Posted online: Aug 31st, 2010

Soccer – Four Lanterns Ulster Senior League 

Cockhill Celtic 4

Buncrana Hearts 1

In this highly eventful game in front of a huge crowd at the Charlie O’Donnell Sports Grounds it was the home side who claimed all three points to move top of the Ulster Senior League.

The opening was frantic as both teams took a little time to settle, on six minutes Cockhill’s Garbhain Friel made room in the box only to shoot wide into the side netting with other options available. 

Hearts had the advantage of a stiff breeze in the first half but on 9 minutes it was the home side who took the lead. Jimmy Bradley found space in his own half before playing a ball in behind the Hearts defence, where Mark Moran showed strength and pace to get past Gary Duffy and race inside the box to square for Malachy McDermott who side-footed into the net from eight yards past the unlucky Lee McFadden who managed to get a hand on it.

Hearts produced their first chance of note after 25 minutes when Patrick McMyler found space at right back to play a good ball into the box only for the unmarked Johnny McCarron to head over from ten yards when well placed.

Hearts now started to pile on more pressure to force an equaliser and on 38 minutes they were awarded a free when Barry McColgan was adjudged to have brought down Gerard McLaughlin. Cutliffe took the free from 22 yards and with the aid of a deflection, off the wall, was bound for the net only for Cockhill keeper Stephen Conroy to produce a wonder save to tip it over the bar.

Buncrana got back on level terms on the stroke off half time when John O’Loughlin played a ball over the defence to the feet of Cutliffe inside the box, the strike made room to shot high to the net from eight yards and the teams went in at the break all square at 1-1

Cockhill spurned a great chance to take the lead on 67 minutes when a free by Gerry Gill on the corner of the 18yard box was not held by McFadden but McKinney’s shot from 6 yards hit the post and back to the keepers thankful arms.

On 80 minutes Gill found space on the right wing for Cockhill and as he wriggled his way past Barry McFadden produced a great cross to the back post for captain Liam O’Donnell to power a header home from eight yards to send the Cockhill section of the large crowd into a loud roar of celebration that was matched by the jubilant players.

The visitors restarted the game reduced to ten men as Cutliffe got his marching orders after some words to the referee. Hearts changed things again and went with a 3-4-2 formation to try salvage something from the game but this created more problems.

n 84 minutes they were cut open like a knife through butter as Kieran McLaughlin picked the ball up in the home defence before combining well with Paul McKinney on the wing. McLaughlin advanced with the ball at his feet into the Hearts half and after another 1-2 on the edge of the visitors area with Garbhain Friel produced a cool finish low to the keepers bottom right hand corner.

3-1 up at this stage the home side started to play the ball around with ease and the Hearts players looked tired.

Cockhill wrapped things up on 88 minutes when a ball over the top caught the Hearts defence high and Aiden O’Donnell raced through to lob the keeper from just outside the area. Hearts tried to get something late in the game but the home defence stood firm. A good and entertaining derby game played in good conditions before a large crowd. The 4-1 score after a tight opening period gave the home side a deserved victory (third win over Buncrana this season) to move them a point clear of Letterkenny in the title race although Rovers having a game in hand. A good team performance from Cockhill with McMyler and Timlin showing well for the visitors.