LETTERKENNY ROVERS ADVANCED to the final of the John Gorey Curran Cup with a comfortable 6-2 win over local rivals Bonagee United at the Aura Centre this afternoon.
Letterkenny Rovers 6-2 Bonagee United
This game was over as a contest as early as 31 minutes as Rovers blistering start saw them go 4-0 ahead and there was no way back for a shellshocked Bonagee who were probably unfortunate that Rovers decided to play their best football of the season in the opening half hour.
It was the visitors though who fired the first shots in anger with Evan Bonner twice having a go from long range before Rovers took the lead on 11 minutes when Shane Doherty’s blistering header from a superb Conor O’Donnell delivered corner beat stand-in goalkeeper Eoghan Rainey in the Bonagee goal.
Rovers doubled the advantage on 16 minutes when some excellent approach play by full back Calvin O’Brien ended with him playing a defence splitting pass to Codey Brogan and the striker had the simple task of diverting the ball past Rainey.
Rovers were three ahead on 24 minutes when Ciaran Daffan played Daire Morrison through and he was upended in the box by Vinny Toye and it was Morrision who slotted the penalty home with aplomb.
Michael Gallagher and Conor O’Donnell were causing enormous problems for the Bonagee rearguard and it was O’Donnell who added No 4 with a well placed free kick which was awarded after Doherty was fouled.
One could have been forgiven if the Dry Arch men had folded completely but they showed true grit and character and did look menacing going forward at times and got one back on 33 minutes when a long ball was seized upon by Noah Sanni and his cross was met by Conor Temple who beat Rovers netminder Sean Friel from close range.
Any lingering hopes of a comeback faded very quickly shortly after the restart when Gallagher got a deserved goal with a brave header from a O’Donnell cross on 50 minutes before O’Donnell finished expertly to the net after a pacy run to make it 6-1 on 67 minutes.
With both sides making a number of changes the game lost some of its flow but Bonagee did get one back when Chrissy Duudys free from the half way line eluded everyone and somehow found the back of the net on 84 minutes.
Rovers advance to a final meeting with Gweedore Celtic in a few weeks time but will be facing the Gaeltacht men in the Ulster Youth Cup semi final before then so will be come familiar foes.
Letterkenny Rovers: Sean Friel, Calvin O’Brien, Ciaran Daffan, Ruairi Friel, Eoghan Kelly, Sean Curran, Conor O’Donnell, Shane Doherty, Codey Brogan Daire Morrision, Michael Gallagher. Subs; Eoin McLaughlin for Friel 57 mins, Darragh Crossan for Daffan 57 mins, David O’Donnell for Conor O’Donnell 74 mins, Woijtek Szatko for Morrison 74 mins, Dylan Laird for Brogan 76 mins.
Bonagee United: Eoghan Rianey, Jack Lafferty, Evan Bonner, Chrissy Duddy, Vinny Toye, James Sharkey, Jamie Gallagher, Ciaran Hunter, Conor Temple, Noah Sanni, Darren Coyle. Subs; Wallace Tavares for Gallagher 45 mins, Stephen Lafferty for Coyle 62 mins, Louis Hasson for Sanni 62 mins.
Referee: Con McLaughlin
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