Reports: Inishowen League starts with a bang

Strand Hotel First  Division
Clonmany Res 1
Redcastle United 4

Redcastle  got off to a dream start when they opened the scoring in the third minute after an Eoin McLaughlin left wing  cross found Cathal Cavanagh who scored with a deft glancing header past Kieran Friel.

They continued to dominate and added a second on 31 minutes after a Josh McConalogue speculative long range effort was tipped around the post by Friel.  When the home defence failed to clear the corner McLaughlin chipped the ball across for Cavanagh to nod home from point blank range. Five minutes later Marc Bell's left wing cross was stroked home by Darragh McConway to leave the visitors three ahead at the break. Confusion in the home defence in the 57th minute allowed Ronan Hoy to get in behind and fire low past Friel to  make it four nil.

But from there to the end of the game the home side were on top. They reduced the deficit when a quick release by Friel found Aaron Harkin  who beat a defender and fired over Michael McCole to the net. Substitute Dylan McEleney was then denied by McCole before the same player spooned the ball over the bar after good work by Mark Doherty.

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Clonmany continued to press and another substitute Ben Gill  crossed for Mark Doherty who headed over when well placed. They went close again on the stroke of full time when a corner fell to substitute Ethan Devlin but his effort was cleared off the line by a defender.

Dunree United 3
Aileach Res  0

Dunree began their league campaign with a three nil victory on their newly laid surface at St Egneys Park. After a slow start the game sprung to life on 20 minutes  after Mark Moran turned a defender and saw his snapshot saved by Sean McGuinness.

Aileach responded and a cross cum shot from Stephen Doherty  bounced off the face of the crossbar to safety. Dunree replied and Bernie Doherty should have made more of an opportunity but fired straight at McGuinness.

The visitors were dangerous on the break but it was the home side who took the lead on 43 minutes when Moran's through ball released Liam Baldrick through the middle and lobbed the advancing keeper from twenty five yards. Dunree got a dream start to the second half after a quick throw-in allowed Moran to turn  and hammer the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

They sealed the points on the hour mark when William Doherty played the ball into the channel for Moran to run onto before cutting inside a defender and slotting home. Aileach battled to the end and when Cathal McElhinney got in behind the home defence  his effort was saved by Adam Harrigan. Dunree had the final chance when  Bernie Doherty beat the advancing keeper to the ball but Pol McGrory was on hand to hook it off the line.

Gleneely Colts 2
Carn FC 6

Played on Saturday evening Carn started the quickest  with efforts from Conor Gibbons and Kyran Cantwell well saved by Oran Raymond in the Colts goal before Cantwell had another effort blocked by a defender.

The home side replied on 22 minutes with a Matthew McGoldrick cross just eluding Shay Harkin.Gleneely then took a shock lead after  John Doherty came out of Gleneely defence and played a brilliant low ball through  to Shay Harkin  whose cut back was cleared only as far as Manus Doherty who  fired low past  Ben Miller's left side from twenty five yards.

Gleneely went close again when a  cross from McGoldrick was flicked on by Paul Doherty but just over the bar.  Carn responded and got back on terms on 30 minutes with  Cian Burke who cut inside and curled a left foot shot past Oran Raymond. 

Brandon Browne and Cantwell then both went close for the visitors before the home side regained the lead  when a flick on by Paul Gamble to Christy McDaid who hit an unstoppable shot from 20 yards. Carn opened the stronger on the resumption and Burke had one effort saved before seeing another drift just over.

The colts replied  and spurned a clear chance after Corey O'Brien squared to  Billy McCann but he dragged his effort wide when well placed. Midway through the half Carn levelled when Ross Farren headed home from a corner. The visitors had the momentum now and a Lorcan Bradley effort with the aid of a slight deflection saw them nose ahead on 68 minutes.

A quick counter attack by the visitors from a Gleneely corner saw Burke square the ball for Cade Cooke to make it four two. Cooke then added another gola with a fine twenty yards strike to the top corner before  good work down  the right side ended up with Adam McLaughlin slotting the ball through the advancing keeper's legs to  make it six two on the night.

Buncrana Res 1
QPS 5

Buncrana started this game well and took an early lead after Jack Soal finished superbly after a good ball into the area from Jerry Gill. The visitors responded and McDean beat two defenders but saw his shot well saved by Oran McBride in the Hearts goal.

QPS levelled the game after hesitant defending allowed Josh Boyle  race clear to finish well past McBride.  The home side then spurned a great chance when Gill broke clear but his attempted chip sailed over the bar. Just before the break the visitors took the lead  after Conor Barrow beat two defenders and slotted  low past the advancing McBride.

Both sides had chances in the early stages of the second half when Boyle's effort was well saved by McBride while at the other end Sean McLaughlin's free kick rattled the crossbar. QPS then increased their lead with a superb strike from the edge of the area from Barrow giving McBride no chance. The visitors finished the game strongly and late goals from John McCloskey  and Barrow to complete his hat trick saw them run out five one victors.