Fanad United were crowned Donegal League Premier Division champions for the second season in a row after they defeated Swilly Rovers at a windy Traigh-a-Lough.
Fanad United …3 Swilly Rovers …0
Arthur Lynch’s team made it thirteen wins, a draw and just two defeats in sixteen games and take the title with two games to spare.
By Charlie Collins
Swilly Rovers were one of the two teams to have beaten them earlier this season but with the chance to wrap up another league title on their home patch, Fanad United were not going to allow that opportunity to pass.
Conditions were far from ideal as Storm Kathleen continued to blow herself out before heading further north but credit to both teams for getting on with the job in hand .
Fanad’s successful season had been built on a solid defense which had conceded only eleven goals in their previous fifteen games and a lively attack which averaged just over two goals a game.
Fanad got the perfect start with a goal after five minutes. Oisin Langan played a super ball forward, Edward O’Reilly was just beaten to the touch by Swilly keeper Barry Gallagher but the ball fell into the path of Eoin Logue who stroked it into the roof of the net
They added a second in the 15th minute, Keelin McElwaine’s cross into the box somehow found itself to Eddie O Reilly and despite several defenders in close proximity he took a couple of touches before flicking the ball to the net, Fanad Utd in control.
It could have been three in the 25th minute when O Reilly headed Darren McElwaine’s cross but headed just wide, but two minutes later it was 3-0 , again McElwaine crossed and this time O Reilly made no mistake from close range.
Swilly showed plenty of fight and determination despite the match situation and with Shane McNamee producing some good moments they created several good chances but equally good defending by Fanad kept them at bay.
It remained 3-0 to Fanad at half-time.
Swilly Player-Manager Laurence Toland replaced Kyle Black at half-time , and drew a super save from Mark McConigley from a free kick n the 58th minute.
Daibhid Lynch forced an equally fine save from Barry Gallagher at the other end with a free-kick from distance which the keeper pushed over the crossbar.
Gallagher produced another super save in the 80th minute when Oisin Langan’s strong header put Keelin McElwaine racing through but the Swilly keeper pushed the ball away for a corner.
Fanad cleared the bench in the final half-hour and continued to have the better of things without adding to the score but the hard work of winning this important game had been done in the opening twenty five minutes and it ended 3-0.
Fanad Utd ; Mark McConigley , Keelan McElwaine , Declan McGarvey ( Darragh O Doherty 68mins), Oisin Langan , James Gallagher , Patrick McGinley , Peter Carr ( Dylan McGlone 75mins), , Patrick Carr ( Odhran Grant 70mins) , Eoin Logue ( Daibhid Lynch 25mins), Edward O Reilly (Patrick Moffett 60mins), Darren McElwaine .
Swilly Rovers ; Barry Gallagher , Darragh McDaid , Brad Patterson , Ciaran Kelly , Tony Gallagher, , Barry Mooney , Jordan McDaid ( Mickey Kerr 66mins), Marty McDaid , Kyle Black ( Laurence Toland h/t), , Shane McNamee , David Craig . Referee ; Paddy Martin.
