Brian McCormick Cup - Letterkenny Rovers 7 - 1 Kerrykeel 71

Brian McCormick Cup – First Round | Tuesday 2nd September 2025, Leckview Park
Letterkenny Rovers began their defence of the Brian McCormick Cup in emphatic style at Leckview Park, producing an impressive all-round display to see off Kerrykeel 71 FC under the lights.
Rovers were in front inside three minutes when Lee McMonagle latched onto a long pass from Luke Parke, showing great determination to outpace the defence before nicking the ball beyond the onrushing goalkeeper.

Kerrykeel responded well, forcing an early free kick and almost capitalising on a defensive slip, but Keith Cowan’s timely defending denied a clear chance.
The visitors were level on 14 minutes when Kerrykeel’s Patrick Friel drove in from the left and finished smartly after Rovers had been punished for surrendering possession in midfield.

The equaliser sparked Rovers back into life and Adrian Delap restored their advantage soon after, converting at close range from McMonagle’s clever flick.
That began a powerful spell from Rovers who added three goals in quick succession. Bj Banda tapped home after good link-up play involving Cowan and Parke, before unleashing a thunderous strike from distance that the Kerrykeel keeper couldn’t keep out. Moments later, Simon McGlynn drove a cross to the back post where Banda was on hand again to finish, giving Rovers a commanding 5-1 half-time lead.

Any hopes of a Kerrykeel fightback were dashed just two minutes into the second half when McGlynn broke through on McNamee’s perfectly-weighted pass and coolly slotted home. McGlynn continued to pose problems, forcing saves and going close again, before grabbing his second of the night on the half-hour with another well-timed run onto Zach Gorman’s incisive through ball.
Kerrykeel pushed until the end and almost pulled one back through Friel, whose strike flashed just wide across goal, but the night firmly belonged to Rovers whose attacking sharpness carried them through with comfort.