Letterkenny Rovers prevail in testy affair against St Catherine’s

After a close affair in the cup last week at Emerald Park, there was another testy affair at the Killybegs venue in the Brian McCormick Premier League with the visitors’ physical presence the difference in the end.

The winners finished with nine men while St Catherine’s had just 10 on the field after a double sending off just before the break. It came about after a skirmish after a Letterkenny Rovers corner and referee Vincent McLaughlin brandished red to St Catherine’s ‘keeper Daniel Mullarkey and Rovers striker Lee McMonagle.

Up until then it was a close affair with Rovers leading by 2-1 at the break, thanks mainly to their physical presence at set pieces.

St Catherine’s, with a very young side, should have taken the lead on nine minutes when Matthew McClean played in Josh Maxwell, who was one-on-one with Mark Anthony McGinley and the Rovers No 1 made a great save.

It was the first big turning  point as Rovers went upfield right away and won a corner which was only partially cleared and Lee McMonagle swivelled to find the net.

To be fair the Saints responded with an equaliser within minutes with McClean, Paul O’Hare and Maxwell involved. McGinley made a great stop in the Letterkenny goal but wasn’t able to hold the  ball and  Conor Doherty nipped in  to level.

St Catherine’s were creating breaks with Maxwell very prominent but they didn’t have any clear cut chances. Rovers had a shout for a penalty for a hand ball before they went back in front on 39 minutes and again it came  from a corner that was not cleared properly. The physical presence of Rovers counted and it was BJ Banda who was credited with the goal as the ball  was bundled to the net from close range.

Minutes later came the sendings off as Rovers again contested a corner. There was plenty of pushing and shoving and Joel Bradley Walsh ended on the ground and when things settled the two red cards were shown.

The second half was only minutes old when Letterkenny Rovers were down to nine as Adrian Delap was shown a second yellow for a heavy challenge on Kyle McGeoghan.  But they were given breathing space on 55 minutes when they broke and Joel Bradley Walsh hit a smashing goal with his left past new ‘keeper Paddy Byrne.

From then Rovers were able to use the experience of Keith Cowan and Dean McCarry at the back and Gareth Doherty and Chris Malseed in midfield to make it very difficult for St Catherine’s  to create any clear cut openings.

They did have one very big chance on 67 minutes when Conor Doherty got in behind and his close range header went straight at McGinley. Josh Maxwell continued to be lively and Ryan Cunningham was denied by McGinley after a free kick was taken short. Cowan also took a ball off the line to deny the Saints.

The battle between BJ Banda and Ryan Carr and Odhran Cunningham was a feature of the game while Joel Bradley Walsh’s left boot was probably the difference between the sides.

St Catherine’s: Daniel Mullarkey, Alex McBrearty (Josh Cunningham 75), Kyle McGeoghan, Ryan Carr, Odhran McGuinness, Alex Cunnea (Mark Hutchinson 84), Matthew McClean  (Liam  McLaughlin (68), Conor Doherty (Charlie Breslin 84), Josh Maxwell, Ryan Cunningham, Paul O’Hare (Paddy Byrne 45).

Letterkenny Rovers: Mark A McGinley, Adrian Delap, Caolan McConnell (Padraic Gilsenan 42), Dean McCarry, Keith Cowan, Joel Bradley Walsh, Joel Gorman (Rory Gallagher 87), Chris Malseed (David O’Donnell 83), BJ Banda (Nathan Plumb 81), Lee McMonagle, Gareth Doherty (Henry Welles 87).

Referee: Vince McLaughlin