Finn Harps U21s hit Letterkenny Rovers for five in USL League Cup

Finn Harps Under-21s overcame a tame Letterkenny Rovers on Wednesday night in the Donegal News USL League Cup.

Finn Harps Under-21s 5
Letterkenny Rovers 1

Sean O’Donnell’s brace took the young Harps clear en route to a fine win at The Diamond Park.

Danny McConnell’s men - with former Derry City manager Declan Devine in the dugout after he joined last week as a coach - did pull one back through Simon McGlynn.

Rovers briefly looked like they might have made a fist of it, but goals from former Rovers man Nathan Plumb and Marc Doherty sealed the deal for Harps.

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Two goals in as many minutes gave Harps the platform against a shellshocked Rovers.

They took the lead in the 23rd minute when Ruadhan Feeney’s effort from wide on the right, close to the sideline, beat Mark Anthony McGinley.

Just two minutes later, O’Donnell scampered away and dinked over the advancing McGinley to double the lead.

Brendan McLaughlin had the ball in the Rovers net on the stroke of half-time, but the offside flag was up.

Letterkenny Rovers

Ten minutes into the second half, Harps added a third when O’Donnell broke away and slammed emphatically past McGinley.

Rovers reduced the deficit with 22 minutes remaining when McGlynn climbed to head home from a corner.

The Leckview men rallied and McGlynn saw another effort pushed over the top by Oisin Farrell while Rian Akpetinyi hit the side-netting when well placed. Rovers also had a scrambled effort hooked from the goal-line.

However, it was game, set and match when Plumb - who honed his trade at Rovers - scored the goal of the night in the 78th minute. A cracking effort from distance gave McGinley little chance; his thundering effort flying to the net in style.

Three minutes later, Doherty headed in from Damien Duffy’s corner to complete the scoring.

Late in the night, McGinley saved well from Harps sub Max Johnson to prevent a further ordeal for the Cathedral Towners.

Finn Harps Under-21s: Oisin Farrell, Ruadhan Feeney, Liam Carlin (Max Johnson 65), Ryan Creevy (Gareth Bradley half-time), Kevin Jordan, Sean O’Kane, Evan Keogh (Marc Doherty half-time), Jamie McKinney (Ben O’Donnell 63), Sean O’Donnell, Nathan Plumb, Brendan McLaughlin (Damien Duffy 79).

Letterkenny Rovers: Mark Anthony McGinley, Luke Parke, Leon Doherty, Rian Akpetinyi (Artem Tymoshchenko 83), Ryan McConnell, Eugene Deery, Colm Paul Robb, Gareth Doherty (Jack Dwyer 63), Gearoid McDermott, Tim Callaghan (Simon McGlynn 63), Aidy Delap (Gabriel Aduaka 79).

Referee: Marty McGarrigle.