Cockhill Celtic 0-1 Finn Harps

A goal from substitute Oisin McMenamin a minute from time was enough for Finn Harps to squeeze past Cockhill Celtic in this evenly contested pre-season friendly at St Mary's Park.

With a scrappy game seemingly headed for stalemate, McMenamin struck from close range following a swift Harps counter attack to settle the match in the League of Ireland side's favour.

Harps keeper Gavin Cullen, back on his local patch, bowled the ball out to the right to Christy Connaghan, who ran deep into the Cockhill half then found James Doherty on the overlap. Doherty's cross was headed back across goal by Sean Houston, Vincent Sweeney then flicked it on for McMenamin to tap in from close range.

McMenamin was a real threat after coming on with ten minutes to go. Moments before his goal he tested Stephen Conroy with stinging drive and in injury time McMenamin played a telling through ball to Connaghan who just failed to hit the target. McMenamin also had a goal disallowed for offside after following up to head Houston partially saved shot into the net. If Harps got their act together late in the game, they were disappointing in for much of the game, their third pre-season friendly ahead of the new First Division season.

The Ballybofey side's passing was sloppy at times and they failed to trouble their Intermediate level hosts much in the final third of the pitch.

Johnny Havlin presented the hosts with the first clear opening of the match inside ten minutes when the he was dispossessed by Aidan O'Donnell, but the Harps defender recovered to clear the danger as the Cockhill forward set his sights for a shot.

Cockhill's defence coped well with the Harps threat in the opening exchanges, restricting their guests to half chances – a 20th minute Connaghan shot, then a weak Havlin header from the former's corner. Cockhill, a little rushed in the early going tried to hit early passes to utilize the pace of Aidan O'Donnell and Garvan Friel, but found there was little space between the Harps back four and their keeper Cullen in which to run into.

This was a game short on excitement. Indeed neither keeper had a serious save to make in the opening 45 minutes. There was more last ditch defending from the visitors in the 40th minute when Aidan O'Donnell beat Havlin to the bounce and crossed low to the back post for Liam O'Donnell only for Paddy Bonner to make a block to prevent a near certain goal. Aidan O'Donnell was warming to his task at this stage, and a few minutes before half time he did really well to dig out a cross for James Bradley who might have shot first time, but elected to take a touch, unwisely given the calibre of the opposition and the chance was gone.

There was a similar chance for Harps at the other end when Connaghan was guilty of poor control in the Cockhill box. Newly-crowned national boxing champion William McLaughlin was invited onto the pitch at half time and received a lengthy round of applause from the crowd and the two sets of players.

Perhaps spurred on by their Illies Golden Gloves fighter, Cockhill made the better start to the second half. Cullen was called upon to make smart save from Paul McKinney on 55 minutes before the same player rode Havlin's challenge on the right and hit a low centre across the Harps box that was just too strong for the inrushing Friel.

Shortly before his substitution, Cockhill keeper Galvin darted off his line to save from Vincent Sweeney. Harps then threw on new signing Ciaran Coll and the former Kildrum youngster looked comfortable in the left back berth. He made a few strong tackles and his passing was assured.

Donal O'Brien's men tired slightly towards the end of the game allowing Harps to dominate for the first time in the match. Sweeney shot well wide after good approach play from Corny Gallagher and Houston. After being chided by his manager for not taking responsibility to shoot Mark Forker then hit in a low drive that Conroy claimed with the minimum of fuss.

Sweeney enjoyed more leeway from his manager than Forker, although he was no more deadly than the Harps midfielder, heading Paddy Bonner's deep cross from the left into the side netting on 83 minutes. After McMenamin's intervention there was still time for Bonner to force an impressive save from Conroy before referee Liam Porter's final whistle brought an end to proceedings on a cold and windy afternoon in Cockhill.

Cockhill Celtic: Shane Galvin (Stephen Conroy 67); David McDermott (Barry McColgan 46), Patrick McLaughlin, William O'Connor, John McElroy (Mark Donaghy 56), Derek Doherty, Liam O'Donnell, Ciaran Grant (George Porter 77), Aidan O'Donnell (Paul McKinney 46), Garvan Friel, James Bradley.

Finn Harps: Gavin Cullen, James Doherty, Sean Houston, Johnny Havlin, Mark Mukendi, Paddy Bonner, David McDaid (Vincent Sweeney 46), Mark Forker, Damien Whitehead (Ciaran Coll 53), Ruarai Harkin (Oisin McMenamin 80), Christy Connaghan.

Referee: Liam Porter (Inishowen)