By Stuart Connolly
Swilly Rovers 3
Gweedore United 5
Gweedore United produced a clinical display in the second half to come from behind and come out on top in an eight-goal spectacle at Swilly Park.
Swilly Rovers held the advantage at the interval as Cormac Coughlan scored in the 20th minute, and their lead was doubled as Toby Taylor found the net early in the second half.
Gweedore United then hit four without a reply as Francis Gallagher was first up, followed by a goal from Steven McFadden, and two from Ciaran McFadden.
Coughlan was on the scoresheet again, but Gweedore United’s two-goal insurance was restored close to stoppage time as Steven McFadden put another one away and helped lift his side out of the relegation spots.
The hosts started this contest with a decent spell, and had a couple of set-pieces in the early minutes, but nothing to test the visiting defence.
Shortly before the midway point of the half, the hosts took the lead. Micky Kerr was on dead-ball duty, and his delivery from the right side was headed home from point-blank range by Cormac Coughlan.
Beyond the midway stage, the visitors began to get into some dangerous positions, and Steven McFadden was the first to fire a low effort just wide after a pass in from Ciaran McFadden.
Ethan Harkin supplied the pass for the next attempt with his well-timed ball forward destined for the boot of Darren Ferry, but on the verge of a shot, was intercepted by Isaac Mukiri.
Ferry turned provider for Gweedore United’s next effort as Steven McFadden fizzed a shot just wide of the target before the break.
Swilly Rovers started the second half in a similar fashion to how they started the first, and they quickly doubled their advantage as Toby Taylor came out on top in a one-on-one battle with the onrushing Dylan Clift.
That two-goal cushion was short-lived though, as Gweedore United hit back with two goals in as many minutes.
Cathal Gillespie released Seighean O’Baoill down the right side, and his low ball across the box was neatly tucked away by Francis Gallagher, who was only on the pitch a matter of moments.
A long kick up the field from Clift turned into an unlikely assist for the second goal as the bounce favoured those in green, and landed nicely for Steven McFadden to finish beyond Jamie-Lee Blaney.
On the hour mark, Gweedore United took the lead.
Steven McFadden played in Ciaran McFadden, and from a very acute angle on the left side, he managed to find the narrowest gap to score.
A little under ten minutes later, Gweedore United had scored a fourth, and in some style. Ciaran McFadden had the time and space he required on the edge of the box, and he arrowed an effort into the top right corner.
Fast forward another few minutes, and Swilly Rovers had reduced the deficit to one, with Cormac Coughlan able to pounce for his second of the afternoon after Clift was unable to properly control a shot from Patterson.
The action wasn’t over there though, and Gweedore United scored the eighth and final goal of the game close to stoppage time to seal the win.
A slight bit of hesitation on the ball cost Blaney dearly, and Steven McFadden capitalised, and took control of the ball before a simple finish into an empty net.
Teams
Swilly Rovers: Jamie-Lee Blaney; Isaac Mukiri, Mark Nicholls, Darragh McDaid, Cormac Coughlan; Leon Boyce, Micky Kerr, Brad Patterson, Ian Ward; Matthew MacKinnon, Toby Taylor. Subs: Shea McFadden for Taylor (73 mins), Leo Moyo for Mukiri (83 mins), Przemek Kieloch for Patterson (89 mins).
Gweedore United: Dylan Clift; Seighean Ó Baoill, Shaun McFadden, Roan Turk, Ethan Harkin; Cian O’Heifearnáin, Stephen Mulhern, Cathal Gillespie, Darren Ferry; Steven McFadden, Ciaran McFadden. Subs: Odhran Ferry for Sh.McFadden (40 mins), Francis Gallagher for Mulhern (50 mins), Aiden Doherty for Ó Baoill (75 mins), Ronan Ó Domhnaill (89 mins), Abdul Obabire for St.McFadden (90 mins).
Referee: Seimi Ferry
