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Sep 5, 2012, 11:49 AM
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"Celtic" Weekend 31/08 to 02/09
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Flew from Birmingham to Derry at 1250 on the 31st with a typical Ruinair bouncy landing. managing 5 games in the weekend :
Friday 31 August 1945
Irish League Premiership
Donegal Celtic 1 Glenavon 1.
Admission £7. No programme. Crowd (h/c) about 240
Finally got round to re-completing the top division in Northern Ireland - neatly enclosed ground in the South West of Belfast with two "Atcost" style stands at the far end of each side, the home one being considerably larger, plus a small stand for season ticket holders and a covered "shed" also on the home side.
Donegal had slightly more of the game but Glenavon looked the more likely and indeed scored after 74, before having a player sent off and eventually succumbing to a late assault by the home side.
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Saturday 01 September 1030
North West Saturday Morning League Gilfillan Cup Group 3
Tamnaherin Celtic 4 Collegians 0
Crowd (h/c) 18
Partly railed pitch in a village in the hills just outside North East Derry with a very rural feel and excellent views.
Home side only needed a draw to qualify for the next round but threatened a cricket score going 2 up after 8 minutes. The visitors settled down and a combination of poor finishing and their offside trap limited the home side to two more goals during the second half.
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Saturday 01 September 1500
Irish League Division 1 (third level)
Knockbreda 6 Annagh United 1
Admission £3 (wrinkly). Crowd (h/c) 30. No programme.
Back to Belfast, to the South West this time for a look at fairly recent additions to the League Knockbreda. They have obviously done an awful lot of work, including erection of a long lowish stand on one side, but clearly have a lot more to do if they wish to progress, for instance with proper hard standing only available behind part of the near goal and part of one side. Nice clubhouse looking over the ground and free tea at half time !
The game was not quite as one-sided as it sounds - indeed Annagh went in front early but then largely bad defending caused them to concede three by half time and further goals at steady intervals in the second half , not helped by having two players sent off for double yellows.
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Sunday 02 September 1130
Derry and District League Division 1
Strand Celtic 1 Crescent 5
Crowd (h/c) 14
This was played at Prehen Playing Fields (Pitch 3) on the banks of the Foyle and this is a venue that will give me nightmares deciding how many grounds to count if i ever do another one. I normally only count one ground per "complex" unless there is a definite and distinct enclosed ground within that. However Prehen has a total of 6 pitches - in 3 pairs all separated by hedges and 1/2 to 3/4 also by a works of some sort. The latter also have separate dressing rooms from 1 and 2 !
Game was not terribly good - I have seen far better in this league - and saw a comfortable win for the away side. The home side threatened only briefly with a comedy first half equaliser but it took Crescent just 35 seconds to counter that.
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Sunday 02 September 1400
Donegal League McCormick Cup Lifford Area Group 2
Lifford Celtic 5 Castlefin Celtic 1
Crowd (h/c) 35. Admission 3 Euros.
With my two needed Ulster Senior League sides Bonagee and Letterkenny both being rather unhelpfully away I had my first dabble at the Donegal League and was not unimpressed. Once I had found the ground, tucked away down a track from the centre of the village and right by the river, I found a fully railed pitch. What I thought was an old pitch next door with a stand turned out to be for the Dog Coursing Club, and indeed the footballers use dressing rooms behind this stand and walk about 150 yards to the pitch.
Very good quality game which the home side (first club of Shay Given according to yer man on the gate) won comfortably, producing some quality finishes.
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Excellent weekend, with no less than 5 different Celtics, rounded off with a trip up to the hill fort at Grianan of Aileach with its fantastic views and a peep at the impressive nearby ground of Inishowen League side Aileach Rangers - another one for my "hit list". Flight back to Brum was 2145.
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Lough Swilly from Grianan - Buncrana round the bay on the right. 
