SUBSTITUTE Kevin Barrett played the starring role as Mervue United claimed a surprise late equaliser against a dominant Sporting Fingal at Terryland Park on Friday night.
Barrett’s 88th minute goal, the product of a mistake by Fingal ‘keeper Darren Quigley, allowed the home team to claim a 1-1 result after the visitors looked to be on their way to a deserved victory after controlling much of the contest. They will be disheartened not to have wrapped up the match in a totally one-sided first half, ruing not having capitalised on wave after wave of opportunities.
The visitors’ goal came on 76 minutes and may well have been the game breaker, if not for the last minute heroics of Barrett who was playing his first senior League of Ireland game for the Mervue club.
Fingal took control from the outset with some early incursions by Zayed, plus a couple free kicks in good positions taken by captain Shaun Williams. The visitors did have the heavy wind at their backs for the opening half and looked to exploit it and shots on target from Robert Bayly and Conan Byrne were putting Mervue ‘keeper Eoin Martin under plenty of pressure early on.
But it was the home side who had the first key opportunity of the game when defender Paul Scally booted the ball down to lone striker Dave Goldbey, who shook off the trailing defenders and had just ‘keeper Darren Quigley to beat. Quigley made a low tackle which Goldbey attempted to leap over and get a shot away, not able to get enough weight behind the ball and it was easily cleaned up by the chasing defenders.
Mervue appealed loudly for a penalty with Goldbey felled by the Quigley tackle and needing brief attention, but referee Rob Rogers saw nothing wrong with the tackle.
Fingal were straight back on the attack though, Byrne pushing one just over the cross bar from the penalty spot after a free kick from outside the box by Brian Gannon, before Zayed attempted to curl one into the bottom right corner, Martin smothering it just in time.
Frustration was creeping slightly into the visitors’ camp as their constant waves of attack were refuted, yet another opportunity going begging as Bayly was denied from close range by late pressure from centre half Eric Browne and Martin managed to deflect a long range attempt by Williams which was on target.
This was followed up by another attempt from Zayed, which Martin deflected with his feet, also getting his fingertips to the ensuing corner to divert it out of harm’s way. It would have been a disappointed Fingal outfit that entered the changing rooms, well-deserving of the lead, but just not able to find the finishing touch to an almost-constant stream of pressure.
Mervue were always likely to fair better in the second half with the wind at their backs and it began as a much more even contest with Rory Gaffney having a shot for Mervue, but Fingal responded with a close attempt from Bayly. Mark Ludden’s free kick from the corner of the box went only just wide of the right post, before Goldbey fired one over the cross bar as the home side stepped up the tempo.
The match began to level out in the second half, substitute Robbie Doyle going achingly close on the 66th minute, attempting to chest down a volley from close range, but it was a bad touch and flew wide to the right.
But just as Mervue looked to be finally finding their feet, Fingal found the final touch that they had been threatening to produce all night as Bayly scored in the 76th minute. Moments before, things had looked ominous when Doyle hit the right post, the deflection only narrowly failing to roll over the line. They were straight back on the attack, Williams bringing the ball down to the end line out wide on the left, then turning to cut it back inside to Bayly waiting on the penalty spot, Martin having no chance against the high-powered shot.
But just when it all looked over, Quigley was penalised near the end line. Some quick thinking by Goldbey saw him grab the ball for the free kick, Quigley still out of position as he shot it across the face of goal to the flying feet of Barrett who slammed it from dead in front into the goal.
Mervue United: Eoin Martin, Paul Scally, Mark Ludden, Nicky Curran, Eric Browne, Noel McDonnell, Rory Gaffney (Alex Lee, 70th minute), Mike Harty, Dave Goldbey, Dave O’Dowd, Mike Tierney.
Sporting Fingal: Darren Quigley, Brian Gannon, John Frost, Shaun Williams, Shane McFaul, Gareth Whelan, Conan Byrne, Robert Bayly, Eamon Zayed, Alan Kirby (Colm James, 59mins), Ross Gaynor (Robbie Doyle, 59mins).
