Sporting Fingal 2-0 Mervue United

Sporting Fingal recorded their third win on the bounce as Alan Kirby’s first-half double clinched the points against struggling Mervue United at Morton Stadium.

Kirby bagged the opener after six minutes when he latched onto Robert Bayly’s threaded pass, rounded ‘keeper Eoin Martin and slotted home into an empty net.

And the midfielder availed of more slack marking five minutes later to drive a low shot into the bottom corner, ensuring the win that hoists his team into third place in the table.

Mervue, coming into the match on an eight-game losing streak, were defending from early on and Nicky Curran had to race back and clear Conan Byrne’s second minute shot off the line.

Bayly released Alan Kirby storming into the penalty and he skipped past the onrushing goalkeeper before tapping home.

The lead was doubled five minutes later when Kirby was again on target – this time controlling the pass from Byrne and picking his spot from 20 yards.

The visitors failed to muster many openings and Curran’s free-kick midway through the first half, aimed straight at Darren Quigley, was the closest they got to scoring.

Martin produced an excellent stop from Stephen Paisley’s header midway through the second half as Fingal chased a third but they ran out comfortable victors to move up to third place.

Sporting Fingal (4-3-3): Quigley; Gannon, Maher, Paisley, Fitzgerald; Bayly, McFaul Williams; C. Byrne, O’Neill (Zayed 76), Kirby

Mervue United (4-5-1): Martin; Curran, Keady, O’Rourke, Ludden; Lee, Traynor (Danagher 86), Browne, Huban (Douglas 86), Barrett (Gaffney 56); Goldbey.

Ref: J. McLoughlin.