Plenty of goals as Swifts win

Ardmore Rovers 3

RATHFRILAND Swifts hosted Dungannon side Ardmore Rovers in a league match at Iveagh Park on Saturday and after the 90 minutes collected the three points in a 6–3 win.

Right from the start Rathfriland dictated the first half with some tremendous passages of football and keeping their opponents hemmed in for long periods of the game.

The Swifts went ahead when a great cross from the left was powerfully headed home by Kyle Heslip.

The home side almost made it 2–0 when David Gilmore went close but the second did come with Terry Toal powered in to the box and fired in to the bottom corner with a low shot.

Any threat by the visitors was tidied up well by the defence of Monaghan, Murray, Morrison and Duffy and on the half hour mark Kyle Heslip thumped home his second of the game after being put through by Simon Groves.

Rathfriland’s play, particularly down the right side, was excellent involving Mongahan and Groves who linked well with the central midfielders of Gilmore and Megaw with great passages of one touch football. Ardmore then got a penalty which was slotted home to make it 3 – 1.

Philip Johnston went close with a header and Kyle Heslip made it 4–1 when he pressurized the defender and poked the ball under the keeper to make it 4–1.

In the second half Rathfriland did not seem to control the ball as well and dictate the game the way they did in the first period and as a result conceded on the hour to make the scoreline 4–2.

The Swifts then got a two further goals firstly when David Hollingsworth broke through with a great run and fired home with a low shot and then Ryan Monaghan volleyed home at the back post to make it 6–2.

Kyle Heslip then thumped the post with a great shot but Rovers pulled another back late on.

Overall a great first half performance and an average second half one but a much wanted three points by a committed Swifts side.

TEAM: Gavin Allen, Ryan Monaghan, Gavin Duffy, William Morrison, Alan Murray, David Gilmore, Simon Groves, Terry Toal, Keith Megaw, Philip Johnston, Kyle Heslip. Subs: Simon McWilliams, Lee McDowell, David Hollingsworth.