Swinford 1
Lawless 80 (OG)
Westport Utd 3
Horkan 22, Hoban 72, 76
Patrick Hennelly
Cloonaghboy
DESPITE giving a stirring performance against visiting Westport United on Sunday afternoon, Swinford failed to garner a result against last season’s runners-up.
Westport may have title aspirations this season, but the visitors were made to work hard throughout by a doughty home outfit. To a large extent, United dominated the opening quarter, and their first chance of note fell to David Hoban, but his glancing header failed to find the target.
Undeterred, Westport continued to press, with a stinging drive from Tom McGing being expertly turned behind his post by the diving Neil McNicholas. From Gerry McLoughlin’s corner-kick, Hoban saw his header flash narrowly wide.
The visitors finally made the breakthrough after 22 minutes. A dangerous ball was poorly punched away by the under-pressure McNicholas, and Kevin Joyce took possession before teeing up David Horkan, who found the net.
Swinford almost responded in the best possible fashion two minutes later. A corner kick from Tom Kavanagh found Nigel Sweeney, but his free header was always rising over Niall Gallagher’s crossbar.
Swinford continued to persevere, and one of the best moves of the first half almost culminated in Alan Gough’s troops snatching the equaliser. The busy Richard Dalton gave possession to Alan Carter, whose inch-perfect cross found Gordon Carter, but his close-range header whistled inches off target.
Relieved Westport quickly went about adding a second goal with efforts from Horkan, Joyce and Hoban, but they failed to seriously test the resolve of McNicholas.
But back came the hosts, who upped the tempo considerably during the closing stages of the first half, and created two decent opportunities. Firstly, Dalton’s corner kick found the poaching Niall Feeney, but his low-range header was hooked away by a Westport defender. Then, moments later, Feeney’s stinging drive forced a superb save from Gallagher, who diverted the ball around the post. From the resultant corner, the Westport custodian poorly punched possession into the path of Matt Gallagher, who blazed his effort wide of the mark.
There was a greater urgency to Swinford’s play during the early exchanges of the second half. A free-kick from Tom Kavanagh forced Gallagher into a routine save. Westport went in search the breathing space a second goal would give them, but Dave Cameron saw his close-range effort superbly turned away by McNicholas.
United’s pressure-play finally paid dividends after 72 minutes, as Hoban headed home Cameron’s decent cross. Four minutes later, Westport wrapped up proceedings by adding a third goal. Following some neat build-up play, the ball broke for Hoban, who unleashed a super finish from the edge of the penalty area.
Swinford did manage to peg back a consolation goal ten minutes from time, as Dalton’s inswinging corner kick was misdirected to the back of his own net by the under-pressure Joe Lawless. Despite this defeat, Swinford can take a lot of positives out of what was an encouraging display. Westport retain their 100 per cent record.
Swinford
N McNicholas, N Feeney, P Quinn, T Kavanagh, N Sweeney, M Gallagher, P Convey, G Carter, A Carter, T McDonnell, R Dalton.
Subs used: D Brennan for A Carter (61); P Noone for Convey (73).
Westport United
N Gallagher, C Cameron, M Geraghty, J Lawless, D Mulchrone, T McGing, D Horkan, K Joyce, D Cameron, G McLoughlin, D Hoban.
Subs: J Smith for Geraghty (64, inj); D Scahill for McGing (69); C Ryder for Hoban (87, inj).
Referee: J Cawley
