Following on from last week's disappointing result in the league playoff against Clew Bay United, Bangor Hibs returned to winning ways in Achill Island on Sunday in round two of the Connaught Junior Cup, beating local side Achill Rovers 3-1. The Erris side started the brighter and enjoyed most of the possession in the opening 20 minutes. Both goalkeepers had been mildly tested and Achill's Seamus Cafferkey was first to be beaten when, in the 31st minute, Hibs' ace marksman Brian McHale scored a fine goal.
The striker collected the ball outside the area on the left end line then cut inside and unleashed a powerful drive that nestled in the bottom right-hand corner of the net, well out of Cafferkey's reach.
Hibs doubled their lead five minutes later when a through ball from Gary Sweeney was flicked on by McHale to his fellow striker Declan King, who finished well from eight yards.
This blow stirred the home side into action and they pulled a goal back just before the break when some sloppy defending allowed Terence Dever to shoot neatly past Michael Reilly from just inside the area.
It was 2-1 to the visitors at the break and the next goal was bound to be crucial. Rovers, now facing a fairly stiff breeze, tried their utmost to break down the Hibs defence but could find now way through.
And it was the visitors who snatched a third goal on 70 minutes when a cross from Kyle Holmes found McHale unmarked in the six-yard box and he duly obliged with a simple tap-in. It proved to be the decisive strike.
Achill introduced Chris Tablonski, Mark Davitt and Mikey Davitt in the closing quarter but to no avail.
Next up for Hibs is another encounter with Clew Bay. Kick-off in next Sunday's FAI Junior Cup game is at 2 p.m. in Louisburgh.

 Achill Rovers 1
 Bangor Hibs  3

Achill Rovers: Seamus Cafferkey, Sean Cafferkey, S. McNulty, G. Lavelle, C. McGinty, P. Sweeney, N. Connor, D. Sweeney, R. Kilbane, S. Vesey, T. Dever.
Subs used: C. Tablonski, Mark Davitt, Mikey Davitt.
Bangor Hibs: M. Reilly, S. Ginty, J. Flannery, J. Gallagher, G. Sweeney, S. Murphy, M. Carey, P. Ruddy, K. Holmes, D. King, B. McHale.
Subs used: D. McManamon, H. Kennedy.
Ref: M. Walsh (Castlebar).
●Star rating: Brian McHale...made the crucial breakthrough.