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Late goal secures Clonmany win 17.04.09
Hannon Greene Insurances Fr O’Gara Cup

Dunree...1
(Connell 56)

Clonmany...3
(Doherty17, McLaughlin 76,Kelly 89)

by Liam Porter, Inishowen Independent

FOR A while it looked as if a spectacular second half strike from Henry Connell would be enough to earn, at very least, a share of the spoils for Dunree’s reserves on Sunday but Clonmany who had squandered a series of good chances throughout the game finally found their shooting boots in the last fifteen minutes and put the game to bed.
To be honest the victory was nothing less than the visitors deserved and had it not been for a number of excellent saves from Roger Gilloway and some fine defending in particular from David Cassidy and Frank Kelly, they might well have had the game in the bag long before they did.
Instead, with just a goal between the sides going into the last few minutes, Clonmany were only able to finally breathe a sigh of relief when substitute Micky Kelly finished off a fine breakaway move with just a minute left on the clock.
But it might have been different had the chances they created throughout the match been converted and they should have been ahead as early as the second minute when Christy Ivers found himself unmarked at the back post but didn’t get the ball under control to get a shot away.
After that it was a cagey enough affair but Clonmany looked more assured on the ball and they carved the home defence open again in the 16th minute only for Gilloway to come to the rescue with a brave dive at the feet of Ciaran McLaughlin.
A minute later though there was nothing the Dunree keeper could do as two defenders tangled when they went for the same ball at a corner and the waiting Aidan Doherty gleefully hammered home from close range to make it 1-0.
Gilloway was called into action again in the 22nd minute to save from Kevin McCarron before Dunree finally managed a serious threat on the Clonmany ball.
A well flighted pass over the top of the defence
by Neil Moran was hammered goalward first time by Sean Baldrick, but the shot rattled off the post. The rebound fell to the inrushing Kevin Colgan but his well-struck shot was saved by Paddy Harkin.
But it was all Clonmany and Emlyn Doherty who ran the game for large parts from the heart of the midfield, sent Aidan Doherty through again in the 41st minute with a clever through ball but his shot was straight at Gilloway.
And it didn’t seem as if things were going to chance much in the second half when Rocky Ivers split the Clonmany defence to send Kevin McCarron away but he fired his shot just wide of the target.
Dunree hit back with a similar effort wide of the target from substitute Bernard Doherty before they levelled the game with a wonder strike.
Henry Connell rode three hefty challenges in the heart of the midfield before letting fly with a shot that flew over the helpless Harkin to level the game.
It was however to be the best Dunree could muster and for large parts of the rest of the game they were battered back into their own half and sometimes into their own eighteen yard box.
In one five minute spell the visitors forced Gilloway into three saves in a row in a goalmouth scramble and they also saw the ball come off the post as the Dunree defence continued to lead a charmed life.
But their luck wasn’t going to hold til the end and goalscorer Aidan Doherty turned provider in the 76th minute when he set off on a good run down the right before squaring to Kevin McCarron to blaze in from eight yards.
There never seemed any danger of Dunree stealing a late equaliser but Clonmany were taking no chances and when a Dunree attack was snuffed out in the last minute a quick break saw substitute Micky Kelly released through the middle and he made no mistake with a shot past Gilloway that sealed a well deserved three points.

Dunree: Roger Gilloway, Kevin Colgan, Johnny Toland, Frank Kelly, David Cassidy, Stephen O’Sullivan, Malcom McGee, Henry Connell, Neil Moran, Sean Baldrick, Paddy McLaughlin. Subs: Bernard Doherty for Paddy McLaughlin (54 mins); Paddy Toland for Kevin Colgan (65 mins).

Clonmany Shamrocks: Paddy Harkin, Darren Grant, Jerry McDaid, Sean Doherty, Declan Doherty, Emlyn Doherty, Rocky Ivers, Christy Ivers, Ciaran McLaughlin, Kevin McCarron, Aidan Doherty. Subs: Dessie Doherty for C Ivers (61 mins); Liam Barclay for Ciaran McLaughlin (75 mins); Micky Kelly for Aidan Doherty (83 mins).

For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent.
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