Gallagher hat-trick seals win for five-star Fanad United against Keadue Rovers

A Ronan Gallagher second-half hat-trick sealed a five-star performance from Fanad United to beat Keadue Rovers in Traigh-A-Loch on Sunday in the Brian McCormick Premier Division.

First-half goals from Eddie O’Reilly and Liam McGrenaghan gave the home side a good lead before Gallagher was brought on just after the hour mark.

And he did brilliantly for his first, while he was in the right position for the next two and finished well for three goals in eight minutes and completed his treble while only being on the pitch for 14 minutes.

While Darren McElwaine had a header easily held early on, it was the visitors who started much brighter.

First, a Mark Forker inswinging corner had to be punched away by Mark McConigley, while Oran Fallon and Jack Tracey were causing problems on the wings.

Fallon did well on the left to get a low cross to Ethan McCaffrey at the edge of the box, but he dragged his shot just wide.

After, Aidan McHugh almost got Tracey in, but McConigley got out quickly to clear.

Tracey then played a 1-2 with McHugh and this time got to the through ball before McConigley, but his effort went wide of the right-hand post.

And after a Fanad corner, Keadue countered with McHugh almost getting through, but a combination of Caolan McElwaine and Keelin McElwaine denied him.

Fanad grew into the game, and on the 20th minute they opened the scoring.

It came from a great through ball from Darren McElwaine to Peter Carr on the right of the box, who squared it for O’Reilly and, despite an open net, he belted it into the top corner.

A Liam McGrenaghan free fell to O’Reilly at the back post, and his chipped ball into the six-yard box almost was headed in by McAteer, but he couldn’t connect.

A throw then came to Carr inside the box, with Pauric Neeley making a great block, while Darren McElwaine’s shot from 20 yards was well palmed out for a corner by Caelan Bonner.

But McElwaine then curled in the corner, with McGrenaghan firing into the far corner from ten yards.

Fanad almost made it three before the break, with Keelin McElwaine winning possession high up and playing it across for McAteer, who took a touch but was quickly closed down as it stayed 2-0 at the break.

The home side continued to push for more, with Seamus Friel, O’Reilly and a Darren McElwaine free troubling the Keadue ‘keeper, but to no avail.

Gallagher was introduced, and when he won possession high up and went through one-on-one, he fired over for what was a great chance, but a minute later he took a harder opportunity on the right of the box and found the bottom left corner.

Three minutes later, it was Darren McElwaine who won the ball high up on the left, and he squared for Gallagher, who found that same left corner.

And it was another five minutes when he got his third, as Eoin Logue tried to find O’Reilly with a defence-splitting pass, but a Keadue man just got a touch to it, only to fall to Gallagher from 12 yards and he once again tucked the ball into the bottom left.

Darren McElwaine had a shot blocked over, while Charlie McAteer’s corner almost went straight in.

And while Chris Greene had a late header saved for Keadue, Peter Carr then headed narrowly wide for the final action of the game.

Fanad United: Mark McConigley; Peter Curran, Caolan McElwaine (Oisin Langan 52), Seamus Friel, Liam McGrenaghan; Peter Carr, Daibhid Lynch (Eoin Logue 62), Keelin McElwaine, Darren McElwaine (Adam Carr 86), Eddie O’Reilly (Charlie McAteer 76), Mark McAteer (Ronan Gallagher 62).

Keadue Rovers: Caelan Bonner; Oisin McDowell, Chris Greene, Martin Ferry, Pauric Neeley; Jack Tracey (Oran McHugh 62), Mark Forker (Lennon Cowley 84), Michael Greene, Oran Fallon; Ethan McCaffrey (Jordan Lee Doogan 84), Aidan McHugh.

Referee: Damien McFadden.