Under 19's Hit Longford for Seven   20/01/2014

Airtricity Under 19 League

Longford Town 1-7 Mervue Utd

The club’s Under 19’s finished their Southern Division league campaign on a high as they cruised to a 7-1 away win over Longford Town at the City Calling Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Ryan Manning took the scoring honours as he scored four times, to register his second hat-trick against the midlanders in 12 months, while top scorer Padraic Cunningham with two and Aaron McDonagh completed the scoring.

Justin Neary’s side got off to a flying start as Manning netted twice inside the opening 10 minutes, volleying home a superb finish for the opener before lobbing the home keeper from all of 30 yards to make it 2-0.

The home side did pull a goal back through Dylan McKeever on 23 minutes but two goals in as many minutes just after the half hour mark stretched Mervue’s lead once again.

Winger Aaron McDonagh beat the offside trap and rounded the Longford keeper to make it 3-1 after 34 minutes and just a minute later Cunningham did exactly the same as he raced through to score his first of the game and leave it 4-1 at the break.

Manning went on to complete his hat-trick with another excellent finish five minutes from time and added a fourth on 88 minutes when he neatly chipped the advancing keeper for 6-1.

Division top scorer Cunningham added another late strike, his 13th of the season, for his second of the afternoon as he made it 7-1 in the final minute.

The win sees them remain two points clear of second placed Limerick FC, who have one game left away to Wexford Youths this weekend, and need a win in that game to claim the Southern Division title, any other result will see Neary’s squad claim top spot.

Regardless of that they have qualified for the promotion playoff series were they are joined by Limerick, Dundalk and Derry and will play each side in February to see who earns promotion to the Elite Division.

Mervue Utd: Peter Healy, Eric Neary (capt), Gary Bailey, Paul Healy, Robert Carroll; Dillon Murphy, Moise Assogba, Stephen Killeen, Aaron McDonagh: Ryan Manning, Padraic Cunningham.

 





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