LETTERKENNY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY got their Colleges and Universities Football League campaign back on track with a win over Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology in an entertaining contest.
LyIT 5-3Â Galway-Mayo IT
The side managed by Shane Byrne opened their Division One Group A with a 3-0 win over NUI Galway two weeks ago before going down by the same scoreline last week against Dundalk IT.
This afternoon at the Port Road campus, GMIT were persistent and even though LyIT led by two goals at 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2, each time the visitors pulled on back to half their arrears.
The contest was finally put to bed by Dean Larkin, who scored his second of the day in injury time when he stabbed home at the second attempt when Joe Coll – the Glenea United goalkeeper making his first appearance for GMIT – had saved the initial effort.
At last, LyIT had managed to get GMIT out of their coat tails.
It felt a long time beforehand that Paul McVeigh opened the scoring, when he rolled a Kevin Doran assist past Coll on 10 minutes.
Then, on 25 minutes, things still seemed to be routine enough when Doran this time set Anthony Appiah clear to make it 2-0.
GMIT (pictured above) pulled one back on the stroke of half-time through an excellently finished goal. Winger Joe Hynes smashed a free-kick low into the area and it was impishly back-healed past Peter Burke by Bryan Kenny.
Then, with the wind at their backs, GMIT’s Conor Byrne almost caught Burke unaware with a long-range free from halfway, only for the goalkeeper to scamper back and save.
With 21 minutes left, McVeigh scored a fine second goal with a first time lob over Coll when a long ball from Burke was allowed to bounced.
However, less than a minute later GMIT were back at 3-2 when Joey Loughran sneaked in at the back post.
Then, Larkin’s first of the afternoon came on 78 minutes from a header when Feargal Larkin had supplied the cross from deep. This time, LyIT looked secure enough but still possessed an Achilles’ heel when it came to holding out after scoring themselves.
With five minutes left, central defender Robert Carroll headed past Burke after a free from Tommy McClean.
It was still in the melting pot in injury-time only for LyIT to clear a corner from their guests and Larkin made sure of the win.
LyIT: Peter Burke; Michael Kuaugbabge (Liam Doherty 41), Peter Doherty, Ross Coughlan, Feargal Harkin; Anthony Appiah (Keelan McElwaine 70), Daire McDaid, Daniel Doherty (Darren Gallagher 64), Kevin Doran (Ryan Connolly 48); Paul McVeigh, Dean Larkin.
GMIT: Joe Coll; Tommy McClean, Robert Carroll, Aaron Friel; John Hynes (Ryan Carroll 79), Bryan Kenny, Conor Byrne, Moise Asogba, Oscar Sibanda; Joey Loughran (Shadam Azees 79).
Referee: Vincent McLoughlin.
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