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Carrowmenagh see cup hopes sink
06.11.09
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Dunfanaghy Town...1 (Sheridan 74) Carrowmenagh...0 by Liam Porter, Inishowen Independent CARROWMENAGH'S hopes of Ulster Junior Cup glory sank like a stone last Sunday in Dunfanaghy against a battling Donegal League Saturday outfit who never allowed their Inishowen visitors to really get into their stride. On balance of chances created alone Dunfanaghy certainly were good value for their win, but the visitors will surely be wondering if the game should have gone ahead at all with water being brushed from the goalmouth minutes before kick off and several puddles of water lying in other parts of the pitch. That said, once the referee had deemed it playable, there was little for both sides to do but roll up their sleeves and get on with it. The conditions certainly didn’t help Carrowmenagh’s quick passing style and the more robust and direct Dunfanaghy outfit playing to their strengths quickly snuffed out Carrowmenagh at every opportunity. Central defenders Paddy Toye and James Martin were magnificent throughout and as the game progressed Dunfanaghy had several players who seemed to grow into the game. |
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David McLaughlin’s raiding
runs down the left caused problems for the visitors
while James McMullan and Nicholas Neilis worked really
hard to press Carrowmenagh back at every opportunity. Indeed the home side had by far the best of what few chances there were, and their defence who had worked so hard all day managed to see off the late onslaught from Carrowmenagh as they sought to bring the tie to extra time. The early stages saw Dunfanaghy with a strong wind at their backs and they made the most of the advantage to keep the visitors on the back foot, even if there was little in the way of goalmouth danger. The closest to a goal came in the fifteenth minute when Stephen Doak’s long-range strike almost deceived Michael Noone in the Carrowmenagh goal, but he got his body behind the shot and the loose ball was hacked away to safety. Carrowmenagh’s Dermot Harkin one of the first to get an early baptism in one of the puddles on the pitch, was still alert enough to the danger in his own box in the 32nd minute when he slid in to make a magnificent goal-saving challenge on John Sheridan as he teed up his strike. |
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The visitors struck back
with their best move of the game in the 36th minute when
Matthew Henry played David Houston in on goal, but Liam
McMullen was out bravely to make an excellent save. At the other end Sheridan and McMullan combined to carve open the Carrowmenagh defence, McMullan finishing the move with a shot that went inches past the post. It looked as if the home side might be made to pay for those misses with Carrowmenagh set to take advantage of the wind in the second half, but Doak and Devine at full-back and the two central defenders, seemed to snuff out everything Carrowmenagh could muster. Indeed a long range effort from Matthew Henry was the best they could manage for all their early second half possession while at the other end Noone was forced into saves from Sheridan, and David McLaughlin. It did look as Carrowmenagh would break the deadlock in the 64th minute when substitute Brian Kone saw off Toye and Martin with a strong run, but even though he managed to sneak the ball past the advancing McMullan, he wasn’t able to retrieve it and steer it goalwards and Stephen Doak got back to clear. Ten minutes later Dunfanaghy’s John Sheridan was more assertive in front of goal when he got on the end of a pass from the hard working Ronan McElhinney and lifted it over the advancing Noone and into the empty net. It was a shock for the visitors and try as they might Carrowmenagh had no way back. Central defender Andy McLaughlin made way for forward Paul McGowan as the visitors sought an equaliser, but the best they could manage was another good chance for David Houston following a flick on from a long throw, but once again McMullen in the home goal made a great save. James Henry also had a shot saved in the dying minutes, but for the most part the dogged Dunfanaghy defence allowed Carrowmenagh no real chance of getting back on level terms and they held on to go through to take a notable scalp en route to the next round. Dunfanaghy Town: Liam McMullen, Brendan Devine, Stephen Doak, James Martin, Paddy Toye, Ronan McElhinney, David McLaughlin, John Sheridan, James McMullan, Nicholas Nelis, Barry McGinley. Subs: Ryan Longan for McLaughlin (90), Danny Ferry for John Sheridan (90). Carrowmenagh: Michael Noone, John Paul Thompson, Ruairi Dougal, Mickey Doherty, Andrew McLaughlin, James Henry, Paul Duffy, Dermot Harkin, Jonathan McLaughlin, Matthew Henry, David Houston. Subs Brian Kone for J McLaughlin (60), Paul McGowan for A McLaughlin (80). For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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