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Carn lift cup after thrilling final
Gateway Hotel U16 Cup Final 10.07.08

Late goals seal victory over Moville in cracking contest

Carndonagh...4
(Darragh Canny 2, Eanna Newton, Denis Hegarty)

Moville...2
(Sean Doherty, Conor McLaughlin)

Report: Inishowen Independent

TWO late second half goals sealed the U16 Cup final for Carndonagh on Sunday night, but Moville who had fought back from the devastating blow of conceding a goal in the first minute, will wonder if things might have been different had they not chalked up injuries to key players at vital times.
Certainly the loss in the first half of Conor McLaughlin was a huge blow to the Moville lads who had fought back gamely after Carn had taken the lead following a blistering start.
There was only a minute on the clock when a Darragh Canny stole in at the back post to hammer home from a corner, and while Sean Diver in the Moville goal did his best to beat the ball away, referee’s assistant Billy Porter raised his flag to signal that the ball had crossed the line.
It was a shock to the system for the Moville lads and for a while it looked as if they might be over run by Carndonagh. Midfielder Eanna Newton was running the show and linking up extremely well with Ronan Doherty, Denis Hegarty and Conor Burke.
However Moville were almost back on level terms within five minutes when Michael Coyle rattled the crossbar with a fierce drive and when the rebound fell to Oran McDermott he saw his shot well saved.
At the other end a super ball from Ronan Doherty split the Moville defence and when Diver fumbled as he tried to intercept, the loose ball fell to Darragh Canny who fired in a shot that flew inches past the post.
Carn were enjoying the best of the possession but Moville had begun to settle and always looked dangerous when they could get a cross into the Carn penalty area. Indeed Conor McLaughlin saw his header from a corner sail just over the bar in the 16th minute, but at the other end Denis Hegarty also headed onto the roof of the net in the 21st minute following another terrific pass from Newton.
Straight away Moville responded and Michael Coyle’s excellent run on the left wing produced a cross to the back post that Sean Doherty dispatched into the top corner to make it 1-1.
If the equaliser stunned Carndonagh they were completely rocked two minutes later when Oran McDermott’s free found Conor McLaughlin in the box and he dinked the ball past the advancing Doherty to make it 2-1 to Moville.
It was McLaughlin’s last significant contribution and his departure in the 36th minute saw the upper hand swing back in Carn’s favour.
Still there were chances for both sides to hit the net before the break, Moville sub Tony Boyce coming close with an attempted chip in the 37th minute and Darragh Canny denied by a brilliant block from Diver a minute later.
The second half though belonged to Carndonagh and Moville’s Gavin Harkin found himself called upon time and again to make last ditch tackles and interceptions.
There was nothing he could do though to prevent the equaliser, a rasping shot from the impressive Newton from the edge of the box after a delightful run by Ronan Doherty to set up the chance.
Moville’s only real response of the half came with a long range effort from Thomas Erwin that had Doherty back peddling to grasp, but despite having the bulk of the possession Carn were finding it difficult to break Moville down.
Their pathway through became easier however when the hard working Oran McDermott picked up an injury that saw him moved from midfield to attack and his physical presence was missed.
With eight minutes left on the clock an impressive move on the right saw the Moville defence opened up and Denis Hegarty fired home what was surely the winner. Battle weary though Moville threw forward in search of yet another equaliser but found Aaron Long and his defensive partners in no mood to give away another.
Instead it was Carndonagh who netted again, this time a header from Canny taking a deflection off a defender to rub salt in the wounds of a gallant Moville side who had battled bravely but who came up just a little short against an impressive Carndonagh side.

Carndonagh: Padraig Doherty, Adrian Loftus, Shane Canny, Aaron Long, Billy Dempsey, Eanna Newtown, Ryan McLaughlin, Ronan Doherty, Denis Hegarty, Conor Burke, Darragh Canny. Subs: Liam Coyle, Conor Fagan, Sean McDaid (all used).

Moville: Sean Diver, Evan McDermott, Pauric McGuinness, Gavin Harkin, Ryan Killen, Michael Coyle, Conor McLaughlin, Oran McDermott, Thomas Erwin, Enda Faulkner, Sean Doherty. Subs: Mark McDaid, Jonathan Callaghan, Tony Boyce, John Lynagh, William Wilson.


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