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Aileach sail past Redcastle 25.08.11
West End League Cup Football

Redcastle United...0

Aileach...3


Caoimhinn Barr reports from Foyle Park (Photo: Herbie Barr)


A GARY Collett hat-trick fired Aileach to a comfortable victory over Redcastle United in a repeat of last year’s West End League Cup Final last Friday night.
The sparkling winger struck three times inside the first 35 minutes as the visitors eased past the cup holders in front of a large crowd at Foyle Park.
With Brian Bell on holiday and Martin Rea banished from the touchline, Stephen O’Donnell took charge of an Aileach team on a successful revenge mission.
Anthony Doherty and Declan O’Donnell were particularly prominent too as the Inch men proved a constant menace all evening. Indeed the visitors could have won by more had it not been for several extremely tight offside calls.
Redcastle were lucky too that referee Gerard O’Kane didn’t spot Cathal Faulkner’s petulant off-the-ball kick at Anthony Doherty. The incident was out of character for Faulkner but certainly worthy of a straight red card.
After an abject initial thirty minutes when the game was all but gone, Redcastle did show some rare glimpses of their former selves but they look like a team that could struggle this year - especially without the services of talisman Brian ‘Banjo’ Treacy.
Aileach on the other hand look like a team that could contend for the title. They are young, enthusiastic and well drilled.
Dermot Doherty’s cross from the right was brilliantly flicked on by Anthony Doherty into the path of Gary Collett who skewed his shot past Johnny Noone into the Redcastle net.
Aileach remained in control of proceedings for much of the remainder of the half with Collett and Declan O’Donnell in top form on the left. And it came as no surprise on the half hour mark when the duo contrived to double the visitors’ lead.
A precise long pass by Declan O’Donnell sent Gary Collett skipping clear on the left once again and the tricky winger skilfully rounded Noone before slotting in from a tight angle.
Moments later Collett completed his hat-trick; ghosting in to fire home after excellent work by Dermot Doherty and Gavin Doherty on the right.
With the game all but gone in the first-half, Redcastle finally gathered themselves before launching a number of threatening attacks.
Home striker Brendan Murphy acrobatically fired over on the volley after Liam McLaughlin’s astute headed flick. Soon after veteran frontman Terry McColgan poked James Curran’s perfect free-kick narrowly wide before a Murphy snap snot was well saved by the David McGeady, diving low to his right.
After a one-sided first-half, the second period failed to produce any further changes in the scoreboard as Aileach played comfortably within themselves and Redcastle failed to even find third gear on a dismal evening for home followers.
Another Brendan Murphy effort stung the palms of Aileach keeper McGeady before Dermot Doherty should have put the visitors four ahead only to get his shot all wrong when put through by a brilliant Eddie McIntyre through ball.
Substitute Darragh McConway then came as close as any Redcastle player, striking the bar with a long range free before Colm McLaughlin’s shot was comfortably saved.
Anthony Doherty almost added to the Aileach tally but couldn’t get enough on Gary Collett’s cross to turn it over the line before McGeady saved well from Martin Farren at the other end.

Redcastle United: Jonathan Noone, James Curran, Kevin Toner, Cathal Faulkner, Martin Farren, Gavin McCauley, Colm McLaughlin, Liam McLaughlin, Brendan Murphy, Terry McColgan, Paul McGowan. Subs: Martin Byrne, Darragh McConway, Gary Kelly, Seamus Doherty.

Aileach: David McGeady, Dermot McGlynn, Declan O’Donnell, Eamon Donnelly, Damien Barr, Gary McFadden, Dermot Doherty, Gavin Doherty, Anthony Doherty, Eddie McIntyre, Gary Collett. Subs: Neil McElhinney, Ciaran Craig, Ruairi Bradley, Stephen Doherty, Darren McMonagle.

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