Scoreline harsh on depleted Bellurgan

SHAMROCKS ROVERS 4 BELLURGAN UNITED 0

THE scoreline didn’t reflect the play but in the final analysis Bellurgan’s interest ended in the Leinster Junior Cup in a disappointing return for Keith Finnegan.

The hero of the Peninsula side’s Tully bookmakers cup triumph in 2014/2015, took his place in the heart of the visitors defence, but they were missing several key players, notably their twin strikers Darren Gaynor and Ciaran Sheelan and thus were handicapped.

However, they were in this tie for a long time until the winners scored their third goal 17 minutes from time and that effectively sealed their exit from the competition, with Rovers adding a fourth in the last minute.

In an even first-half Owen Armstrong had a header turned around the post by the home goalkeeper while Robert Arthur brought off a good save at the other end before Bellurgan conceded a slack goal on the half hour.

It resulted from a corer kick on the right that was struck low into the Bellurgan box for a home player to flick it to the net.

Another goal that was preventable resulted from a throw-in with a mis-hit shot beating Robert Arthur.

Bellurgan played against the wind, and nearly pulled a goal back when a terrific freekick from 25 yards was curled round the home defensive wall by Daniel O’Connor and struck a post for the home centre-half to belt the rebound clear on the stroke of half-time .

The visitors dominated the opening 20 minutes of the second half , coming close to scoring when O’Connor pulled the ball back for Shane Finnegan’s whose effort struck the leg of the defender and was deflected wide.

Paddy Quinn along with joint manager Paddy Gollogley was introduced as substitutes to try and save the tie. The former, came even closer to scoring when O’Connor knocked down a cross from Shane Finnegan for Quinn to draw a brilliant save from the home goalkeeper at the expense of a corner kick.

With Bellurgan with option but to push forward they were caught on the break for the winners to notch their third goal. BELLURGAN: Robert Arthur, Stephen Finnegan, James Renaghan, Keith Finnegan (Padraig Gollogley 75), John Smith (Emmet Rogan 75), Sean McEvoy, Shane Finnegan, Ciaran Clarke (Cormac Renaghan 70), Gavin Donnelly, Daniel