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Feast of superb football 10.07.09
Foyle Coaches Inishowen Cup

THERE WAS an excellent days entertainment at Maginn Park & St Marys Park Cockhill last Saturday when the Inishowen Youth & Schoolboys Academy hosted an Inishowen Cup for under 13s involving the Donegal League, Cavan League, Oxford United and the Inishowen league.
The Donegal League emerged victors with two wins and a draw while the Inishowen team finished runners up with two wins and a defeat and an excellent Oxford side recorded one win one draw and one defeat.

Inishowen...2
Oxford United...1


With minutes left on the clock Dillon Ruddy drove a superb twenty two yards free kick low to the bottom corner to give the host side an excellent start to the competition. Oxford probably deserved a share of the spoils on the day. Inishowen got off to a dream start in the 4th minute when Ciaran Diver advanced on the right and crossed for Ronan Doherty to volley first time low to the corner from ten yards. Oxford replied with Jack Dixon cutting in from the right but firing wide at the near post.
Inishowen replied with Ruddy seeing his well-struck effort blocked down before at the other end a poor defensive header fell to Jamie McGonagle but he failed to hit the target. On 24 minutes Dixon broke clear of the home defence but Diver got back to make an excellent saving tackle just inside the area. Oxford had the last chance of the half when a corner fell to Loughlan Toland but his volley from the edge of the area was headed away by Fergal Harkin.
Inishowen started the second half well with Georgie Kelly releasing Darragh McDermott on the right but he fired his effort across the face of goal and wide. Oxford got on top for a spell at this stage with Toland firing wide from the edge of the area before midway through the half they got back on terms after the home defence failed to deal with a ball over the top allowing Aaron Porter to deftly flick the ball past Harry Doherty and just inside the post. Porter then produced two excellent crosses from the right which just eluded inrushing team mates on each occasion. Inishowen rallied in the last ten minutes with Ryan Varma’s cross from the right superbly taken by keeper Jordan McCaul before Conor Doherty advanced on the left and saw his looping cross land on the roof of the net.
On 58 minutes Inishowen regained the lead when Ruddy drove a superb free kick from twenty yards low past the wall and into the bottom corner. Oxford replied instantly and were unlucky when Jason Sweeney saw his powerful effort crash off the bar. Inishowen finished well with substitute Shane Kelly denied by a last ditch Evan Donnell tackle before Varma saw a twenty yards effort superbly saved by McCaul.

Inishowen...0
Donegal...3


Manager Hugh McGonagle utilised his squad to the full for this fixtures and despite a poor showing in the opening half Inishowen performed very well in the second period and really should have scored at least once. Donegal started well with Dale Gorman having a driven free well held by Harry Doherty.
They took the lead on 13 minutes when the home defence failed to clear a corner allowing Darragh Black to lift the ball over Doherty and into the net from twelve yards. Inishowen replied with Dillon Ruddy crossing for Ryan Varma who controlled well but saw his angled volley well held by Jason Quinn. Inishowen were rocked in the 29th minutes after Chris Flanagan collected a throw in and drifted past his marker before firing a twenty five yards shot to the roof of the net for a spectacular goal. The game as a contest was effectively ended just before the interval when Gorman fired a speculative twenty five yards effort past a startled Doherty in the home goal.
Donegal started the second period well with Black darting past three tackles but denied by a good save from Doherty. Inishowen awoke from their slumber and dominated the remainder of the game.
On 39 minutes a quick throw by Declan McGonigle released Ryan Varma on the right and when he crossed to Shane Skelly the ball was laid off to Cian Hirrell
who flashed a twenty three yards shot inches past the post. Varma then had a snapshot parried by Quinn before Ryan Doherty crossed for Skelly whose glancing header dropped just past the post. Varma then had a twenty five yards free well held by Quinn on 55 minutes.
In Inishowen’s best move of the day Ryan Doherty fed Ronan Doherty who played a one two with Fergal Harkin on the left before squaring to Skelly whose first time effort was brilliantly saved by Quinn.

Inishowen...5
Cavan...1


Inishowen proved too strong for a very young and experimental Cavan outfit in sun drenched Maginn Park. It was Cavan who started the better and they were unlucky in the 4th minutes when David Majolla unleashed a terrific twenty-five yards strike which Harry Doherty done well to tip onto the bar. Inishowen settled and took the lead on 8 minutes when Ronan Doherty released Fergal Harkin on the left and when he squared the ball to Darragh McDermott he side-footed home from six yards. McDermott then fired over from twenty yards before both Ryan Doherty and Ryan Varma were denied by good saves by keeper Ian Telford.
Varma then shot wide when well placed before Inishowen got their second on 26 minutes after an exquisite pass from Ronan Doherty split the Cavan defence allowing Georgie Kelly to run on and lift the ball over the advancing Telford. Inishowen began the second period well with Kelly firing over from twenty yards before they increased their lead on 43 minutes when McDermott’s cross was beautifully swept home by Varma from ten yards.
Minutes later McDermott again was the provider for Varma who volleyed first time to the roof of the net from fifteen yards. The home defence went to sleep minutes later allowing Matthew Turbet to break clear but with Doherty advancing he fired wide from the edge of the area. At the other end a defensive error gifted McDermott a clear chance but he blazed over from ten yards. Cavan got a consolation on 58 minutes when Turbet burst through a couple of tackles and slotted low past Doherty from twelve yards.
Inishowen’s response was immediate with Varma breaking clear on the right and unselfishly crossing to the back post for Tony McClenaghan to tap home from close range.

Overall
This squad is now finished for the season and the Academy hope they enjoy their break and return fresh in October for the trials which begin all over again.
The player of the day awards went to the following players:
Cavan: Ryan Galligan, Donegal: Christopher Flanagan, Oxford: Loughlan Toland
Inishowen: Ronan Doherty
It is hoped that this competition will be expanded and run on an annual basis and the Academy would again like to thank all the teams for competing. It must also be said that all the players deserve great credit for their excellent attitude towards the playing of the game and towards the referees. They were a credit to themselves and to their coaches.

Results
Inishowen 2, Oxford 1; Donegal 5, Cavan 1; Inishowen 0, Donegal 3; Oxford 2, Cavan 0; Inishowen 5, Cavan 1, Donegal 1, Oxford 1.

League Table
 
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Donegal 3 2 1 0 9 2 7
Inishowen 3 2 0 1 7 5 6
Oxford 3 1 1 1 4 6 4
Cavan 3 0 0 0 2 12 0

 

The Academy would like to thank the youth league, the parks committee, Cockhill Celtic and the referees society for all their help in contributing to the success of the day. (Inishowen Independent)

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

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