Mervue United 4 - 0 Finn Harps

Mervue United registered their biggest home win of the season following a 4-0 demolition of Finn Harps in the searing heat at Fahy’s Field on Friday night.

Harps arrived at the Galway venue on a poor run of no win in six games, in fact their last win was a 1-0 win over Mervue in the reverse fixture at Finn Park back in May. From the off though they never really looked like they were going to repeat that win as the home side played some wonderful attacking football throughout and could have been out of sight by the interval.

Ryan Manning and Gary Shanahan both went close to opening the scoring for Mervue in the opening six minutes, while a rare Harps attack saw a Kevin McHugh volley from a long throw to the edge of the box produce a good save from Connor Gleeson on the quarter hour mark.

The opening score soon arrived when Mark Forker fouled Noel Varley just outside the box on 19 minutes. Jason Molloy and Manning stood over the resultant free-kick with Molloy striking a magnificent curling effort over the wall and into the top corner for 1-0.

The home side were playing some decent football and were looking threatening every time they pushed forward as Molloy and Shanahan on the wings and Manning up front looked on fire in the heat which required referee Keith Callanan to stop play for several water breaks.

Ross Kenny headed a Manning corner just over past the half hour mark and Noel Varley set up young Manning on 42 minutes but his brilliantly curled effort just cleared the top corner. The home side could easily have added two goals to their tally on the stroke of half time.

An excellent Gary Curran ball released Shanahan through on the right and he went for power instead of accuracy as he fired just over Ciaran Gallagher’s crossbar. In first half injury time Paul Sinnott’s long throw was flicked on by Shanahan to Manning whose first time well struck effort was brilliantly pushed away by Gallagher as he ensured the home side only led by a single goal at the interval.

It didn’t take them long to finally double that lead as five minutes into the second period Manning set up Ludden for a strike and when his low effort beat Gallagher but rebounded of the butt of the post, striker Michael Duffy was on hand to poke home his first Airtricity League goal to make it 2-0.

Duffy then set up Ludden for a strike on 58 minutes and the left back matched his brilliant strike against Cobh earlier in the season when he unleashed another beauty from all of 30 yards straight into the top corner giving Gallagher absolutely no chance.

Harps should have reduced the deficit back to two when sub Paul McVeigh got through one on one with Gleeson but the young keeper saved brilliantly with his feet on 61 minutes. Mervue passed up a glorious chance to make it 4-0 ten minutes later when an excellent run by Ludden saw him pull the ball back to the unmarked Shanahan but the winger saw his shot deflected away for a corner.

Manning did make it 4-0 with 12 minutes remaining for a deserving goal for the youngster who was celebrating his call up to the Irish Under 18 squad and he marked it with a goal. Sub Stephen Walsh cut in from the left and rolled the ball into the path of Manning and he coolly finished into the bottom corner from just outside the box to cap a fine performance.

Two wins in three sees Johnny Glynn’s side back to form and they travel to leaders Longford Town next weekend in a confident mood, while Peter Hutton’s side poor form continues as the Harps faithful left Fahy’s Field wondering where their next win is going to come from, home to Wexford Youths next week maybe.

Mervue United: Connor Gleeson; Paul Sinnott, Ross Kenny, Martin Conneely, Marc Ludden; Gary Shanahan, Gary Curran (Gary Kelly 85), Noel Varley, Jason Molloy; Michael Duffy (Stephen Walsh 75), Ryan Manning (Alex Lee 88)
Subs not used: Brendan Lavelle, Tom King, Kenny Farrell, Conor O’Malley (GK).
Booked: Manning (55).

Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; James Doherty, Aaron O’Hagan, Josh Mailey, Ciaran Coll; Shaun McGowan, Mark Forker (Michael Doherty 72), Johnny Bonner; Stephen O’Donnell (Paul McVeigh 57), Kevin McHugh, Gary Merritt (Keith Cowan 60).
Subs not used: Shaun Patton (GK), Thomas Bonnar, Hugh Carlin, Matt Harkin.
Booked: Mark Forker (18).

Referee: Keith Callanan (Cork).
Attendance: 206
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Ryan Manning (Mervue Utd) - He looked every bit the hot prospect he is.