Games between Letterkenny Rovers and Fanad Utd are normally tense and fraught affairs and this USL opener was no different as Rovers will be relieved to come away with an opening day victory after a 3-2 win over a Fanad side who played most of the game with just ten men.
Letterkenny Rovers 3 Fanad United 2
The game was played at the Aura centre and strong winds prevailed for the entire game but it was an explosive start to proceedings between the two great rivals as the fuse paper for what was to follow was lit very early.
Fanad were awarded a penalty in the third minute as David Shovlin was penalised for a handball in the area and former Rovers man Oisin McMenamin made no mistake firing past Rory Kelly.
That goal certainly whetted the appetite of the vociferous Fanad travelling support but they were rocked back on their heels on 8 minutes as they were reduced to ten men when goalkeeper Dane Dunworth as sent off and Rovers levelled matters.
Lee Toland played a super ball into the box which was met by Pajo Rafferty and as he rounded Dunworth the netminder brought him down and referee Marty McGarrigle sent him for an early shower and Toland stepped up to calmly fire home to restore parity.
Fanad were querying the new double jeopardy rule as regards to being penalised twice but those appeals fell on deaf ears.
For the reminder of the half though it as a pretty tame affair as Fanad stifled Rovers attacking threat while Rovers lacked the fluency of their performances during the League Cup which saw wins over Bonagee and Finn Harps Reserves lead to them topping their group.
Rovers though did come closest with Sean McCarron just failing to convert another Toland throughball while Kevin McGrath forced sub keeper Shane Graham into a routine stop on 43 minutes while Fanad were relying on Tony McNamee who looked threatening at every opportunity when moving forward and he came closest on a couple of occasions but shot over while County Gaa man Martin McElhinney also blazed over when well placed.
The second half was a lot more livelier and it was Rovers who started on the front foot when Christy Connaghan shot just over although Fanad twice came close through Shaun McElwaine headers. Lee Toland then hit the crossbar with a thunderous effort on 55 before the ten man visitors retook the lead on 57 minutes.
Some neat work down the right saw Oisin McMenamin play in Tony McNamee and the former Harps and Derry City man fired a trademark effort into the roof of the net giving goalkeeper Kelly no chance.
That re-energised Fanad but crucially like their opening goal they couldnt hold on to their lead for long as Rovers levelled just three minutes later.
A teasing ball into the box saw Paul Lynch and Graham confuse one another and the ball fell to Pajo Rafferty who made no mistake when firing goalwards to net his third goal in consecutive games.
Rovers sensed that victory was in their grasp but saw sub Steve Okakpo-Emeka hit the woodwork after some neat interchange play between another sub Brian McVeigh and Rafferty while the turning point and the games decider arrived on 73 minutes.
Fanad broke clear and looked all set to back in front through the inspiring McNamee but he brought out a top class save from Rory Kelly and from the next attack Rovers went in front when Toland fired home a top class free kick which gave Graham no chance after a foul on David Shovlin who had a good second half going on a number of marauding runs which caused problems for the Fanad rearguard.
Rovers had chances to increase their lead and Okakpo-Emeka again hit the woodwork although Fanad showed a lot of grit and will wonder how they did not grab a point as Ryan Gildea pulled off a superb last ditch tackle to deny Oisin McMenamin a certain goal while Martin McElhinneys deflected shot in stoppage time saw Kelly make another outstanding stop as Rovers – in the absence of manager Eamon McConigley who is abroad – secured the points and another win for stand-in boss for the day Liam O’Donnell.
Rovers touted as live title candidates but will know there is massive room for improvement based on this display and are back in action in a fortnights time against Finn Harps Reserves while Fanad are in action next weekend when hosting Derry City Reserves and lots of positives to take from the display for manager Arthur Lynch.
Letterkenny Rovers: Rory Kelly, David Shovlin, Lee Toland, Conor Tourish, Ryan Gildea, Ryan Lonergan (Chris Flanagan), Chris Malseed (Steve Okakpo-Emeka), Kevin McGrath (Brian McVeigh), Sean McCarron (Darren McElwaine), Christy Connaghan, Pajo Rafferty (Odhran McMacken).
Fanad United: Dane Dunworth, Oisin Langan, Matty Crosan, Shaun McElwaine, Paul Lynch, Martin McElhinney, Tony McNamee, Caolan Kelly (Jordan Toland), Oisin McMenamin, Davitt Walsh (Kyle Black), Martin McAteer (Shane Graham).
Referee: Marty McGarrigle
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