal was rattled for a third time just before the half when Brendan Devlin’s glancing header bounced off the top of the bar. The home side were not to be denied at the start of the second half when, from Damien Grant’s deep free to the back post Brendan Devlin headed back across the six yard box and Harkin controlled the ball past the goalkeeper then forced it home with a couple of Moville defenders hanging off him. Paul McLaughlin’s driven free flew just wide of McGeady’s post as Clonmany continued to push for the lead goal. It came in the 56th minute when Paddy Doherty steered the ball home despite the best efforts of Darral Doherty. For all the openings they were creating, Clonmany’s shooting was not so hot. Mark McLaughlin and Brendan Devlin passed up good chances to make it 3-1 before the former did just that in the 79th minute, driving low past McGeady from 10 yards after Harkin’s storming run past three defenders and cross from the left. Moville had both their manager and the veteran Brendan Mullan on the field at this stage to try and shore up the defence but Clonmany still looked like they could score every time they came forward. Then, with eight minutes to go, Clonmany’s defence went to sleep when McDermott floated his free into the box allowing McElhinney to side foot home from close range. If anyone was going to score again it looked like being the Shamrocks. Bredin and Darral Doherty cleared shots off the line as Moville went short at the back in an attempt to strike late. Clonmany coped well and Moville’s only real chance, when Graeme Doherty played in centre half turned winger Tony McGeady on the right, but the move ended in disappointment for the Foylesiders after McGeady’s weak centre was cut out at the near post. Clonmany Shamrocks: Peter Devlin, Raymond McDaid, Michael Grant, Damien Grant, Philip Devlin, Paul McLaughlin, Steve Harkin, Paddy Doherty, Brendan Devlin, Kevin McCarron, Mark McLaughlin. Subs: Michael Devlin for McCarron (65), John McLaughlin for M McLaughlin (79). Moville Celtic: Maurice McGeady, Conor McLaughlin, Declan McGuinness, Darral Doherty, Tony McGeady, Kevin Coyle, PJ Barr, Graeme Doherty, Joe Doherty, Richie McElhinney, Oran McDermott. Subs: Benny Mullan for J Doherty (49), Darren Bredin for PJ Barr (76). For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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