Carn Reserves snatch victory
over QPS
14.11.07
Carndonagh Reserves...4
(Coyle 2, B McElhinney, J. Doherty)
QPS Reserves...2
(McIver, P Doherty og)
By Liam Porter, Inishowen
Independent
Two goals in the first half from striker Cathal Coyle
helped Carndonagh’s Reserves on their way to victory
over QPS Reserves in Carndonagh on Sunday morning, but
it might have been a different story had the men from
the Point not suffered a number of injuries to key
players.
The game was barely five minutes old when striker Dean
Hegarty had to leave the pitch following a heavy tackle
from behind and the injury woes continued for QPS in the
second half when they lost goalkeeper Eugene O’Donnell
and young defender Simon Wallace had to take over in
goal.
By that stage it was all-square in the game, with
veteran striker Brian McIver, twice helping QPS come
from behind.
Carn had the first chance of the game in the 8th minute
when Barry McElhinney’s shot was saved by O’Donnell and
the QPS keeper also managed to block the rebound. |
However the pressure from
the home side paid off three minutes later when Coyle
nipped in at the front post to steer home a header from
Shane Doherty’s corner.
With the best of the early chances it looked as it might
be enough to push Carn towards more goals, however the
lead was short lived and two minutes later a
suspiciously offside looking Brian McIver was on hand at
the back post to finish off Marty Gallagher’s cross and
level the game.
Carndonagh went back into the lead in the 18th minute
when Coyle slotted home a neat right foot finish. He
might have added a third in the 21st minute with a shot
that flew wide of the target, while a minute later
Trevor Gallagher headed over the bar as the Point
pressed to get back on level terms.
And they managed that once again in the 38th minute when |
 |
McIver drove in a low cross
that nicked off the unfortunate Philip Doherty for an
own goal that tied the game.
The injury to keeper O’Donnell three minutes into the
second half saw QPS forced to re-shuffle their pack
again and even the introduction of Ian ‘Di Canio’ Cullen
couldn’t help them keep Carn at bay.
For a while though it looked as if the stand in keeper
would have nothing to do, but as QPS began to tire
Carndonagh started to turn the screw and eventually
Wallace was forced to claw away a free-kick from Philip
Doherty in the 53rd minute.
Barry McElhinney eventually slotted Carn’s third goal
home in the 66th minute and the home side looked to seal
the game pressing forward at every opportunity.
With Paul Canny and Philip Doherty seeing a lot of the
ball, Carn were pressing QPS back but found Damien
McCallion and Damien McColgan in good form at the heart
of the defence.
Indeed the impressive Damien McColgan had to be alert in
the 79th minute to hack another effort from McElhinney
off the line.
An attempted clearance from QPS almost brought a fourth
for Carn in bizarre circumstances in the 86th minute,
but with the ball rebounding back towards goal and
Wallace scrambling backwards the ball hit the bar and
fell to safety.
In the end though the pressure from the home side paid
off and they got a fourth in the last minute when
Wallace did well to palm away a free from Patrick
McElhinney only to see the rebound fall to John Doherty
who slotted home from close range.
Carn might even have added to their tally deep into
injury time but substitute Emmett Doherty was unable to
find the target with two late chances.
Carndonagh: James McDaid, Stephen Kelly, Kevin
Kelly, Patrick McElhinney, Michael Nelson, Paul Canny,
Shane Doherty, Philip Doherty, Barry McElhinney, John
Doherty, Cathal Coyle. Subs: Emmett Doherty for Coyle
86, Ryan O’Donnell for P McElhinney 88, Enda Sweeney for
Canny.
QPS: Eugene O’Donnell, Marty Gallagher, Simon
Wallace, Damien McCallion, Damien McColgan, Christy
Harkin, Paddy Breslin, Trevor Gallagher, Brian McIver,
Dean Hegarty, Fergal Buchanan. Subs: Gerard Grant for
Hegarty 5, Ian Cullen for O’Donnell 48, Cathal McColgan
for Harkin 67.
For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the
Inishowen Independent. |
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