The superior ability of Home Farm/Everton eventually wore down a resilient Workman's Dunleary at Rochestown Avenue yesterday afternoon but they were pushed all the way by the Leinster League side.
After Colm Byrne put the home side a goal up after just nine minutes, Home Farm had to dig deep and Workman's young and inexperienced side eventually wilted as Robert Farrell, Thomas McGauley and Gavin Moore made sure of the comfortable winning scoreline.
They could have had a few more as well in the closing stages but for the fine form of goalkeeper Ciaran Smyth.
In the ninth minute Workman's midfielder Byrne sneaked in the first goal after Paul Kelly mis-hit a quick free. It allowed Byrne to drill his low shot into the net from just inside the box and force Home Farm into a more attacking mode.
Padraig Drew was combining well with Val Keenen and McGauley to seek out the response yet despite their favourable possession it was slow in coming. Captain Stuart Byrne showed his frustration by back-chatting the referee and ended up with the first booking while a series of attacks from John English and Keenan came up short.
The equaliser came from the least likely of opportunities as a chance cross from McGauley just before the break was misread by Keith O'Connor and Paul Kelly in the Workman's defence. That allowed Farrell to tap it home and set up Home Farm's comeback in the second half.
By the middle of the second half Home Farm's superior organisation began to show and Smyth came to his side's rescue with a string of saves. The inevitable score came in the 76th minute when Drew fired in a long-range cross from his left corner that met McGauley coming in for an impressive header past Smyth.
The third came just two minutes later in an almost action replay. Drew swept in another from a similar point and this time it was who banged it home with equal force.
Keenan had a number of efforts to make it four but goalkeeper Smyth ensured a respectable scoreline for the home side.
Workman's Dunleary: Smyth, Murphy, Cassidy, O'Conner, Kelly, Byrne, White, Brien, McDonald, Flynn, Philips. Subs: Barry for Kelly (80 mins), Dixon for White (84 mins).
Home Farm/Everton: Whelan, Flanagan, McGauley, Gleeson, English, Byrne, Mooney, Keenan, Farrell, Moore, Drew. Subs: Benson for Drew (88 mins)
Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).
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