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Aileach through to third round
28.10.09
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Aileach...3 (S O’Donnell 71 & 92, A Doherty 73) Rashenny...1 (Collins 31) by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent, at Trawbreaga Park ON A night when the wind roared and his team blew hot and cold, it took the calm head of veteran defender Stephen O’Donnell to steer Aileach clear of danger on the Isle of Doagh. With Rashenny leading 1-0 at the break O’Donnell was pressed into service as an auxiliary forward in the second half, with stunning results for Darren McDermott’s Premier Division outfit. Aileach had battered the Ballyliffin boy’s goal in the second half but it took a strike of real quality to beat Damien Friel. In the 71st minute Aileach took a throw in on their right flank and after a quick exchange of passes, O’Donnell cut in from wide and struck an unerring drive to the top corner that gave the excellent Damien Friel no chance. Two minutes later Friel was picking out of the back of his net once more. Stephen Doherty benefitted from a moment of hesitation in the Rashenny midfield to pick out Anthony Doherty on the left and, with the sky blue shirts slow to close down, Doherty looked up and struck a dipping shot that flew past Friel. |
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Rashenny had looked solid
under Aileach pressure from the start of the second
half, as solid as you can be playing into a gale force
wind and driving rain. Liam Diver and the two John Dohertys adjusted well to the conditions and pulled their team out of the fire on several occasions. It was one-way traffic toward the Rashenny goal in the second half, much more than it had been in the first when the hosts had the wind at their backs. Indeed, Rashenny scarcely got out of their own half in the second period. Kieran Gallagher in the visiting goal was reduced to running over and back across his six-yard line to keep warm. In the 90th minute Rashenny looked like they might threaten to score an equaliser. |
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Friel took a short kick out
to Diver who beat a couple of yellow and blue shirts and
found second half substitute Sean Doherty (S). He
crossed midfield and released Sean Toland along the
right. Toland crossed deep to the far wing where Alan
Friel was lurking with intent only for Declan O’Donnell
to slide in and deny him. That was Rashenny’s last shot at getting back into the game and perhaps forcing extra time. In added time Stephen O’Donnell was gifted his second and Aileach’s third goal when a Rashenny defender’s attempted clearance cannoned off the back of one of his team mates and rebounded to O’Donnell who beat Friel with a neat low drive. That was the cue for referee Paddy Hannon to blow his whistle and spark a rush for the showers. This match was switched from Aileach’s weather-vulnerable pitch to Rashenny on Saturday night. With home advantage Rashenny, who beat Lifford Celtic of the Donegal League 3-0 in the opening round, would have fancied their chances of knocking off their Premier Division opponents. Those hopes grew in strength as Rashenny opened the scoring in this one, Shane Collins benefitting from some uncertain goalkeeping by Gallagher on the half hour to steal in and side foot home from close range. Danny Grant’s men were good value for their lead at that stage. They would have taken the lead in the 23rd minute but for a goal-line clearance by Stephen O’Donnell which denied Owen McGonigle after the Rashenny winger acrobatically flicked Darren Grant’s cross goal-ward. Five minutes from half time, the hosts could have doubled their lead when, from Collins’ ball in from the right McGonigle strained his neck muscles and directed a header on goal that Gallagher tipped over. With the ball getting pushed down from the sky as though it had doubled in mass in mid air, it was always going to be difficult for the players to create much. Aileach’s policy of shooting from range almost brought them a goal in the first half but Damien Barr’s viciously swerving shot was kept out by the agile Friel. At the start of the second half Liam Diver bailed out fellow defender John Doherty with a clearing header. Then Anthony Doherty played a fine free to the back stick but none of his team-mates had made a back post run. On 64 minutes Stephen O’Donnell held the ball up for Stephen Doherty whose through ball Ciaran Craig got to ahead of Friel only for the alert Diver to slide in to prevent a certain goal. The resolve of the Rashenny back four looked strong but with Aileach creating chance after chance it was only a matter of time before they got the equaliser and from the moment Stephen O’Donnell found the net 19 minutes from time there was only ever going to be one winner. Aileach: Kieran Gallagher, Dermot Doherty, Declan O’Donnell, Cathal McElhinney, Neil McElhinney, Stephen O’Donnell, Ryan Donnelly, Damien Barr, Anthony Doherty, Stephen Doherty, Ciaran Craig. Subs: Conor Gallagher for Donnelly (68), Sean McKinney for Ciaran Craig (84), Paul McHugh for Barr (84). Rashenny: Damien Friel, John Doherty, Patrick Doherty, John Doherty (D), Liam Diver, Glenn Doherty, Anthony Doherty, Sean Toland, Shane Collins, Darren Grant, Owen McGonigle. Subs: Alan Friel for Grant (72), Sean Doherty (S) for John Doherty (D) (78), Sean Doherty (T) for Collins (80). For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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