Letterkenny Rovers joined Cockhill Celtic at the top of the Ulster Senior League table with a slender win over Finn Harps Reserves at Leckview Park on Sunday.
Letterkenny Rovers 1 Finn Harps Reserves 0
Rovers started the game the better and could have taken the lead on 6 minutes only for Declan Sharkeys effort to be well sniffed out by Harps netminder Joe Boyle.
Harps were then indebted to Pat Loughrey who cleared a Ryan McConnell effort off the line on 9 minutes as Rovers set about their business by trying to dominate the early proceedings..
The game could have been different though as one of the games main talking points arrived on 18 minutes when Gabby Aduaka was adjudged to have broken the offside trap before home keeper Rory Kelly into a super save and from the ensuing play Corey McBride was upended in the box but the loud penalty appeals from the Harps contingent were waved away by match referee John Coll.
Keelin McGill then headed wide from a McBride corner for Harps but chances were limited in the opening period with shots just wide and over from either side through Christy Connaghan and Darren McElwaine the nearest any side came to breaking the deadlock in the closing stages of the half.
The second half was a much more lively affair and it was Rovers who could have taken the lead shortly after the interval when Boyle made a great stop from BJ Banda before Brian McVeigh hit the bar with a cracking effort from distance, while Banda’s header from that rebound shaved the post.
Rovers though did break the deadlock on 55 minutes when Lee Toland’s well-weighted free kick was headed home by Ryan McConnell much to the delight of the home support.
Rovers did threaten to double the advantage and Ryan Lonergan-who had a good game- forced Boyle into a super stop just after the hour mark and although harps looked lively on the break they never really threatened Rory Kelly’s goal.
Christy Connaghan then came close with a sweetly struck effort on 83 minutes as Rovers pressed for the 2nd goal while Rovers Darren McElwaine also struck the post in stoppage time but Rovers gain a much needed three points and a welcome clean sheet.
Finn Harps Reserves: Joe Boyle, Lee McLaughlin, Pat Loughrey, Keelin McGill, Joel Bradley Walsh, Jack Doherty, Corey McBride, Darren McElwaine, Gabriel Aduaka, Ronan Gallagher, Jamie Browne.
Subs used: Ryan Finn, Zach Gorman, Rian Aktepitanyi, Steven Black, Tom Mullan.
Letterkenny Rovers: Rory Kelly, Ryan Lonergan, Lee Toland, Conor Tourish, Ryan McConnell, Brian McVeigh, Kevin McGrath, Christy Connaghan, Chris Malseed, BJ Banda, Declan Sharkey.
Subs used: Darren McElwaine
Referee: John Coll.
