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Slow-start Aileach bow out
16.12.08
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Aileach FC...1 (Dermot Doherty 88) City United (Sligo)...3 (Paul Farren 4, 16, Simon Gilmartin 11) by Jonathan Downey, Inishowen Independent, at Caratra Park AILEACH sowed the seeds of their own downfall in the FAI Junior Cup on Sunday with a poor start against Sligo side City United on Sunday. Aileach had to concede advantage on home soil on Sunday morning when their pitch at Burnfoot was declared waterlogged, meaning they had to travel to Caratra Park in Culdaff. Aileach conceded three goals in the first 16 minutes, all of which were tap-ins for the visiting Sligo team. Aileach did have the most possession throughout the remainder of game but they could not open up City United’s defence until it was too late. Despite Aileach’s deficiencies in their reaction and awareness, they deserved more than Dermot Doherty’s late consolation strike that capped off a good second half performance. |
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City United stunned the
Burnfoot side with a goal on four minutes. Keith Nibbs
found some space on the edge of the 18 yard box and his
strike pulled a good save from Kevin McDermott only for
Paul Farren to react quicker and fire to the net on the
follow-up. Aileach responded with a skilful interchange of passes. Thomas McMonagle’s neat first time flick found Damian Barr and he passed it into the path of Martin Donaghey whose shot fired narrowly wide. United’s Simon Gilmartin added to Aileach’s woes when he profited on sluggish defending in the box in the 11th minute. Keith Nibbs had plenty of time to pick out a low cross and when the ball took a slight reflection via the keeper, Gilmartin rolled it into an open goal from three yards out. It seemed destined not to be the Inishowen side’s day. Aileach couldn’t catch a break and when City United won a seemingly unwarranted free-kick 25 yards out there was an air of concern. While Kevin McDermott was lining up his wall, Lee Marshall took a quick shot in the direction of the opposite corner. McDermott did well to get back and parry it out wide but Paul Farren’s awareness was on top form and he was on hand to toe-poke it in to make it 3-0 after just 16 minutes. Damian Barr should have narrowed the gap seconds later |
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when he rose unchallenged
ten yards out but his attempt went well wide. A dubious offside decision tested the Aileach camp’s nerves once again in the 26th minute. A one-two between Cathal McElhinney and Damian Barr cut open United’s defence but Enda McDermott got in just in front of McElhinney to finish it off. However, the referee called it offside when both players looked certain to have stayed onside. Chances were slim to none for both teams in the second quarter of the game. With two former Sligo Rovers players in the starting 11, the visitors were by far playing the better football. Aileach’s first touch and passing was letting them down which made it difficult against this very experienced side. Nevertheless Aileach created the best scoring chances of the first half. Just before half-time Aileach’s Neil McElhinney had a glorious opportunity but he slipped at the vital moment with a goal at his mercy. Three goals down, Darren McDermott’s Aileach piled on the pressure straight from the restart. A succession of corners and dangerous crosses from the wings were proving intimidating to the City United defence. United’s goalkeeper Declan Scanlon though was on fine form and made two very important clearing punches in the packed goalmouth. In the 61st minute Paddy McCarron thumped a tempting drive across goal but none of his Aileach teammates were able to get even the slightest touch on the ball. City United had an opportunity against the run of play in the 70th minute when Simon Gilmartin raced through only to knock the ball wide. Four minutes later Thomas McMonagle set-up Ciaran Craig but he was denied by a great save from Scanlon. Time was running out for Aileach to get back on terms. Stephen O’Donnell and Paddy McCarron both went close for Aileach but they failed to get anything on target. Stephen Doherty came closest on 87 minutes when his snapshot was kicked off the line by Gary Rooney. Aileach’s late pressure paid dividends a minute later when Dermot Doherty finished superbly with a strike into the top corner. It may have been too late for Aileach to take it to extra-time but it could have been different if Cathal McElhinney had done better in the 89th minute. A great weighted cross from Stephen O’Donnell eluded City United’s defence and with yards of space to control the ball, McElhinney went for a header that landed comfortably into the keeper’s hands. Having exited the FAI Junior Cup, it’s back to league action next week when Aileach travel to play Carn FC in the Premier Division. Aileach: Kevin McDermott, Dermot Doherty, Paddy McCarron, Kelvin Lynch, Neil McElhinney, Brian McElhinney, Damian Barr, Cathal McElhinney, Thomas McMonagle, Marin Donaghey, Enda McDermott. Subs: Ciaran Craig for Damian Barr (62); Stephen O’Donnell and Stephen Doherty for Enda McDermott and Brian McElhinney (75). City United: Declan Scanlon, Paul Lynch, Cathal Leggett, Gary Rooney, Simon Kelly, David Achphes, Colin Gaule, Lee Marshall, Keith Nibbs, Simon Gilmartin, Paul Farren. Subs: Paul Flanagan for Cathal Leggett (73); Stephen Callaghan for David Achphes (83). For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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