Swinford FC 0 - 8 Finn Harps
Credit:
Finn Harps romped to an eight-goal win against Mayo side Swinford FC at the Finn Valley Centre on Stranorlar on Saturday afternoon.
James Gallagher made sweeping changes from the team that drew 2-2 at the Aura Centre against Letterkenny Rovers the night before and on a mild spring afternoon there was no need for rain protection, which was essential on Friday night.
Kevin McHugh opened the scoring on six minutes with a fine 25-yard strike and Tommy Bonner added a second on 36 minutes following a neat pull-back by Gary Merritt. Two up at half-time, the Ballybofey club continued to go for the jugular in the second half and were rewarded with half-a-dozen more goals.
On the hour-mark, McHugh volleyed home after another Merritt assist and Bonner grabbed his second of the game three minutes later when he tucked home a rebound after Raymond Foy’s original effort was saved.
On 70 minutes it was five when Swinford defender Peter Quinn steered into his own net following a Marc Brolly centre and McHugh, having been set up by Kieran Gorman on 77 minutes, grabbed his hat-trick.
Fitness obviously told the longer the game went one and Garbhan Friel scored after Brolly paved the way on 83 minutes and only two minutes from time, Brolly added the eighth.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; James Doherty, Packie Mailey, Paddy McLaughlin, Ciaran Coll; Mark Forker, Conor O’Grady, Tommy Bonner; Gary Merritt, Kevin McHugh, Gareth Harkin.
Subs: Marc Brolly (Harkin), Raymond Foy (O’Grady), Oisin McMenamin (Merritt, all 62 mins); Garbhan Friel (Bonner), Kieran Gorman (Doherty), Aaron O’Hagan (Forker, all 76 mins).
Swinford: Neil McNicholas; Tom Kavanagh, Shaun Kavanagh, Nigel Sweeney, Peter Quinn; Pauric Noone, Niall Feeney, Gordon Carta, Richard Dalton; Barry McShea, Trevor McDonald.
Subs: Rory Kelly, Robbie Quinn, Sean Kenny, Daniel McNicholas, Keith Regan, Alan Carta, Declan Munnelly, Sean Halloran (all used).
James Gallagher made sweeping changes from the team that drew 2-2 at the Aura Centre against Letterkenny Rovers the night before and on a mild spring afternoon there was no need for rain protection, which was essential on Friday night.
Kevin McHugh opened the scoring on six minutes with a fine 25-yard strike and Tommy Bonner added a second on 36 minutes following a neat pull-back by Gary Merritt. Two up at half-time, the Ballybofey club continued to go for the jugular in the second half and were rewarded with half-a-dozen more goals.
On the hour-mark, McHugh volleyed home after another Merritt assist and Bonner grabbed his second of the game three minutes later when he tucked home a rebound after Raymond Foy’s original effort was saved.
On 70 minutes it was five when Swinford defender Peter Quinn steered into his own net following a Marc Brolly centre and McHugh, having been set up by Kieran Gorman on 77 minutes, grabbed his hat-trick.
Fitness obviously told the longer the game went one and Garbhan Friel scored after Brolly paved the way on 83 minutes and only two minutes from time, Brolly added the eighth.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; James Doherty, Packie Mailey, Paddy McLaughlin, Ciaran Coll; Mark Forker, Conor O’Grady, Tommy Bonner; Gary Merritt, Kevin McHugh, Gareth Harkin.
Subs: Marc Brolly (Harkin), Raymond Foy (O’Grady), Oisin McMenamin (Merritt, all 62 mins); Garbhan Friel (Bonner), Kieran Gorman (Doherty), Aaron O’Hagan (Forker, all 76 mins).
Swinford: Neil McNicholas; Tom Kavanagh, Shaun Kavanagh, Nigel Sweeney, Peter Quinn; Pauric Noone, Niall Feeney, Gordon Carta, Richard Dalton; Barry McShea, Trevor McDonald.
Subs: Rory Kelly, Robbie Quinn, Sean Kenny, Daniel McNicholas, Keith Regan, Alan Carta, Declan Munnelly, Sean Halloran (all used).
