Finn Harps 1 - 0 Salthill Devon
Credit:
The Barclay’s Premier League trophy and the Community Shield were on display at Finn Park on Friday night but at least the local support left the ground happy having seen Finn Harps get back to winning ways with a narrow win over 10-man Salthill Devon.
The Donegal branch of the Manchester City Supporter’s Club had taken the silverware down Navenny Street at half-time. While everyone craned their neck to get a glimpse of the silverware, the reason for the flashing cameras might’ve been the topic they opened their post-match assessments with in the Twin Towns’ various watering holes afterwards. It was the highpoint at that particular juncture.
However, Thomas McMonagle half-volleyed the only goal of the match nine minutes into the second half to give that same support a spring in their step. The centre-half steered the ball over James Keane when Damien McNulty had headed a free-kick from Thomas McBride into the danger area and Keith Cowan had missed with an acrobatic effort.
Last week at Lisseywollen, Harps manager Peter Hutton said there was too much negativity being placed on his young team after a couple of indifferent results – namely, a scoreless home draw with Wexford Youths followed by a 1-0 loss away to Athlone Town.
Hutton made the point that such criticism, of what is essentially a work in progress, was a little harsh and provided unnecessary detriment to his team. A 1-0 win over a struggling Salthill mightn’t force to glass-half-empty brigade into a radical overhaul of their thoughts but it’s a result the Harps manager will be content with one that Harps can gain traction from.
Harps were seldom under serious pressure but one-goal leads are generally precarious ones. A minute from time the visitors were reduced to 10 when Jakub Tomanica was given a straight red for raising his hands on Michael Funston, who hit the deck.
The visiting Galwegians had picked up just two points from six outings this term but Mannion’s team, playing a 4-5-1 with Jean Biansumba at its head, were set up to defend. They also wore Harps’ green and gold away kit after the match referee Alan Sherlock deemed there was a clash of colours beforehand.
And although Harps won the first-half corner count 7-0 they didn’t really test visiting goalkeeper Keane. Before McMonagle scored the last time Harps had dirtied a sheet was 253 minutes beforehand, away to Mervue on March’s last Friday.
McMonagle, who was one of five changes from the Harps team that lost in Athlone, came as close as anyone to a first half goal when he improvised to hook over his own head only for Keane to tap over.
Cowan, from the resultant corner from McBride, couldn’t keep his header down. Marc Brolly’s corner was then met by Damien McNulty but Robbie Gaul cleared off the Salthill goalline.
Their policy was containment was certainly protruding the entertainment levels but Gaul, having done so well to ensure parity remained, puffed a sigh of relief late in the half when, completely unchallenged, he headed inches wide of his own far post with Keane on a different wavelength.
McMonagle, who broke a bone in his foot against Mervue in the last match in which Harps had scored, returned with a goal and Kevin McHugh passed up a decent chance for a second when he drove over when put into space by Ciaran Coll.
Harps were a little nervy as time began to thin and Craig Harding went close twice for Salthill when he drove into the Harps side-netting and then over the crossbar. However, Harps’ 21-year-old goalkeeper Ciaran Gallagher, who was making his 100th first team appearance for the Ballybofey side, will have more trying days at the office.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Damien McNulty, Thomas McMonagle, Keith Cowan, Ciaran Cowan; Michael Funston, Shaun McGowan, Thomas McBride, Marc Brolly; Sean McCarron (Matthew Harkin 85), Kevin McHugh.
Subs not used: Shaun Patton, Michael Doherty, James Doherty, Jonny Bonner, Matthew Crossan, Paul McVeigh.
Booked: McNulty (50), McGowan (77), Harkin (90).
Salthill Devon: James Keane; Robbie Gaul, Brian Geraghty, Cian Fadden, Jamie McGlynn; Brian Gaffney, Mike Harty, Jakub Tomanica, Craig Harding, Derek O’Brien; Jean Biansumba (Enda Curran 65).
Subs not used: Matt Danaher, Willie Enubele, Stephen Rudden, Alex Byrne.
Booked: Biansumber (24), Geraghty (71), Harding (83).
Sent Off: Tomanica (88).
Referee: Alan Sherlock.
Attendance: 687
Extratime Man of the match: Thomas McMonagle (Finn Harps).
