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Sunday stroll for Clonmany
Shamrocks
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Clonmany Shamrocks...3 (Phil Pat Doherty 9, Jason Devlin 17, Philip Devlin, 43) Lagan Harps...0 by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent, at Cockhill LAGAN Harps had swallowed some Inishowen small fry en route to the Ulster Junior Cup Final. On Sunday they ran into a big fish and were gobbled up. Clonmany’s dominance in this contest was not reflected in the score-line and had they doubled their goals tally, the men from Manor could scarcely have complained they’d been hard done by. That Clonmany were held to three was down almost entirely to the brilliance of Lagan’s teenage keeper Declan McDermott. The Letterkenny stopper made a string of saves ranging from the routine to the sublime as time and again his back four were exposed. |
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The talk prior to kick-off
among spectators of a Shamrocks persuasion was that the
real final had taken place in the previous round when
their side had seen off Redcastle 3-1. Such chin-wagging was a slight on a Lagan Harps side that had reached the final on merit, still, it was clear after the game settled that Clonmany were operating at a higher level of footballing proficiency than the Donegal League Premier Division Strugglers. It took the Inishowen side a mere nine minutes to make the breakthrough, Phil Pat Doherty powering home a Jason Devlin corner. Lagan had trouble holding onto the ball and found it impossible to get beyond the swarming Shamrocks midfield. Their chances in the opening quarter amounted to a couple of speculative long-range shots by midfielder Keith Malseed. In the 17th minute Clonmany doubled their advantage with a swift counter attack. Raymond McDaid broke up a Harps attack at the edge of the Shamrock’s 18-yard box and passed short to Patrick Doherty who released teen winger Stephen McLaughlin along the left. The Isle of Doagh native opened his stride and burst beyond |
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the halfway line unchecked
then crossed to Jason Devlin who side-footed first time
past McDermott from ten yards out. On 26 minutes Shane Doherty was booked for a cynical hack at Stephen McLaughlin after Clonmany winger showed him a clean pair of heels down the right had flank. McLaughlin’s pace caused untold problems for Lagan and the teenager grows in confidence with every game. He was worthy of a goal, and it should have arrived five minutes before half time when he was in the right place at the right time to collect Liam Hirrell’s miss-hit shot, but hooked a rising drive beyond the angle of post and bar. |
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A couple of minutes before
halftime Clonmany had one hand and four fingers on the
cup after Philip Devlin was credited with a goal after
his initial header hit Kevin Kelly on the Lagan line but
still ended up in the net. The Donegal League had their best chance of the game within seconds of the restart, but Chris Toner lacked composure when presented with gilt-edged opening and shot over he bar. What played out in the next 45 minutes might have been scripted Last Man Standing, with Lagan keeper McDermott in the leading role. On 51 minutes McDermott somehow deflected Stephen McLaughlin’s stinging close range drive onto the crossbar and, after rushing from his line to block Jason Devlin’s cross at source, he then produced a fine double save after Michael Byrne tore into his box from the left. Harps had lost all shape by this stage and on 68 minutes a simple one-two in the centre of the park released substitute Michael Grant who cut into the Lagan area then shot back across his body an onto the near post with the Lagan defence on walkabout. More chances came and went. Jason Devlin, Steve Harkin, and Michael Byrne all passed up good chances to make it 4-0. As the game wound down Harps went in search of a consolation and forced a series of corners, from the best of which Jason Burke almost squeezed the ball home, but it was not to be. Clonmany Shamrocks: Peter Devlin, Joe Grant, Liam Hirrell, Phil Pat Doherty, Philip Devlin, Raymond McDaid, Michael Byrne, Patrick Doherty, Brendan Devlin, Stephen McLaughlin. Subs: Paul McLaughlin and Steve Harkin for Brendan Devlin and Raymond McDaid (58), Michael Grant for Stephen McLaughlin (65). Lagan Harps: Declan McDermott, Ronan Gibson, Paul Rodgers, Jason Gibson, Shane Doherty, Keith Malseed, Kevin Kelly, Martin Brogan, Chris Toner, Darren Doran, Jason Burke. Subs: Damien McFadden and Brian Bradley for Shane Bradley and Kevin Kelly (HT), Ciaran Bradley for Paul Rodgers (76). For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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