DONEGAL Celtic manager Paddy Kelly, has asked that his team be allowed to prepare for this weekend’s Steel and Son’s Cup semi-final against the RUC, after the club’s membership voted to proceed with the fixture.
Almost 200 votes of the westBelfast club’s 370 registered membership were cast yesterday and a 61 per cent majority demanded that one of most contentious fixtures in Irish football history, be played.
Irish Football Association (IFA) President Jim Boyce welcomed the decision made at Celtic clubrooms on the Suffolk Road.
The UEFA and FIFA delegate also indicated that footballing authorities will look favourably on Donegal Celtic’s much published ambition to become a senior club playing in the Irish League.
On Saturday, Celtic defeated Drumaness Mills 2-0 in the Intermediate Cup competition. Several miles from Celtic Park, the RUC defeated Ballinmallard in the same competition.
The two could meet again when the second round draw of the IFA tournament is made.
Paddy Kelly, while contacting his players to confirm their participation in this weekend’s fixture, said all players had indicated a desire to play during the week-long debate in which club members sat face to face with Sinn Fein and campaign groups who asked for Celtic to withdraw.
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Rannafast Cup final St Patrick’s, Maghera 3-11 St Pius, Magherafelt 1-8
Maghera tops in derby battle
ANOTHER product of near perfection rolls off the Maghera assembly line, and yet another trophy is delivered to Adrian McGuckin’s school of excellence.
Defending champions St Pius had had their day, but now it was payback time.
And St Patrick’s, in the most positive way possible, drew remarkable reserves of strength from the passions excited by a local derby, a derby with a razor-sharp competitive edge.
The Rannafast Cup in the end changed hands after a stunning second-half display at Coalisland on Saturday.
Maghera: M Kelly, D McMullan, P Mooney, E Cushnahan, N Bradley (0-1), B McGuigan, C Doherty, G McMaster, C O’Neill (0-1), L Diamond, S Skelly (0-5), J Kelly (2-1), N McKenna (0-1), F Bradley (0-2), J O’Kane (1- 0).
Magherafelt: A Kelly, D Heaney, C Mullan (0-2), G Martin, K Coleman, C Wilkinson, D Gavin, S Devlin (0-1), B Conway (0-1), B McVey, P O’Neill, M Kelly, T Maynes (1-4), G Donnelly, T Rocks.
Subs: J P Devlin for McVey, D McGill for Rocks
Referee: B Gorman (Armagh)
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O’Cahan Cup Final: Cargin 2-11 Moneyglass 1-8
Cargin make it six of the best
ANTRIM Senior Football Championship runners-up Cargin created a record in south west football when they picked up the O’Cahan Cup for a sixth successive time.
Despite a spirited performance from the second division opposition where Shane McAuley, midfielder James Marron and Kevin Brady shone, Cargin were always in control despite playing two thirds of the game with just 14 players.
Full back Dessie McGuckian was sidelined for a second bookable offence.
Gavan Scullion’s 10th minute goal from the penalty spot gave the Erins Own men the platform on which to build and this score took them to a 1-5 to 0-4 interval lead.
Cargin: R Craig; M Logan, D McGuckian, M McAuley; M Gribben,m M Johnston, B McCann; E McCann, E Quinn; D Criagn 0-2, R McGuckain 1-0, N Doyle 0-1; J C Devlin 0-5, C O’Neill, G Scullion
Sub: P Graffen for Doyle Moneyglass; B Devlin; A Marron, G McCoy, J Marron; S McAuley, P Byrne, T McErlean; J Marron 0-4, B Nesson; S Griffen, K Brady, A Carey 0-2; McCormick 0-1 M McCann, M Marron 0-1
Subs: T Close 1-0 for Marron, C Hammill for McCormick Ref: O Kelly (Portglenone)
