Mervue United 1-1 Sporting Fingal

A calamitous equaliser two minutes from the end resulted in Sporting Fingal dropping two points at Terryland Park against Mervue United.

Fingal were frustrated in their attacking exertions throughout the game until Robert Bayly fired home with 14 minutes remaining but Mervue hit back in farcical circumstances at the death to claim a point.

Bayly and Conon Byrne tested Mervue goalkeeper Eoin Martin in the early stages but Dave Goldbey also missed a good chance for the home side.

Another move led to Bayly’s effort which was again stopped before Xayed brought the best out of Martin.

Mervue found a level of cohesion in the second half and might have gone in front through efforts by Mark Ludden’s and Goldbey which were narrowly off-target.

Substitute Robbie Doyle wasted a great opportunity on 66 minutes when he struck wide and then smashed an attempt off the post but Bayly showed him the way ten minutes later with a clinical finish from 12 yards following Shaun Williams’ cut-back.

Just as the points appeared safe, goalkeeper Darren Quigley was pulled up for a hand-ball outside the area and Goldbey’s quickly taken free-kick found substitute Kevin Barrett who tapped home into an empty net.

Mervue United: Martin, Scally, Ludden, Curran, Browne, McDonnell, Gaffney (Lee 70), Harty, Goldbey, O’Dowd, Tierney,

Sporting Fingal: Quigley; Gannon, Whelan, McFaul, Frost; Kirby (James 59), Williams, Bayly; C. Byrne, Zayed, Gaynor (Doyle 59)

Referee: R Rogers.