FAI CUP Report: Finn Harps 0 - 0 Longford Town (3-4 pens)
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Longford Town will take their place in the third round of the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup after a penalty shootout victory over Finn Harps in Ballybofey on Monday night.
Finn Harps struck the woodwork on three separate occasions during the 120 minutes but, in the end, Martin Deady’s excellently placed spot kick rounded off the contest after Josh Mailey, moments beforehand, saw his penalty agonisingly clip the inside of the post and roll along the goalline.
Ciaran Gallagher had saved from Rhys Gorman and Paul Hunt had got behind the effort of Gareth Harkin. Kevin McHugh, Tony McNamee and Garbhan Friel had all scored for Harps, while Mark Salmon, David O’Sullivan and Kevin O’Connor were on the money for Tony Cousins’ Longford before Deady.
It was a disappointing conclusion for the side managed by Ollie Horgan, who certainly did enough to seal a fourth round spot.
The Ballybofey side almost took the lead in bizarre circumstances on 13 minutes when a free-kick from Raymond Foy on the left touchline some 50 yards from goal caught up in a gust of wind and struck the crossbar of Hunt, the Longford goalkeeper, who was frantically backpedaling.
On Friday night at the City Calling Stadium, the sides shared a 1-1 draw with Stephen Rice having cancelled out Harkin’s opener for 10-man Harps, who saw Damien McNulty sent off for a 20th minute tackle on Kaleem Simon.
Harps went close on a few occasions with Keith Cowan, Michael Funston and Matthew Crossan all popping up in the Longford penalty area. However, the home crowd certainly breathed a sigh of relief when Lorcan Shannon toe-poked over the crossbar as Harps failed to clear. The same player also had a goal disallowed for handball by match referee Neil Doyle.
Two minutes after the restart, Wilfried Tagbo was set away by a pass from Crossan but the Frenchman’s touch was just a little too far ahead of himself and Hunt scampered from his line to smother.
Then, on 63 minutes, McNamee drifted in from the right-hand side and shot left-footed across the face of goal and wide. With chances few and far between, substitute McHugh set up Tagbo two minutes from time but his side-foot from 12 yards was blocked by William Tyrell.
The SSE Airtricity League First Division leaders continued to press as extra-time took shape and McHugh, having picked up possession at the edge of the Longford penalty area, looked up and struck the post from 18 yards.
In the 100th minute, Crossan curled a free-kick around the Longford wall, only for Hunt to get down to save. At the other end, Salmon turned and shot but goalkeeper Gallagher was equal to the effort. O’Sullivan then turned and shot off the mark.
Eight minutes from time, another Harps substitute, this time Friel was out of luck as his header hit the inside of the Longford post following a flowing move that involved McNamee, Harkin and Ciaran Coll. Conor Powell managed to lump the rebound away to safety.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Keith Cowan (Packie Mailey 109), Thomas McMonagle, Matthew Crossan; Josh Mailey, Michael Funston (Kevin McHugh 75), Raymond Foy (Garbhan Friel 102), Tony McNamee, Gareth Harkin, Ciaran Coll; Wilfried Tagbo.
Subs not used: Tommy Lee McCarron (gk), Darragh Black, Jordan Toland.
Longford Town: Paul Hunt; James Mulhall, Rhys Gorman, William Tyrell, Conor Powell; Kaleem Simon (David O’Sullivan 60), Ayman Ben Mohamed (Don Cowan 65 (Martin Deady 90)), Kevin O’Connor, Mark Salmon, Lorcan Shannon; Gary Shaw.
Subs not used: Paul Skinner (gk), Mark Rossiter.
Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin)
