Finn Harps 1 - 1 Derry City

• Aidan O'Donnell
• Sat, Jul 31 2010


FINN Harps produced their best performance of the season to deny Northwest neighbours Derry City from maintaining a twelve-point stranglehold on the top of the First Division after there was no separating the sides at Finn Park on Friday night.

A brilliant Packie Mailey header midway through the second half cancelled out Mark Farren’s third minute opener as both sides were left to rue several golden opportunities.

And given the timing of the equaliser, it was the home side that felt most aggrieved as Paul Tuite sounded the full-time whistle, with Tommy Bonner having a shot cleared off the line and Stephen McLaughlin rattling the crossbar in the second half.

However, if truth be told, Derry could’ve been three up going in at the interval, with Farren guilty of not adding to his early opener.

Such is the luck Harps have been enjoying this term that not even a marquee performance against the runaway league-leaders could prevent them from slipping down a place in the standings, as Longford’s away win over Wexford Youth’s helped leapfrog them over the Donegal side by a point.

Harps were again without top marksman Kevin McHugh due to suspension, though Tony Shields and Gavin Cullen each came in to make their home debuts, having impressed in last weekend’s defeat away to Cork.

Derry had their absentees, too and notable ones in Mark McChrystal, Kevin Deery, James McClean, Adam Clarke and Mark Scoltock, four of whom started the league game against Harps at the Brandywell in May.

Derry boss Stephen Kenny handed a first start for new signing Daniel Lafferty, who had a spell with Celtic.

Harps’ Achilles heel came back to haunt them once more as they conceded a killer goal in the early stages, with Derry showing little hesitance to punish the sleeping Harps defence.

Patrick McEleney robbed veteran defender Jonathan Minnock, before cutting a ball back across goal from the byline, and Mark Farren got in front of Packie Mailey to hammer past Cullen.

Naturally, it took Harps some time to settle after the early setback and really, if Farren had kept his balance better, the home side could, and should, have been two goals down after a quarter of an hour.

With Harps pushed up field, their out of position defence was caught out after Patrick McEleney’s superb through-ball played Farren through one-on-one with Cullen. The striker rightly opted to round the Harps stopper, but in doing so, was knocked off balance somewhat and his eventual shot strayed harmlessly wide.

Harps did gather themselves admirably after the shaky opening and probably could have gone in at the break all-square, having forced a number of goalmouth scares for the visitors.

A brilliant set-piece delivery – one of many – from Jonathan Minnock was knocked back across goal by Packie Mailey, but narrowly escaped the brow of Oisin McMenamin, as the first signs of cracks began to appear in the City backline.

Derry needed the alertness of Gerard Doherty in goals to save at the feet of Davitt Walsh, while Mailey was getting ever closer, again from a Minnock delivery.

The visitors could then have had the game wrapped up moments before half-time when Farren nipped onto Lafferty’s through-ball over the top of the Harps defence. However, Harps had their blushes spared by a superb point-blank save from Cullen.

James Gallagher’s side really grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck after the restart, and but for a bit of luck would have been level earlier.

Tony Shields was first to go close when he scampered onto a Minnock pass, but yet again Doherty saved well with his lower body. Farren then had another wonderful chance to put some breathing room between his sides, but he headed woefully off target despite an avalanche of space inside the Harps defence.

Tommy Bonner, after some great work in the middle of the park, played in Stephen McLaughlin down the right side. The winger, despite selling Lafferty a clever dummy on the inside, saw his shot hit the side-netting.

On fifty-eight minutes, Davitt Walsh had a goal ruled offside after some good work by strike partner Oisin McMenamin, while Tommy Bonner had a shot cleared off the line by Emmet Friars two minutes later.

Harps though, didn’t have to wait too much longer for a deserved leveller, as Mailey showed wonderful resilience and athleticism to rise above the Derry defence to power home Minnock’s corner from the left side.

Harps continued to press the weary looking Derry defence and McLaughlin’s improvised effort that hit the topside of the ‘bar twelve minutes from time would have been a fair reflection on the night’s proceedings had it went in.

Nevertheless, both sides would have had little excuses with a point in what was by far and large by the best game of the season in Ballybofey this season.

Finn Harps: Gavin Cullen; James Doherty, Packie Mailey, Matthew Crossan, Jonathan Minnock; Stephen McLaughlin, Tony Shields, Tommy Bonner, Marc Brolly; Davitt Walsh, Oisin McMenamin. Subs: Michael Funston (Brolly, 88 mins).

Derry City: Gerard Doherty; Eddie McCallion, Shane McEleney, Emmet Friars, Daniel Lafferty; Patrick McEleney, Thomas McBride, Barry Molloy, Ruairi Harkin, David McDaid; Mark Farren. Subs: Stephen Parkhouse (McDaid, 72 mins).

Referee: Paul Tuite

Extratime man of the match: Packie Mailey (Finn Harps). Wonderful recovery, after the early concession, topped off by a brilliant second half equaliser.