by DSFC Media | Nov 27, 2012 | Uncategorized
Joshua Cahoon beats the Portadown Keeper David Miskelly, only for the oncoming Ross Redman to deny him,
He may not have been the most high-profile signing of the summer, but Josh Cahoon is rapidly making his mark on the Danske Bank Premiership.
The young striker scored for the fourth successive match as Dungannon Swifts claimed a highly-credible point at Mid-Ulster rivals Portadown.
A former Linfield reserve player, Cahoon spent last season in the relative obscurity of the IFA Championship before his switch to Stangmore Park.
And it hasn’t taken long for the 21-year-old to adapt to the demands of top level football, scoring eight times in 13 appearances so far this term.
Cahoon underlined his fast-growing reputation with another crucial goal on Saturday as Dungannon collected a much-merited point against the Ports.
These sides have served up some classic games down the years and, while this didn’t produce the goal tally of previous meetings, it was no less entertaining.
Dungannon edged ahead through Cahoon’s early strike, but a controversial penalty saw Portadown draw level soon afterwards.
The visitors dominated the second half with Cahoon, Cameron Grieve, Matt Hazley and Johnny Topley all coming close to snatching a winner.
Undoubtedly Ronnie McFall will be the more relieved of the two managers, with his players fortunate to escape a one-sided match with a point.
And while it is another game without a win for Dungannon – their ninth in a row – on the basis of this performance that wait will end soon.
They made a great start when Cahoon opened the scoring in the 16th minute.
It followed good approach play from Chris Lavery, with Hazley allowing his pull-back to reach Cahoon who slotted home with a side-foot finish.
But Portadown have scored in every home game this season, so it was little surprise when they equalised just eight minutes later.
Niall Morgan was harshly ruled to have brought down Ross Redman as he chased a Neil McCafferty pass, resulting in a penalty being awarded.
If the decision was unconvincing, Darren Murray’s spot kick was anything but, with the striker powering his effort beyond the goalkeeper’s reach.
That aside, Morgan seemed back to his best after some shaky performances in recent matches.
A good early block to deny McCafferty was the perfect confidence booster, while he also kept his focus to hold Kevin Braniff’s powerful strike later in the half.
But his best save came eight minutes from the break. Braniff took a pass from Murray and burst into the box, with Morgan saving impressively with his feet.
Dungannon seized control of the game in the second half.
David Miskelly made the first of several important saves when he stretched out a glove to push Grieve’s effort away from the top corner.
Then Cahoon directed Emmet Friars’ pass into the path of Hazley, but his low drive was blocked by the Ports ‘keeper.
An ambitious 30-yard volley from Cahoon went narrowly wide while Topley powered a header just over after escaping his marker at a corner.
Dungannon were twice denied by goal-line interventions from Redman.
He blocked Friars’ header before making a match-saving tackle after Cahoon had rounded the goalkeeper and seemed certain to convert.
Kevin Braniff prevents Emmet Friars from gaining any height in the box for what was the Swifts last chance of the game.
Portadown’s best period came late in the game. Braniff tested Morgan with a free-kick while Redman sent another set-piece crashing into the wall.
But it was home supporters who were more relieved to hear the final whistle – and not just because of the plummeting temperatures.
PORTADOWN: Miskelly, Mackle (Lecky, 85), Redman, O’Hara, Murray, Braniff, Mouncey (McNeill, 67), Casement, Gartland, McCafferty, Patton (Tomelty, 54)
Subs not used: McArdle, Burns,
DGN SWIFTS: Morgan, R O’Neill, Grieve, E Friars, Brennan, Gawley (S Lavery, 65), Topley, Harpur, C Lavery, Hazley (Glackin, 74), Cahoon
Subs not used: S O’Neill, Montgomery, Fitzpatrick
Referee: Raymond Crangle (Belfast)
by DSFC Media | Nov 25, 2012 | Uncategorized
by DSFC Media | Nov 19, 2012 | Uncategorized
Joshua Cahoon celebrates putting the Swifts into the lead.
The draw specialists of the Irish League served up yet another stalemate as Coleraine battled back for a share of the points at Stangmore Park.
Between them these sides have drawn 15 of their league games this season, so it was perhaps unsurprising that Saturday’s encounter failed to produce a winner.
But the result, if somewhat predictable, was nonetheless fair with neither team doing enough to merit three points.
Dungannon had led through Josh Cahoon’s 30th minute goal, his seventh of the campaign.
But the Bannsiders came storming back after the break, with Curtis Allen coming off the bench to equalise midway through the second half.
So far this season Dungannon have lost six times – the same number as Linfield and Portadown. The key difference, however, is the amount of draws in that period.
Eight of Swifts’ 16 games have ended in stalemate and, had they turned just a few of those results into wins, the table would look a lot healthier.
Overall, however, Murphy will be satisfied by another committed, hard-working performance against a Coleraine side beginning to re-emerge as a force in local football.
This was a clash between two sides struggling for form.
Although Coleraine began the day in third place, they had claimed just one victory in six games since beating Dungannon – themselves without a win in seven – in late September.
And both teams’ struggles were reflected in a lacklustre first half which produced few chances.
Neither goalkeeper had been seriously troubled prior to Cahoon breaking the deadlock.
The goal came in the 30th minute following a mistake by Lee Colligan. Neal Gawley stole possession and pulled the ball back to Cahoon, who side-footed home from 12 yards.
A foul on Matt Hazley on the edge of the box handed Swifts an opportunity to stretch that lead, but although Gawley’s free-kick was on target, it lacked the power to beat the ‘keeper.
At the other end it was a relatively comfortable half for Niall Morgan, albeit he did pull off one superb block to thwart Ciaran Clarke.
