Saturday Second Division
Letterkenny Rovers 9-1 Fintown Harps
Leckview Park
Letterkenny Rovers produced a strong second-half display to defeat Fintown Harps 9-1 in their final game before the Christmas break. Despite a competitive first half, Rovers’ quality shone through as they overwhelmed their visitors at Leckview Park.
The game began with Fintown Harps showing early promise, with Mark McDevitt twice threatening in the opening moments. They were rewarded for their persistence in the 16th minute when Kieran Gallagher intercepted a pass and fired a sensational strike into the top corner to give Fintown the lead.
Rovers responded quickly and leveled in the 23rd minute when Jordan Nugent’s through ball found Conor O’Donnell, who drove into the box and finished confidently. Just a minute later, Oran Winston’s tenacity set up Lee McMonagle to capitalize on a bouncing ball, lobbing it over the onrushing Fintown goalkeeper Leon Thompson to put Rovers ahead 2-1.
Fintown had their moments, with Logan Quinn and McDevitt combining well in attack, but Rovers goalkeeper Josh Wade stood firm. Rovers continued to create chances, with O’Donnell and Nugent both going close before halftime, but the score remained 2-1 at the break.
The second half saw Rovers take complete control. In the 53rd minute, Nugent showcased his skill, juggling the ball past a defender before volleying home to make it 3-1. Six minutes later, Nugent turned provider, setting up McMonagle for his second goal with a composed finish across goal.
With the momentum firmly in Rovers’ favour, the chances kept coming. Fintown’s keeper Leon Thompson made several impressive saves to deny Rory Gallagher and O’Donnell, but the pressure eventually told. In the 66th minute, McMonagle completed his hat-trick after his second attempt heading at the Fintown net to make it 5-1.
Rovers showed no mercy, with Oran Winston smashing home from the edge of the box in the 75th minute to make it 6-1. O’Donnell added his second with a driving run and finish in the 82nd minute, and Nugent grabbed his second just two minutes later following a pass from Jack Duff.
The final flourish came in the 86th minute when a chaotic scramble saw Kian McGrath and Duff both challenging for a loose ball, with Duff ultimately claiming the ninth goal for Rovers.
In the end it was a commanding performance from Letterkenny Rovers, going into the Christmas break on a high.
Goalscorers:
Conor O’Donnell x2, Lee McMonagle x3, Jordan Nugent x2, Oran Winston, Jack Duff
Referee: Patrick Martin