Cutliffe is Cockhill’s tormentor
02.06.09
Buncrana Hearts...4
(Cutliffe 11, McLaughlin 49, Boyle 83, Boucher-Hayes
90)
Cockhill Celtic...2
(Grant 14, 80)
By Liam Porter, Inishowen
Independent
Buncrana striker scores one and sets up three as they
win local derby
STRIKER Matthew Cutliffe proved a real thorn in the side
fo Cockhill on Sunday, scoring one and having a hand in
three more as they claimed bragging rights over their
local rivals in a hard fought local derby played in
searing sunshine at the Boys Club.
Cockhill must have thought they’d done enough to secure
at least a share of the spoils when Garvan Friel
hammered home his second goal of the game with just ten
minutes left on the clock, but shocking defending from
the visitors saw them throw the game away in the last
ten minutes.
Before then a draw was at least all Cockhill would have
deserved and for long periods they looked the better of
the sides, especially in the second half when Buncrana
seemed content to soak up the pressure having gone ahead
early in the half. |
To be fair to the home side
they managed that fairly comfortably too. Senan Murphy
at left full and Padraig McLaughlin in the centre of
defence both turning in decent displays to keep the
Cokchill men at bay.
Johnny McCarron meanwhile put in an industrious shift at
the heart of midfield where he faced the industrious
William McLaughlin one of Cockhill’s better performers
on the day.
But it was up front that Buncrana caused the real
heartache for their neighbours and having pressed
Buncrana back for long periods in the second half, they
found out to their peril that Cutliffe was not a player
to be left unattended.
He had kicked off the scoring early in the game.
Cockhill keeper Stephen Porter was adjudged to have held
the ball longer than six seconds and when the indirect
free ws touched to Cutliffe he smashed it through the
shaky looking wall into the bottom corner to make it
1-0.
But the lead was short lived and Buncrana keeper Rory
Kelly handed Cockhill an eaqualiseer in the 14th minute
with a poor clearance that fell straight to James
Bradley. He quickly dispatched a pass to striker Garvan
Friel who was only too delighted to hammer home from
inside the box to level the game.
Three minutes later Friel might have found the target
again, this time dragging his shot across the face of
goal while Jimmy |
 |
Bradley’s free-kick in the
22nd minute was straight down the centre and proved an
easy save for Kelly.
At the other end Johnny Eccles slipped a through ball to
Sean Michael Boucher-Hayes sho saw his shot blocked, and
that was as good as it got for Buncrana in terms of
chances.
Cockhill on the other hand saw William McLaughlin and
Derek Doherty both have decent efforts before the break,
but all would change within minutes of the re-start.
Only four minutes of the second half had elapsed when
Cutliffe’s raking ball split the Cockhill defence and
found Stephen McLaughlin. He controlled the pass, then
cut inside to fire home a terrific second for Buncrana.
Cockhill sub Paul McKinney seemed to have made an
instant impact when he raced clear in the 60th minute,
but he was flagged for offside before Cockhill could
bundle the ball over the line after Kelly saved his
effort.
Cutliffe meanwhile forced Porter to claw away a
free-kick in the 66th minute while in the Buncrana box
Patrick McLaughlin had a great chance to level the game
but blazed over from close range.
Despite their pressure it looked as if Cockhill would
struggle to find a way though until McKinney set off on
a run in the 80th minute leaving Darren McGlynn in his
wake. Kelly made a great save to stop McKinney’s shot,
but the ball spiralled into the air and Friel nipped in
to smash home to the equaliser.
At that stage it looked as if the momentum had swung
towards Cockhill, but a terrific long ball from keeper
Kelly found Cutliffe in the 83rd minute and when he
somehow managed to cut the ball back to Gerard Boyle,
despite the attention of two defenders, Boyle only had
to finish. He did that and with seven minutes left on
the watch the home side were in front.
Again the visitors pressed, but Buncrana held firm and
sealed their win right at the death when Cutliffe’s free
was deflected into the air and Boucher-Hayes was first
to react, stealing in to head home the fourth from close
range.
Buncrana: Rory Kelly: Darren McGlynn, Seanan
Murphy, Padraig McLaughlin, Gary Duffy, Johnny McCarron,
Johnny Eccles, Sean M Boucher-Hayes, Gerard McLaughlin,
Matthew Cutliffe, Liam McCarron. Subs. Gerard Boyle for
Eccles (68 mins)
Cockhill Celtic: Stephen Porter, Barry McColgan,
George Porter, William McLaughlin, John McElroy, Ciaran
Grant, Liam O’Donnell, James Bradley, Aidan O’Donnell,
Garvan Friel, Derek Doherty. Subs: Jarlaith Herrity for
Liam O’Donnell (12 mins), Paddy McLaughlin for Aidan
O’Donnell (40 mins) Paul McKinney for Ciaran Grant (60
mins).
For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the
Inishowen Independent. |
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