MERVUE UNITED 3, FINN HARPS 0
WHERE did it all go wrong? After some decent results on the road and at home Finn Harps travelled to Galway to play Mervue hoping they could take some points.
But it wasn’t to be the Ballybofey side’s night. Nothing seemed to go right.
For most of the first half it was dire footballing fayre from both teams, with little in the way of inspiration.
Harps had a couple of decent chances and goalie Rory Kelly kept the home side out with a couple of good saves.
And then just before half-time, United took a lead they hardly deserved as Alan Murphy stuck out a leg to steer home a cross from Shane Keogh.
At least, we thought, it will be some spirit into the second half; a bit of competition.
Harps to be fair came out fighting but it was the home side who got the better of the chances as the visitors pressed up, with Mark Ludden missing an open net after rounding Kelly hitting the side netting rather than the back of the net.
Let-offs like that can be costly and Harps captain Kevin McHugh tried twice to make United pay but was twice denied by Forde in the United goals.
The visitors tried to press for an equaliser but were denied by some good pressing from Mervue who were to add a second ten minutes from the end.
Jason Molloy managed to run through the Harps defence and hit home a fine finish. Sub McEntee added a third just before the end.
It was a match to forget for more reasons that one.
Mervue United: Ronan Forde; Mike Elwood, Mark Ludden, Michael McSweeney, Damian O’Rourke; Gary Kelly (Barry McEntee 75), Shane Keogh, Alex Lee, Alan Murphy; Pat Hoban (Mike Collins 90), Jason Molloy.
Finn Harps: Rory Kelly; James Doherty , Peter Hutton, Thomas McMonagle, Ciaran Coll; Adam Clarke, Shane McGinty, Shaun McGowan, Paul Simon Treacy (Matthew Harkin 60); Blain Curtis, Kevin McHugh.
