Gweedore Celtic hit Swilly Rovers for six to continue an impressive run of form

Gweedore Celtic hit Swilly Rovers for six at Swilly Park to make it five wins in five games and move up to second place in the TDA Appliances Division 1.

The visitors punished the mistakes from their opposition, Cronan McFadden converting a penalty, before Adam McBride and Cian McBride both scored goals that the hosts would have felt were avoidable.

And it didn’t get any better in the second half as Joey Gillespie added to the scoreline, before Liam Breathnach hit two late goals.

Both sides had chances in the first quarter of an hour, Toby Taylor taking a touch at the edge of the box and firing low, but Lorcan Coyle saved, while Adam McBride had a great goal chance after a 1-2 with Colin Ferry left him space from 12 yards, but he didn’t connect properly with the strike. 

Michael Kerr fired wide from 18 yards for the hosts, before Ferry was fouled in the box by a combination of the two Swilly centre halves.

Cronan McFadden stepped up to take the penalty, firing to the bottom right and sending Barry Gallagher the wrong way on 15 minutes. 

Kerr almost replied quickly with a great curling effort from range that came off the post, while Darragh Mac Aoidh had a chance to double the lead as he stole possession high up, but his shot was blocked. 

But the visitors got their second on 25 minutes, a long ball forward from goalkeeper Coyle bounced in front of the Swilly defence, with McBride fastest to react, and as he tried to round Gallagher, the ‘keeper got a touch, but it bounced back off McBride and into the net.

Kerr had another effort curl wide for the hosts, while Ferry played in McFadden on the right, and Gallagher made a good save at his near post.

But from the resulting corner, Cian McBride’s inswinging corner was missed at the front post and went straight in, making it 3-0 and the last real chance of the half.

Kerr was again proving the main danger for the hosts, a brilliant first touch and pass almost had Corey Oliver in for a goal, but Lorcan Coyle came out quickly to get a touch as it went for a corner, the first of three dangerous corners for Ben Reuven’s men, but Gweedore kept the ball out of the net.

Kerr then had an effort go over the bar, while Ferry forced a save from Gallagher at the other end.

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But Michael McKelvey’s men got a fourth on 66 minutes, another corner was swung in and met at the near post by Joey Gillespie, who flicked the ball into the top corner.

It was all Gweedore Celtic after this, Tarlach Mac Giolla Bhríde having an effort saved, while Darragh Mac Aoidh and Liam Breathnach had the ball in the net, but the first was disallowed for a foul and the second offside.

But Breathnach did get on the scoresheet with ten to play, first from a quick counter as Ciaran McHugh and Cronan McFadden were involved playing him in on the right, and he expertly found the far corner.

And he got a second five minutes later, curling home from inside the box to put some extra gloss on a good win for the away side, moving them up to second, while Swilly Rovers stay seventh.

Swilly Rovers: Barry Gallagher; Alfie Rodger, Darragh McDaid, Martin McDaid (Calvagh O’Donnell ht), Mark Nicholls; Corey Oliver (Shay McFadden 71), Leon Boyce, Matthew MacKinnon (Isaac Mukiri 79), Matthew Kerr; Toby Taylor (Adam Daly 71), Jordan McDaid (Patrick McGeever 59). 

Gweedore Celtic: Lorcan Coyle; Liam Breathnach, Alan Doherty, Joey Gillespie, Cian McBride; Cronan McFadden, Peter Carragher (Tadhg Ó Baoill ht), Ciaran McHugh (Tarlach Mac Giolla Bhríde 85), Darragh Mac Aoidh (Padraig Gallagher 77); Colin Ferry (Noah Freel 60), Adam McBride (Ryan Doherty 85).

Referee: Marty McGarrigle.