Fanad United survived the scare of letting a three-goal lead slip to eventually overcome Finn Harps Reserves 7-3 at Traigh-a-Loch.
Fanad United 7 Finn Harps Reserves 3
Fanad started on the front foot and created chances early on. In the fourth minute Shaun McElwaine rose highest in the box from a free, but his header was well saved by Eoin McGing.
From the resulting corner Fanad took the lead. When the ball fell to Ryan McFadden 25 yards out, he hit a sweet left footed strike into the far corner.
In the 20th minute, Harps left back Pat Loughery produced an excellent block on the line to deny McFadden a second goal.
Two minutes later Fanad extended their lead when Keelin McElwaine seen his shot blocked, Caolan Kelly was on hand to head home the rebound.
On the half hour mark Edward O’Reilly fired over the bar following good work from Caolan Kelly.
Fanad did extend their lead in the 35th minute when Keelin McElwaine showed good skill in the box to evade a challenge and he shot low into the bottom corner.
Harps started to get back into the game and Luke Rodden was unlucky to see his shot deflected wide.
And on the stroke of half time Pat Loughery stepped forward from left back and his right footed shot drifted just wide.
Both teams enjoyed spells of possession at the start of the second half. On the hour mark, Edward O’Reilly hit an excellent cross into the box that was missed by Andrew Kelly.
A minute later they came agonisingly close to getting a fourth when Keelin McElwaine seen his volley crash back off the post from a super Paul Bradley cross. Harps then found another gear and scored two minutes later.
When a Conor Black free was parried by the Fanad keeper, Gabby Adauka was on hand to head home.
Harps were piling on the pressure and two goals in quick succession in the 71st and 72nd minutes to draw level.
First of all Gabby Aduaka produced a superb glancing header over Jordan for his second of the game.
A minute later Aduaka was taken down in the box by Shaun McElwaine and he stepped up himself to fire home completing his hat-trick.
At this stage it was hard to call which game the game would go but Fanad eventually ran out winners with four goals in the last 10 minutes. I
n the 80th minute Paul Bradley his a superb free kick to the back post where Caolan Kelly was on hand to slot home.
Two minutes later, Keelin McElwaine showed great persistence to win the ball on the end line and he scored at the near post.
Keelin McElwaine completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute when a bust of pace seen him get clear of the Harps defence and he slotted home.
With the last action of the game McElwaine burst clear again and when his shot was parried by McGing, Edward O’Reilly was on hand to head home from close range.
Fanad United: Eoghan Jordan, Oisin Langan, Peter Curran, Shaun McElwaine, Patrick McGinley, Paul Bradley, Dean McCarry, Ryan McFadden, Caolan Kelly, Edward O’Reilly, Keelin McElwaine. Sub used: Andrew Kelly.
Finn Harps Reserves: Eoin McGing, Jordan Gallagher, Pat Loughery, Joel Bradley Walsh, Keenan Diver, Keelin McGill, Luke Rodden, Stephen Doherty, Gabreil Aduaka, Nathan Logue, Conor Black. Sub used: Darren McElwaine
Referee: Vincent McLaughlin
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