 |
||||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
 |
| Search... |
Schoolboys share the spoils
|
||||||||||||
|
Inishowen Schoolboys
League...0 Donegal Schoolboys League...0 By Liam Porter, Inishowen Independent, at Culdaff THE YOUNGSTERS of the Inishowen and Donegal Schoolboys Academies had to settle for a share of the spoils on Saturday when their respective Under 14 sides met in a hard fought and entertaining clash in Culdaff. There were few chances on offer during the match but there were some excellent defensive displays on show, with Inishowen’s Conor McLaughlin in particular turning in a magnificent performance at the heart of the home defence. The young Moville lad read the game magnificently and turned in some fantastic challenges while he also showed some impeccable touches of skill as he kept Donegal’s main threat – striker Paddy McBrearty – at bay. |
|
|
He was helped in that task
by centre half Ryan McLaughlin whose dominance in the
air in the early stages was the springboard for a very
confident and competent display, which was marred only
by a late injury. Donegal started brightly and had the best chance of the opening exchanges when McBrearty seemed to have directed the ball goalward in the 9th minute, but Michael Barr who grew into the game for Inishowen, was on hand to clear the ball off the line. The tricky Jordan Duffy then fired over a good cross from the right that Cathal Diver headed wide a minute later, but after that Inishowen came more and more into the match. Left winger Colm McLaughlin was causing Donegal problems and it was a pity that he didn’t get on the ball more in the second half when the home side had a |
 |
|
much greater fluency about
them. Inishowen’s main threat however came from Glengad striker Daniel McDaid who was a handful all day for the Donegal defence and who had the best of the few Inishowen efforts with a couple of shots that were well wide of the mark. Indeed it was Donegal who had the clearest opportunities in the first half, but Martin McLaughlin in goal made sure they went in at the break on level terms when he was out quickly to smother as Kevin Diver raced in on the 28th minute. The second half was a much more open affair and Inishowen might have taken the lead in the 44th minute |
 |
when Michael Barr steamed in at the back post but failed
to make a connection on a wonderful cross from the right
by Ryan McClenaghan. At the other end McBrearty who had dropped deep into his own half to escape the attention of the Inishowen central defence, played a wonderful ball over the top to substitute Christy McCaffrey, but he dragged his shot across the face of goal and wide. It was one of the few times that young right back Caomhin Doherty was exposed in the game after he had come on as a sub for the injured Kevin Hegarty just before the break. Giving almost a foot in height to the Donegal winger, the right back was superbly brave in the tackle and excellent on the ball turning in a very impressive display for Diarmuid O’Brien’s lads. There was certainly much more fluidity to the game in the second half, but chances were still at a premium and the best came for both sides in one exhilarating minute. McBrearty saw his header from a Donegal corner cleared off the line in the 57th minute and the clearance started a break for Inishowen. Ryan McClenaghan’s clever ball created an opening for Dan McDaid, but he saw his shot saved brilliantly with his feet by Donegal keeper Joe Coll. After that there were a couple of half chances for both sides, but in the end both had to be content with a draw no doubt though they will be looking for better when they each meet Sligo in the next group game. |
|
Inishowen: Martin
McLaughlin, Kevin Hegarty, Christopher McDermott, Conor
McLaughlin, Ryan McLaughlin, Thomas McMacken, Sean
Curran, Michael Barr, Daniel McDaid, Ryan McClenaghan,
Colm McLaughlin. Subs: Caomhin Doherty for Hegarty (35
mins), Conor McMacken for Thomas McMacken (58 mins),
Matthew Harrigan for Ryan McLaughlin (63 mins). Donegal: Joe Coll, Martin Redmond, Stephen Rodden, Alan Lyons, John O’Malley, James Doyle, Jamie McCarry, Gavin Gallagher, Paddy McBrearty, Jordan Duffy, Cathal Diver. Subs: Christy McCaffrey for Doyle (42 mins), Sean Gallagher for Gavin Gallagher (42 mins), Rory Dunleavy for Diver (57 mins). For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
|
| Return to > News |
 |