Salthill Devon 0
Mervue United 4
The scoreline tells its own story, as all the plaudits go to a Mervue United side who proved the more economical and hungry throughout this Eircom League A Championship match up in Drom last Saturday.
The team from the city’s eastside made all the early running and were the more committed and inventive in the match’s first quarter. On the 18th minute, though, it was Devon who crafted the first real chance. Mikey Gilmore headed on to Anton Mannering but he couldn’t find the target with only the ‘keeper to beat.
The game’s first goal arrived eight minutes later. Mervue won a disputed throw and while the Devon players stood arguing with the ref Dave Goldbey spotted Ollie Keogh unmarked on the edge of the box and found him with the throw in. Keogh controlled and ran hard at goal before blasting the ball past Ronan Forde, with his defence nowhere to be seen.
Mervue’s second also came in somewhat fortuitous circumstances. A quick corner found Ollie Keogh who threaded the ball to Rory Gaffney. He skilfully took it past a defender and sent in a dangerous cross which Devon were forced to deal with, but James Whelan could only look on in agony as his attempt at an interception looped off his foot and into the top corner of the net.
Devon, to their credit, upped their performance considerably after the break with Mikey Gilmore and Whelan crafting better opportunities. As the half wore on, it looked as though they would reduce the deficit. The match at times threatened to boil over due to some hefty challenges by both sides. The numbers Devon had committed forward, however, left them vulnerable at the back.
As proceedings drew to a close Mervue sub Kevin Barrett found striker Dave Goldbey with a long ball down the wing. He made his way into the box where he withstood a few tackles that might have earned him a penalty, yet he stayed on his feet and threaded a ball over to an unmarked Gary Traynor, who finished coolly to the net. The best was yet to come, however, as the game moved into injury time. Mervue’s Dave O’Brien lined up a free midway between the box and the half way line and to everyone’s amazement proceeded to blast the ball to the top corner of the net, an unbelievable strike to complete a comprehensive win.
Salthill Devon: R Forde, N Curran, S Murphy, E Greaney, B Geraghty, L McConnell, J Madden, J Whelan, M Gilmore, A Mannering, E Dunne. Subs: M Quirke for McConnell (57 ), B O Grady for Mannering (57 ), R Porter for Madden (80 ).
Mervue United: B O’Donoghue, D O’Brien, P Ryan, M Connelly, M Elwood, E Browne, G Traynor, R Browne, D Goldbey, O Keogh, R Gaffney. Subs: M Tierney for R Browne (inj, 59 ), K Farrell for Gaffney (65 ), K Barrett for Keogh (67 )
Referee: Paul Murphy.
