Bragging rights for Mervue Utd to edge Devon closer to play-off

Mervue United 2

Salthill Devon 1

Mike Rafferty

A combination of good fortune and sheer brilliance were just some of the ingredients that helped Mervue United come from behind and snatch a win that might yet preserve their Airtricity League experience.

At Terryland Park on Thursday night the ‘home’ side won the proverbial six pointer and in the process moved four clear of a Salthill Devon side who now need to achieve almost the impossible with games running out at the tail end of the season.

The visitors were certainly the more creative side in the opening half and were worthy of an interval advantage courtesy of a Victory Collins goal that had a shade of offside about it. The equaliser just after the restart brought the good fortune as Mark Ludden’s cross shot somehow made it into the net via the upright.

An Enda Curran close range finish gave Mervue a merited winner as a reward for a more competitive second half and with Devon devoid of creativity and opportunities a recovery didn’t seem on the cards.However they were thrown a life line on 86 minutes when Robbie Porter’s ‘fall’ over the leg of Kevin Crehan presented them with a soft penalty, but underage international goalkeeper Ger Hanley made a brilliant diving save to his left to keep out Collins’ well struck effort.

It was the point of no return for the visitors as Mervue went on to threaten to inflict further punishment on a side who lost their way after a promising opening half.

The smile on Mervue manager Tom French’s face told the complete story afterwards as words were almost unnecessary as he described himself as “ecstatic and over the moon”. French has a long memory also and quickly reverted to the first meeting of the sides when Devon got a late equaliser to deny them a win, and he felt his charges deserved the win on this occasion for all their hard work.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.