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Lagan hold their nerve to see
off Glengad
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Glengad...3 J McDermott 4, Patrick McDermott 79, Paul McDermott 90 Lagan Harps...3 Burke 25, Kelly, 52, 64 (Lagan Harps win 3-2 on penalties after extra time) Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent, at Colmcille Park, Glengad Lagan Harps progressed to the semi-final of the Ulster Junior Cup after a hard fought win over a committed Glengad side at Park Colmcille on a chilly and blustery Easter Sunday in North Inishowen. The Donegal League side threw away a 3-1 second half lead and almost lost the game in extra time, but held on and held their nerve in the penalty shootout to set up a semi-final showdown with St Catherines. |
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Glengad opened the scoring
in unusual style in the 4th minute when John McDermott
curled a right-footed corner over Declan McDermott and
into the Lagan Harps net. Kevin Kelly led the ensuing inquest. The going was soft and for a time it looked like the visitors would get bogged down but driven on by Keith Malseed and Kevin Kelly in midfield, they began to fashion openings. Lagan equalised midway through the first half. Kelly’s rising 25-yard drive crashed back off Michael McLaughlin’s left hand post and Jason Burke followed up to score. The home side rallied and a long-range shot from Glengad midfielder Michael Doherty sailed over before Patrick Doherty found the Lagan keepers midriff with an acrobatic volley. However it was Jason Gibson’s side that looked the more likely of the two sides to score a second. Kelly forced McLaughlin into a smart save five minutes before the break, the Glengad keeper turning his |
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bending free from the left
around his post. In first half injury time Chris Toner twisted and turned on the left wing and chipped a cross to an unmarked Burke who attempted the spectacular and ended up with the ordinary. The game turned scrappy at the start of the second half, then, out of the blue, Lagan produced a move of some quality to take the lead in he 52nd minute. Kelly collected Jason Burke’s through ball on right side of the Glengad box before chipping the ball impudently over McLaughlin. Stephen McLaughlin’s response was to drill a low shot wide of the Lagan goal. With the energy-sapping soil taking it’s toll the players, Glengad made a double substitution in the 54th minute, Charlie Byrne and John McDaid coming on for John McLaughlin and Ruarai Doherty. |
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The visitors were playing
in powder blue and white halved tops, but there was
nothing powder-puff about the Lagan attack. As he had threatened to do in the first half, Kelly scored with a curling free in the 64th minute, beating McLaughlin at his near post. Glengad’s last roll of the dice was to throw on Paul McDermott on the 65th minute and an inspired substitution it would prove to be. The home team put the Lagan defence under a brief period of pressure after the third goal but the Donegal League side’s defenders were in an uncompromising mood. It took a defender to unlock the Lagan rearguard. With ten minutes to go Patrick McDermott played a one two with Stephen McLaughlin on the edge of the |
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Lagan box and found the
roof of the net. The next goal was going to be crucial.
It should have gone to Lagan after a swift counter-attack three minutes from time, but Chris Toner dwelt too long on the ball affording the home defence time to get back in position and the chance was gone. That indecision was to prove costly as deep in injury time Paul McDermott turned inside Shane Doherty and placed a low shot past Declan McDermott from eight yards to send the game to extra time. The home team should have gone ahead in extra time but Paul McDermott and John McDaid were denied by Declan McDermott before Shea Doherty’s header somehow stayed out after hitting the inside of a Lagan post. The visitors held on for penalties and when Shane Doherty scored the visitors fifth kick to put Lagan 3-2 up, John McDermott had to score to send the game into sudden death, but the pressure was too much and he pulled his shot wide. Glengad United: Michael McLaughlin, Ronald McDaid, Ruarai Doherty, Shane Doherty, Patrick McDermott, Michael Doherty, John Gerard McLaughlin, John McDermott, Stephen McLaughlin, Patrick Doherty, Jason Doherty. Lagan Harps: Declan McDermott Damien McFadden, Brian Bradley, Ronan Gibson, Shane Doherty, Keith Malseed, Kevin Kelly, Martin Brogan, Chris Toner, Jason Burke, Darren Doran. For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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