Impressive Villa FC hit magnificent seven in romp
Conor Whittle of Villa showing a clever touch against Hibs in the Premier League at Mitchell Kennedy Park on Wednesday night. Photo: Paul Elliott.
Villa were a wounded animal after their recent shock Azzurri Premier League defeat against Carrick United as Hibernians found out in devastating fashion at Mitchell Kennedy Park on Wednesday evening last in front of a healthy attendance.
When Ben Walshe gave the hosts the lead inside the opening seven minutes, it looked as if Conor Coad’s side were feeling the effects of a number of recent defeats, but they turned on the style in the reminder of the first-half scoring four times before adding another three in the second period.
Walshe took advantage of a piece of luck to give his side the lead when Antonio Petrovic got away with a tip on Matas Grinius that saw the former take possession on the halfway line before racing clear to drill a low right-footed shot to the far left-corner past a helpless Craig Dunphy.
Aaron O’Connor had a cracking effort tipped over the bar on 11 minutes before the home side had a chance to double their lead eight minutes later, but goalscorer Ben Walshe fired over the bar from an advanced position.
Conor Kilgannon went close to an equaliser on 22 minutes when heading Adam Conway’s cross wide before the sides were level three minutes later. Conor Whittle burst through the centre to slip the ball out left to Regix Madika, who beat Kyle Cooke with a crisp right-footed finish.
It was a brilliant move that saw the Connors Park outfit strike the front on 35 minutes. Matas Grinius won possession in his own half to play a neat pass to Madika, who in turn fed Alex Phelan, and he finished superbly to the far corner against his former club.
A third goal for Villa in a complete turnaround arrived three minutes later. Conor Whittle sent over a left-wing cross that saw a header saved by Kyle Cooke, but when the ball broke to James Kennedy, he bundled over the line from close-range.
With the home side having no answer to the dominance from the visitors at this stage, they added a fourth goal on the stroke of half-time. Another sweeping move that started in defence saw Conway play the ball down the right for Phelan, who crossed into the centre for Conor Whittle to sweep home from 12 yards.
Three more goals followed in the second-half for an impressive Villa with the first coming just past the hour mark. Whittle’s left-wing corner was headed home at the back post by Conor Kilgannon before Whittle grabbed his second of the game on 72 minutes after Alex Phelan’s right-wing cross.
Dean Walsh completed the scoring for Villa on 86 minutes after some more good work from Phelan down the right as the hosts finished the game with ten men as Gary Keane was red carded deep into injury-time with the Connors Park outfit on course for three-in-a-row.
Kyle Cooke (Sean Whitty 79), Craig Keane, Sean O’Keeffe, Gary Keane, Lee Hennessy, Jason Keane, Daire O’Keeffe, Antonio Petrovic, Mark O’Keeffe, Ben Walshe, Adham Masood.
Craig Dunphy, Adam Conway (Dylan Stickel 65), Matas Grinius, John Tamen (Dylan Walsh 69), Luke Walsh (Eoghan Rea 74), Conor Whittle, Conor Kilgannon, James Kennedy, Aaron O’Connor (Shane O’Brien 69), Regix Madika (Dean Walsh 65), Alex Phelan.
Gary Fitzgerald assisted by Gavin Keyes and Noel Purcell.
