IN THE stands their fans might have proved that they could out sing the best of them right from the outset, but on the pitch this was to prove an altogether different affair. League leaders St Patrick's Athletic made their opponents look suitably amateurish in this FAI Cup tie, and only the visitors' goalkeeper, Bosco Gallagher, ensured that the scoreline didn't weigh too heavily on his side's shoulders through the long journey home.
A strong start was what the visitors desperately required, but despite enjoying whatever benefit the elements on a harsh night could provide through the opening period they never really looked capable of making a serious contest of it.
From the start John Byrne Noel Mernagh and Paul Campbell played their part in an almost immediate seizure of the midfield initiative by St Patrick's, but it was the work of Brian Morrisroe that caused Fanad and, in particular, their player manager Eamonn McConigley the greater part of their troubles early on.
With Peter Carpenter there to push up behind him, Morrisroe was repeatedly at the centre of the Dubliners' attacks and, in the 32nd minute, when a push down the right set Jason Byrne on his away around the back of the United defence, he made up for his late involvement in the move by stepping nicely inside his marker to poke the loose ball home from eight yards out.
The strike killed off virtually any doubt about the outcome which had survived an opening half hour in which the locals dominated and the Donegalmen spurned what meagre opportunities came their way.
In the 20th minute they had claims for a penalty quickly waved away by Gerry Perry after Noel Mernagh had appeared to handle on the edge of the box, but little was produced from play. And after they fell behind, Kenny Harkin's gradual move forward only served to leave them more vulnerable in their own half.
The second, by then overdue, arrived in the 39th minute when only Dave Campbell rose above the chaos to head Morrisroe's corner home.
And while things never got much better after that for the visitors, they had reason to be grateful that their goalkeeper never stopped improving through an increasingly one sided second half.
While Gareth Byrne was hardly called upon for more than the occasional clearance from the edge of his area, Gallagher was forced into ever greater acrobatics. Butt fortunately for the non league side the veteran repeatedly rose to the occasion.
Morrisroe and Jason Byrne drew the best of a long string of fine stops from the former Finn Harps player, and when Paul Campbell was barged over inside the area by Shane Bradley after 70 minutes the goalkeeper guessed right to keep Campbell's spot kick out, only then to watch helplessly as Morrisroe followed up for his second of the night.
