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Buncrana Hearts come up short
05.09.08
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Fanad United...2 Buncrana Hearts...0 Story: Inishowen Independent FANAD United won the Donegal News Ulster Senior League Cup on Saturday when Ollie Horgan’s team overcame Buncrana Hearts in a sometimes tempestuous final at Dry Arch Park, Bonagee. Patrick Patton scored a ninth minute opener, but Fanad had to wait until deep into stoppage time at the end for their second, which was netted by Sean Houston. While Buncrana will rue a few costly misses, the better side came out on top with Fanad their usual resilient and hard-working selves, backboned by industrious showings from Patrick Patton, Sean McElwaine, Paddy McGrenaghan and Eamon Sheridan. Buncrana didn’t get much change from a strong Fanad rearguard, though they did get presented with a couple of opportunities following an unusually shaky second-half display from Mark Anthony McGinley in the Fanad goal. |
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Although the first period
was a tame enough affair, the action livened up a good
deal for part two and at times the contest threatened to
spill over. Referee Paul Duddy had to make several notes
in his jotter in the final quarter of an hour, indeed
the name of Paddy McGrenaghan was taken twice in a
three-minute spell near the end with the ex-Finn Harps
man sent off on 86 minutes after picking up a second
yellow after a clash with Matthew Cutliffe. Moments earlier, striker Gerard McLaughlin was fortunate to escape with only a yellow after lifting his hand to Russell Porter, with the latter’s theatrics perhaps saving the Buncrana man from dismissal. As tempers frayed, Fanad’s Arthur Lynch was also shown yellow for his part in the jostles before McGrenaghan saw red soon after. Coming into the match on the back of a narrow league win over Swilly Rovers midweek, Fanad were without the suspended Paul Nash, while Buncrana’s influential centre-back Gary Duffy failed in his bid to declare fitness. Nine minutes in and Fanad took the lead with the first noteworthy chance of the evening. Russell Porter provided the opening as it was his delivery from the middle of the park that led to quick-thinking full-back Patrick Patton nipping in around the back of the defence and, with Rory Kelly off his line, ‘Burger’ coolly lobbed the ball into the net. Buncrana were slow to start, but when they did find their rhythm, Ross Connolly had a couple of good chances, though Mark Anthony McGinley denied the front man with a good save from a powerfully struck shot. |
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Diarmuid Fullerton also
forced the youngster into making a save, while Paddy
McNulty failed to keep an effort at the other end on
target. Trailing to Patton’s opener at the interval, Buncrana set about rescuing the tie on the resumption and side enjoyed plenty of openings for the second instalment. Just two minutes in, McGinley let a cross from Liam McCarron squirm under his body and just when it seemed as if Connolly was about to prod home, a combination of ’keeper and defender thwarted his endeavours. The game was beginning to liven at this point and Jonathan Bonner shot wide from 20 yards at one end and a Paddy McGrenaghan free ghosted past a crowded box before Kelly got down well to deny Eamon Sheridan soon after. Denis Boyle came close to extending Fanad’s lead on 66 minutes when he spotted an opening at the far post only to curl just wide from the edge of the box. Sean McElwaine then spared McGinley’s blushes when the defender blocked from Sean Michael Boucher Hayes, who was quickest to react when the young goalkeeper uncharacteristically misjudged the flight of a McFadden deliver. Twelve minutes from the end, the netminder spilled a shot from Jonathan Bonner, yet no-one was on hand with the follow up. Seimi Friel and Sheridan both had chances to finish the game in a heated finish that saw McGrenaghan dismissed. Four minutes into added time, Sean Houston raced clear and steered low into the bottom corner with a neat left-footed strike that sealed victory and the silverware. For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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