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Culdaff claim league title
12.05.09
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Culdaff Reserves...2 McFeeley ’30 (pen), Mills ’34 Quigley’s Points Swifts Reserves...1 A. Harkin ’54 (pen) Report: Inishowen Independent CULDAFF RESERVES needed a second bite at the cherry to do it, but in Maginn Park on Sunday evening they clinched the Reserve League First Division title and the promotion to the Premier Division that goes with it. Seven days earlier they had needed just a point from their final league meeting with Quigley’s Points Swifts Reserves to win the league, but despite taking a first half lead they lost 2-1. They bossed this game though, and two goals in four first half minutes – a Raymond McFeeley penalty and a looping header from Gary Mills – was enough to do the business. The Point pulled one back early in the second half through an Adam Harkin penalty, but they didn’t really create another clear cut chance to salvage a draw and send the game to extra time. |
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A nervous opening period
saw both sides take some time to settle down, but when
they did it was the Point who looked the more composed,
with slick passing between the likes of Paul Hegarty,
Mark Duffy and Raymond Buchanan. That said, the Point
struggled to be effective in the final third where
Raymond McFeeley and John McLaughlin marshalled the
Culdaff defence. Culdaff were the first to threaten with Brendan Lafferty testing the keeper from a set piece on 14 minutes and then firing wide after Gary Mills had pounced on a poor kick out from Brian Lynch and slipped the ball into the veteran striker. The Point’s best effort of the night came in the 22nd minute when a cross from Brian McColgan was met on the volley by Mark Duffy who came steaming into the right side of the box but George Houten pulled off a good save and Brian McColgan’s shot on the rebound was cleared by the defence. Culdaff’s opener came on the half hour when a Stuart McKeague ball over the top put Gerard McLaughlin through one-on-one with the keeper and when Brian Lynch brought the Culdaff man down, referee Eddie Ivers pointed to the spot. Lynch can count himself lucky that Ivers issued no further sanction, but Raymond McFeeley made no mistake from 12 yards striking the ball low to the bottom right and that was probably punishment enough. |
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Culdaff had a chance to
extend their lead moments later when a dangerous cross
from Gerard McLaughlin was swept into the box but Eddie
McLaughlin rose to head weakly when Brendan Lafferty was
better placed behind him. Their second duly arrived on 34 minutes when Lafferty knocked in a cross from the left and Gary Mills’ header looped over the despairing full-length dive of Lynch. The Point were stung by the concession of these two goals, and created two chances for Adam Harkin who volleyed a ball over the top left and wide in the 38th minute, and when Mark Duffy played a diagonal ball into the area two minutes later Harkin delayed his shot before striking straight at Houten. The Point were first to threaten in the second half and won a free kick in a dangerous area but Bob Buchanan’s shot sailed over the top. A long ball over the top in the 49th minute saw the referee Ivers award the second penalty of the night after George Houten and Buchanan ran into one another in the area and both men required treatment. Houten picked up a nasty facial injury and a yellow card for his troubles, and a shook looking Buchanan was substituted shortly afterwards which robbed the Point of their main attacking threat. Culdaff brought Martin McLaughlin on to replace Houten but his first task was to pick the ball out of his own net after Adam Harkin had hit the spot kick into the top right corner. A mix up in the Point’s defence allowed Lafferty through on goal in the 62nd minute, but his shot was swatted away by Lynch. Gerard McLaughlin flashed a shot across goal shortly after, but no Culdaff player was following up and the ball went dead. The Point introduced Sean Harkin, Dean Hegarty and Fergal Buchanan as the half wore on, and while they forced three corners they created no clear cut chances and substitute keeper Martin McLaughlin didn’t have a save to make in his 40 minutes between the posts. Although the game was delayed for several minutes as Houten and Buchanan received on-field treatment following their clash, referee Eddie Ivers blew for full time bang on 45 minutes and it was the Culdaff men who celebrated the title. They were taller and stronger than their opponents in almost every sector of the park, created more chances over the 90 minutes, and will look forward to giving the Reserve League Premier Division a good rattle next season. Culdaff Reserves: George Houten (Martin McLaughlin 49 mins); Mick McLaughlin (Eugene McLaughlin 4 mins), Raymond McFeeley, John McLaughlin, Conor McLaughlin; Gerard McLaughlin, Stuart McKeague, Patrick McLaughlin, Gary Mills (Conor Keddy 80 mins); Brendan Lafferty, Dale Hutchinson. Subs not used: Niall Gordon, Martin McGrenaghan, Paddy McColgan, Philip McLaughlin, Dean O’Connor. QPS Reserves: Brian Lynch; Alex O’Brien, Trevor Gallagher, Cathal McColgan, Mark Wallace (Sean Harkin 60 mins); Mark Duffy, Paul Hegarty, Hugo Curran, Brian McColgan (Fergal Buchanan 78 mins); Raymond Buchanan (Dean Hegarty 63 mins), Adam Harkin. Subs not used: Damian McCallion, Dean Barron, Sean Harkin, Joe Johnstone, Christy Curran, Gerard Greene. For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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