Letterkenny Rovers put six past Clonmany Shamrocks in FAI Junior Cup

A hattrick from second-half substitute Lee McMonagle was the highlight in Letterkenny Rovers’ 6-0 thrashing of Clonmany Shamrocks in the FAI Junior Cup on Sunday. 

Letterkenny Rovers 6 Clonmany Shamrocks 0 

Stephen McConnell’s men had exited at the break one up, thanks to a 21st-minute Zach Gorman strike. 

But the floodgates opened after the restart at Leckview with the dominant hosts adding five more with McMonagle grabbing his third on the stroke of full-time. 

As early as five minutes, Conor Tourish had headed against the butt of the post when he got on the end of a long throw-in from Gorman. Clonmany’s Aaron Parker then had an effort saved by Mark Anthony McGinley. 

Passing the quarter-hour mark and Nathan Plumb twice went close to breaking the deadlock, in quick succession, cutting in from the left wing. However, the inevitable breakthrough landed soon after thanks to a superb Gorman effort on the opposite flank. 

Joel Gorman almost added a second for Rovers when he clipped the top of the crossbar with a dipping effort from distance. And just before half-time, up the other side, the Inishowen outfit could have squared it but Shane McCaul volleyed straight at McGinley. 

Clonmany had another very good chance to level matters seven minutes into the new period but Jake Harkin couldn’t hit the target from a free header at the back post. 

On 55 minutes McMonagle - not long on the pitch - sent in a low delivery that Zach Gorman cheekily Rabonaed off a post but with Plumb on hand from close range, the rebound was bundled home. 

Clonmany continued to have sporadic moments and Aaron Porter pulled a well-struck effort on the edge of the area just wide. 

With 20 minutes to go McMonagle grabbed his first after good link-up play from both Leon Doherty and Tourish. 

Joel Gorman then bent in a brilliant freekick from all of 35 yards when Shamrocks custodian Liam McGonigle mistakenly drifted a little too far to the left expecting a delivery into the box. 

McMonagle nabbed his second and his side’s fifth on 82 minutes when McGinley’s quick dispatch sent Plumb scarpering down the left and his first-time square into the area was smashed home by the onrushing McMonagle. 

And with the very last kick of the game, McMonagle completed his hattrick to round off an impressive afternoon’s work for Rovers. 

Letterkenny Rovers: Mark Anthony McGinley; Leon Doherty (Christy Connaghan,76) Conor Tourish, Dean McCarry, Ryan Lonergan; Nathan Plumb, Luke Parke (Gareth Doherty, 76), Joel Gorman, Zach Gorman; Gabby Aduka (Lee McMonagle, 48), Adrian Delap (Nathan Bonner, 76).

Clonmany Shamrocks: Liam McGonigle; Jack Doherty (Conor Doherty, 70), Gareth Bradley, Matthew McLaughlin, Aaron Porter; Shane McCaul, Jake Harkin, Matthew Brennan, Morgan Murray; Jason Devlin, Jamie Coyle.   

Referee: Stephen Laird.