Strathroy Harps 3 Lisbellaw United 0 Strathroy Harps cruised into the second round of the Mulhern Cup with a convincing win over Lisbellaw.

The repeat of last year’s final provided the highest profile tie of the opening round of fixtures, but the league champions could not contain the cup holders as goals from Tommy Murphy and two from Conor O’Donnell saw Harps through to round two.

Lisbellaw manager Andy Reilly was disappointed with the performance of his side, and admitted they could have suffered a heavier defeat if Strathroy had taken their chances.

“We were well beaten there’s no doubt about it,” he acknowledged.

“In fairness it wasn’t a 3-0 game, it should have been more. They were a different class but we were very poor and I can only apologise to our supporters who travelled down to watch us. It will be a huge test of character this week against Kesh who have picked up of late but I know these players and I’m sure there will be a reaction from everyone”

Harps manager Seamus Fanthorpe was delighted with the convincing win. “In my eyes it was a complete annihilation of Lisbellaw in every department all over the pitch,” he said.

“It was a repeat of last year’s final and to be honest it ended up a lot handier for us. I’m still contemplating if we have got a lot more superior since the final last year, or have Lisbellaw went off the boil a bit.

“We created opportunity after opportunity and it was very pleasing for us to know we were able to do that. We were on our game and we were a team that was hungry for a trophy. It was an onslaught in the first half, and although we squandered quite a few chances we never looked in danger. We were in full control and we deserved it.”

The commanding nature of the win continues Strathroy’s fine winning sequence against the top teams, and the manager is hopeful they can continue in the same vein of form for the remainder of the season.

“We have had Rangers, Town, Lisbellaw and Tummery come to us and we have not conceded a goal,” said Fanthorpe. “We are not getting carried away but the defence is doing their job and the boys are sticking them away. We have scored 14 in those four games and none conceded against teams that are basically the top four, so that tells its own story.”

Right from the first whistle Harps were on top and could have scored three times in the opening ten minutes if they were not so wasteful in front of goal. The deserved goal finally arrived after 40 minutes when a ball over the top of the centre halves released Tommy Murphy, and he advanced on the keeper before drilling a low shot into the bottom corner.

The Strathroy pressure continued in the second half and they soon extended their lead when Lisbellaw failed to clear a corner and Conor O’Donnell fired a shot through a crowd of players into the corner.

Patrick Nugent steered a close range header over the bar and Aiden McCaffrey and Darren Teague also failed to find the net from good positions, but the result was put beyond doubt when O’Donnell grabbed his second.

He burst on to a bouncing ball, getting there before the keeper and heading over him into the unguarded goal to seal the win.