Gilmore’s strike secures win as late goal suits Devon for once

Salthill Devon     2

Finn Harps           1

Jason Byrne at Drom

Salthill Devon battled to just their second win of the season at Drom on Friday night as they produced a shock to stun Finn Harps.

For once it was Devon who netted a late winner thanks to substitute Mikey Gilmore, after Enda Curran gave the hosts the lead from the penalty spot early in the second half, only for Michael Funston to level for Peter Hutton’s men.

Curran flashed a low free kick inches wide of the mark in the opening minute, and seven minutes later Tommy Bonner’s effort for the visitors forced a comfortable save from Ronan Forde.

With 10 minutes on the clock, veteran Harps hitman Kevin McHugh was beginning to see more of the ball and he found space in the box only to be foiled by youngster Alex Byrne, who is in the middle of his Leaving Cert exams.

Moments later McHugh found a gap again on the right, but his cross was coolly intercepted by Colm Horgan who cleared the danger as the rain pelted down on Drom and the small band of spectators.

Evan Preston-Kelly then blocked down another attempted cross from McHugh and as the half-hour mark approached, Harps spurned a glorious chance to take the lead when Johnny Bonner’s cross fell to Keith Cowan but he completely missed the ball and Devon cleared again.

A minute later Tommy Bonner stood over a free kick on the right flank and played it short along the surface for Marc Brolly, but his low drive was straight at Forde, who held it well.

Devon were working hard, particularly in the middle, to keep the Donegal outfit at bay and the other end Jean Biansumba attempted a cross aimed at Curran, but Harps ’keeper Ciaran Gallagher was alert to cut out the danger.

On the counter Johnny Bonner’s cross was caught by Forde in a similar move, before Brolly was set free by Johnny Bonner and with just Forde to beat his shot was superbly stopped by the Devon number one when the visitors should have gone ahead.

Four minutes after the restart Devon edged in front when Gallagher advanced and upended the advancing Curran and Andrew Mullally pointed to the spot, despite frantic protests from the visitors.

Curran stepped up to calmly slot it to Gallagher’s left for his sixth goal in four games as the rain began to disappear from the sky.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.