Letterkenny Rovers lose out to Salthill Devon in final National League home game

A goal in each half from Diala Princewell helped Salthill Devon keep their hopes of topping the National League Group 2 alive as they defeated Letterkenny Rovers in Leckview Park on Saturday evening.

Two corners had the visitors ahead, the first met by Ben McDonnell at the back post and the other tapped in by Princewell before Shane McNamee scored a brilliant half volley to halve the deficit before the break.

Stephen McConnell’s men did press for an equaliser, but a great effort from range from Princewill gave the away side a good lead to hold on to and they did just that.

Rovers had a bright start, with Zach Gorman putting in a threatening ball but Nnabuike Nneji headed clear under threat from Padraic Gilsenan.

But the visitors started to grow into the game, Ronan Kerin firing wide before Paddy McGarvey had to brilliantly palm a shot from Richard-Miguel Lapointe out for a corner.

But that saw the first goal of the game, as Jacob Carroll curled the ball to the back post, where the in rushing Ben McDonnell ran late from the edge of the box to side foot in.

Kerin had a goal rightly ruled out for offside, but it was a bit of Déjà vu when Carroll’s corner saw the second goal come, Kerin heading at goal forcing a super save out of McGarvey, but Diala Princewell was quickest to pounce and poke home the rebound.

Salthill continued to be on top after this with Kerin playing a great ball into McDonnell on the right of the box, but again McGarvey made a top quality save.

Rovers were looking for a red card when Churchill Idemuha went in heavy on Luke Parke, with Joel Gorman’s free zipping towards goal that Sam Begley had to palm over.

But Rovers may have been fortunate not to be a man down soon after as a loose header saw Richard Miguel Lapointe-Guevara go through on goal, with Brendan McCafferty taking him down at the edge of the box but only a yellow was given.

That free was hit by McDonnell but McGarvey held easily, and he dealt with another long range effort from the same man moments later.

But the final ten minutes of the half saw the hosts begin to look promising again with Luke Parke providing the threats with a couple of crosses, the second headed just over by Ryan Shields.

Shane McNamee fired wide soon after, but it wasn’t long before he got on the scoresheet as a Zach Gorman cross was only half cleared to McNamee from 15 yards out and on the half volley, he fired low into the bottom right.

It stayed 2-1 at the break, and Rovers were pushing for an equaliser, with a Shields header being taken down by McNamee and hit on the volley, which would have been a spectacular goal, but it went just wide.

Parke got another good cross in that fell to substitute Adam McCaffrey at the edge of the box, but his effort again went just wide of the left hand post.

And just before the hour mark, Salthill got a third against the run of play as a loose ball was only half cleared to Princewill, who fired low into the bottom left from 25 yards for their third.

There were very few chances after this until the final five minutes, with Rovers going close a number of times.

First, McCaffrey played a neat pass into Jamie Harris who chested it down in the box but he went to ground under the tackle, although Vincent McLoughlin wasn’t interested in the protests.

McCaffrey then played a cross in which was headed by McNamee and after a bit of pinball, Salthill got the ball cleared before Adrian Delap flashed a shot from distance wide.

Salthill had a couple of late chances also, substitute Darren Darcy at a tight angle in the box dinked a shot just wide, while Carroll had a shot from the edge of the box but he got well under it and fired way over the bar.

And the full-time whistle went soon after, as Salthill keep their chances of topping the group alive, while Letterkenny Rovers travel to TU Dublin next week in a game that could see them finish either third or last.

Letterkenny Rovers: Patrick McGarvey; Padraic Gilsenan (Ultan O’Grady 71), Dean McCarry, Keith Cowan, Brendan McCafferty (Adam McCaffrey ht); Ryan Shields (Jamie Harris 71), Joel Gorman (Cathal McGeever 87), Luke Parke (Ryan Lonergan 80), Zach Gorman, Adrian Delap, Shane McNamee.

Salthill Devon: S Begley; Al-Amin Obasa, Shane O’Rourke, Churchill Idemuha (Calym Crowe 58), Dermot Mac Giollarnaith (Timmy Molloy 58), Nnabuike Nneji, Jacob Carroll, Diala Princewill (Darren Darcy 70), Ben McDonnell (Jamal Sow 80), Richard Miguel Lapointe-Guevara, Ronan Kerin.

Referee: Vincent McLoughlin.