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Carn clinch all-Inishowen clash
All County League Division 3  14.05.08

Carn...1-5
Robert McCartney 0-2 (1 free); Mark Canny 0-1; Barry McElhinney 1-0; Ronan O’Connor 0-1;
Christy McLaughlin 0-1

Naomh Pádraig...0-7
John McLaughlin 0-1; Colm McColgan 0-2; Damien Diver 0-3 (1 free); Gerard McColgan 0-1

by Jonathan Downey, Inishowen Independent, at Páirc Uí Dochartaigh, Foden

IT MAY have lacked the lustre many associate with Inishowen clashes, but that factor was irrelevant when Carn survived a second half Naomh Pádraig onslaught to stay top of the table.
Both sides made life hard for themselves with both experiencing one half of dominance and the other half struggling. Naomh Pádraig will curse running out of time with Carn looking like they were running on an empty tank and failing to point easy opportunities.
The home side took a six point lead going in at the interval 1-4 to 0-1, with Robert McCartney and Dara McLaughlin in form up front and Paddy Nelson at full-back sweeping up, with John McLaughlin getting Muff’s only score. The second half told a different story with Damien Diver back in the Naomh Pádraig frame they took control hitting six points up until the 54th minute.
Robert McCartney opened the scoring for Carn in the third minute before both Barry McElhinney and Raymond McLaughlin missed goal chances for Carn and Naomh Pádraig respectively before the seventh minute mark. Two minutes later John McLaughlin pointed for what would be Naomh Pádraig’s only score of the opening period.
Dara McLaughlin battled hard in the tenth minute to earn a free that McCartney pointed to put Carn in the lead. The two Carn corner forwards were showing well and proving the biggest threat of the first half. Dara McLaughlin laid the ball off to the oncoming Mark Canny and he increased the home side’s lead further.
With 17 minutes on the clock, the ball fell to Dara McLaughlin but when his bundled shot was saved by Gerard Harkin,
Barry McElhinney stepped in and tapped home from four yards. That goal put Carn 1-3 to 0-1 up. Four minutes later Naomh Pádraig almost got a goal back but it took a good save from Martin Mooney to keep out Ciaran Harrigan’s attempt. Ronan O’Connor’s point, via a Dara McLaughlin pass, in the 25th minute would prove to be Carn’s last point until the final minutes of the second half.
The second half began with Carn leading 1-4 to 0-1. With two points at stake, Naomh Pádraig brought on latecomer Damien Diver to head the comeback. Muff pulled two points back in the first three minutes with Colm McColgan and Damien Diver on the score sheet.
In the 42nd minute a Robert McCartney free fooled everyone in the park when the ball made a sudden drop but the back post saved Naomh Pádraig blushes. Two quick points for the visitors right after by Gerard McColgan and Damien Diver, thanks to good awareness from Mark Duffy and Colm McColgan.
In the 50th minute Colm McColgan scored a magnificent long-range shot leaving just a single point between the sides, 1-4 to 0-6. The Carn forwards must have lost their shooting boots at half-time when Robert McCartney missed another scorable free.
Lucky for Carn substitute Christy McLaughlin powered his way through and hand passed over for a two point cushion. It should have been three but Darren Burke missed a free right in front of goals. Two minutes into injury-time Damien Diver pointed a free. Naomh Pádraig would have been happy for, and entitled to, a draw at this late-stage but the final whistle was the final obstacle.

Carn: Martin Mooney; Mickey Nelson, Paddy Nelson, Ryan Davenport; Liam Shields, Mark Canny, Kevin McElhinney; Gerard Doherty, Gerry Simpson; Darren Burke, Cathal Doherty, Ronan O’Connor; Robert McCartney, Barry McElhinney, Dara McLaughlin. Subs: Christy McLaughlin for Ronan O’Connor (49 mins); Ritchie Cunningham for Barry McElhinney (60 mins).

Naomh Pádraig: Gerard Harkin; Enda McColgan, Paul Duffy, Dermot Keaveney; Declan McLaughlin, Raymond McLaughlin, Brendan McColgan; Aidan Lynch, Colm McColgan; Gerard McColgan, Martin Duffy, Mark Duffy; Ciaran Harrigan, Eunan Keaveney, John McLaughlin. Subs: Damien Diver for John McLaughlin (H-T); Barry Hegarty for Gerard McColgan (57 mins); Dermot McColgan for Ciaran Harrigan (58 mins).

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