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Aileach striker too hot for Moville 25.11.08
FAI Schoolboys U16 National Cup

Moville...1
(McDermott 10)

Aileach...2
(McGuinness (og) 72, Lynch 79)

by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent, at Glencrow

AILEACH progressed to the next round of the FAI Schoolboys U16 National Cup and a date with Letterkenny after a hard fought 2-1 win over Moville at Glencrow on Saturday afternoon. Despite falling behind early on, Stephen O’Donnell’s youngsters defended superbly and were the better side in the second half, snatching a late-late winner from the imposing Kelvin Lynch.
An evenly-matched encounter looked set for extra time when, in the final minute, Lynch latched onto Michael McClay’s precise through ball and beat the advancing Shaun Diver in the Moville net with a cool side-foot finish. Game, set and match Aileach.
How different it had been. The early signs pointed to a home win. Moville, cajoled from the sideline by their demonstrative manager John L Coyle, created the opening chance of the match in the 9th minute.
Oran McDermott and Brendan Diver combined in midfield to set up Enda Faulkner. The Moville midfielder cleverly flicked the ball over Aileach keeper Andrew Oakley but centre-back Paul McHugh, who had an excellent match, stole in to steer the ball out of harm’s way.
Oran McDermott opened the scoring for Moville a minute later, curling a left foot free from wide on the right over Oakley and in off the back post.
Gradually, with Lynch impressive in the air, McClay industrious in midfield and Daithi Grant raiding up the wing, the Burnfoot boys made a game of it.
Nevertheless, there was little aside from the odd deep cross to worry Shaun Diver, and it was his hoops who had the better goal chances.
The home side forced a succession of corners at the end of the first half. A goal-bound Conor McLaughlin half-volley was blocked by a yellow shirt and from the resulting kick the same player was inches away from heading Moville’s second.
Aileach made the better start to the second half. Lynch laid a long ball off to substitute Ronan McDermott and made a run into the box where he met Gareth Quinn’s cross but could only head straight at Diver.
This Moville side have a powerful midfield, but unfortunately for the Foylesiders, they rarely got out of second gear on Saturday. Too often moves broke down allowing Aileach to grow in confidence.
In the 54th minute, after a good run by McHugh, McClay flicked the ball into Lynch’s path, and he stabbed the ball just past the post. Five minutes later McHugh’s hanging free broke back to Lynch in the D, but he sliced wide.
Twelve minutes from time Aileach had their best chance yet. McHugh released Grant and his cross fell for McClay who flashed his shot just over.
A goal for Aileach looked increasingly likely and when McClay dispossessed Oran McDermott, McHugh found the left back Christopher McDermott on the overlap. His cross was headed down by Lynch and, it seemed, wide of the target, but the ball hit Pauric McGuinness and rolled into the net.
Shortly after, Lynch’s height was requires at the other end to head out a dangerous McDermott corner from the six yard box.
Moville’s chances in the second half were few and far between, the best coming midway through the half when Brendan Diver sprung Faulkner, but his cross just eluded substitute Tony Boyle run.
Towards the end, the game was disrupted by a number of stoppages for injuries to a couple of Moville players and the sending off of an Aileach player. And it looked as though the story of the game was headed for a predictable conclusion, but then came the sting in this particular tale.

Moville: Shaun Diver, Pauric McGuinness, Evan McDermott, Gavin Harkin, Ryan Killen, Michael Cole, Enda Faulkner, Conor McLaughlin Oran McDermott, Shaun Doherty, Brendan Diver. Subs: Tony Boyle for Doherty (64), William Wilson for Coyle (75).

Aileach: Andrew Oakley, Gareth Quinn, Christopher McDermott, Paul McHugh, Darren McLaughlin, Gavin Doherty, Dean Gill, Michael McClay, Kelvin Lynch, Thomas McMacken, Daithi Grant. Subs: Ronan McDermott for Gill (46), Darren McMonagle for Grant (77).

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