The second period got off to a more promising start with chances at either end.
Dungannon threatened when Cahoon snatched possession in the box from Colligan, but his cross narrowly evaded the onrushing Chris Lavery.
Coleraine then went close as Aaron Canning’s delivery reached Clarke, but his angled effort clipped the post and went behind.
Back at the other end, Hazley touched the ball on for Lavery but the ‘keeper got a touch to help direct his low effort away from danger.
Coleraine boss Oran Kearney made some big calls, axing Darren Boyce from the squad and dropping top scorer Allen to the bench.
The latter finally entered the action just before the hour – and quickly made his point.
Picking up the ball on the edge of the box, Allen turned and unleashed a left-foot strike which found the bottom corner, despite Morgan getting a touch to the shot.
Just like the previous weekend at Glentoran, it was a goal the Dungannon ‘keeper will be hugely disappointed to concede.
As the clock ticked on and the rain poured down, both teams pushed for a winner.
Ryan Harpur’s cross found Stefan Lavery at the back post, but his effort was deflected wide. Emmet Friars powered over a header from the resulting corner.
Morgan then redeemed his earlier error with an important block to deny Coleraine.
Cameron Grieve in action for the Swifts
After fisting Ruairi Harkin’s free-kick clear of danger, the ‘keeper charged out to close down Stuart McMullan as he was about to unleash a shot.
Dungannon, however, nearly snatched it in the final seconds. A pass from Ryan O’Neill found Chris Lavery in space, but he was denied by a crucial tackle.
DGN SWIFTS: Morgan, R O’Neill, Brennan, E Friars, Grieve, Harpur, Hazley (Fitzpatrick, 69), C Lavery, Cahoon (S O’Neill, 79), Topley, Gawley (S Lavery, 48)
Subs not used: PJ Lavery, Glackin
COLERAINE: Doherty, Beverland, Hegarty (Boyd, 59), Lowry, Harkin, McIlmoyle, Canning, Jennings (Allen, 59), Clarke (Bradley, 59), Colligan, McMullan
Subs not used: Gillan, Owens
Referee: Mark Courtney (Dungannon)
by DSFC Media | Nov 15, 2012 | Uncategorized
by DSFC Media | Nov 15, 2012 | Uncategorized
Football can be a funny old game. It can also be very cruel.
Just ask any Dungannon Swifts supporter who was at the Oval on Saturday to see Andy Waterworth snatch this late, late victory for Glentoran.
On more than one occasion this season Dungannon have been the beneficiaries of a stoppage-time goal. This time they experienced the despair of conceding in the final seconds.
It was three minutes into added time when Waterworth fired home to steal the points.
The goal came while one of Swifts’ most influential players, central defender Emmet Friars, was off the pitch for enforced treatment to a head injury.
Adding to their frustration was an even later penalty appeal from Jamie Glackin which was ignored.
As tempers boiled over at the final whistle, Sean Friars – an unused substitute – was shown a red card after an angry exchange with the referee.
After the game, a clearly exasperated Darren Murphy communicated his displeasure to the referee’s assessor.
It had looked so promising for Dungannon when Josh Cahoon fired them into a second half lead.
But Glentoran equalised within five minutes when Richard Clarke’s header beat the goalkeeper a little too easily.
And in a frantic finale they snatched the points through Waterworth’s 50thclub goal.
The late drama was in stark contrast to a game which for long periods was a stale affair, notably the first half when neither goalkeeper was tested.
The best chance came for the Glens in the 33rd minute when a Stephen Carson corner wasn’t cleared, and a return shot from Clarke flashed inches wide of the back post.
Glentoran had gone close minutes earlier when a throw reached Jim O’Hanlon 25 yards out, but his rising strike carried too much power and fizzed over.
Later O’Hanlon fed David Howland, but his snap-shot was also fractionally off target.
At the other end Dungannon carried little threat. Their first effort came via former Glens player Neal Gawley but his low strike from distance was well wide.
Their only other attempt of note came when a long goal kick reached Cahoon, but a last-ditch interception denied him a shot on goal.
The natives’ mood was not helped when Dungannon took a shock 56thminute lead.
Gawley crossed, Jimmy Callacher failed to clear the danger, and the ball came to Cahoon whose powerful effort rocketed into the top corner.
Unfortunately for the visitors, that lead lasted merely five minutes.
A superb delivery from Carson was flicked on to Clarke inside the box. His header should have been comfortably blocked but it slipped through Niall Morgan’s hands, clearly crossing the line before the goalkeeper pushed the ball back out.
Dungannon nearly retook the lead when Matt Hazley drilled an angled shot wide while Cahoon fired over after taking a pass from Lavery and beating several defenders.
Home fans were on their feet screaming for a penalty when Emmet Friars appeared to block Stephen McAlorum’s shot with his arms, but the referee ignored their appeals.
Glentoran thought they had won it when a Waterworth effort rippled the goal – only to realise the ball had struck the outside of the net.
But with seconds remaining, he snatched the points.
A Sean Ward shot was deflected into the striker’s path and, with Friars off the field, Waterworth found the space needed to fire home.
GLENTORAN: Morris, R Clarke (McAlorum, 63), Magee, Ward, Howland (McGuigan, 63), Waterworth, Carson, M Clarke, Hill, Callacher, O’Hanlon (Murray, 79)
Subs not used: Nixon, Garrett
DGN SWIFTS: Morgan, Hazley, Gawley (S O’Neill, 80), Cahoon (C Lavery, 72), Grieve, S Lavery (Glackin, 87), R O’Neill, Topley, Brennan, Harpur, E Friars
Subs not used: Montgomery, S Friars
Referee: Alan Black (Antrim)
