League Report: Finn Harps 0 - 0 Waterford United

Finn Harps let two valuable points in the race for automatic promotion slip in Ballybofey on Saturday night when they hosted a well organised and disciplined Waterford United team who held the Donegal men to a scoreless draw.

Ollie Horgan's men were unable to break down a resolute and determined Blues defense which held strong and kept their first clean sheet in eight league outings.

The first chance of the game was produced as early as the fifth minute. Ciaran Coll broke by the Blues defensive line on the left wing and clipped the ball into the path of Rob Waters who could not direct his effort on target from just inside of the penalty area.

A neat exchange on the left hand side between Tony McNamee and Kevin McHugh in the 17th minute sent McNamee free into space on the left hand side of the Waterford penalty area and he delivered a dangerous ball towards Rob Waters.

He was bearing down on goal but the striker arrived a fraction too late and was unable to get a touch on the ball which whizzed out for the safety of a goal kick.

This was the first clear cut chance of the match and a stern warning to the visitors rearguard who would find themselves having to deal with quite a bit of pressure before the final whistle was to blow at Finn Park.

In a cagey first half which saw both teams cancel each other out, the best chance fell to Finn Harps’ impressive McNamee in the 32nd minute.  Waterford United left full back, Shane Dineen, was caught in possession by Raymond Foy and the Harps midfielder neatly exchanged a quick one-two before delivering a telling cross.

McNamee found himself in free space to only head over the bar and off target from the penalty spot when he should have put Harps in the lead.

Neither side could get the upper hand before the break and Roddy Collins would have been the happier manager at the break with Ollie Hogan concerned that his men had spurned a couple of good scoring opportunities but no doubt confident that if they keep creating them the net would bulge eventually.

On 55 minutes Waterford came the closest they would to scoring on the night without an infringement being called.  Aaron O'Connor broke from midfield and traded passes with Corey Galvin who slid the ball through the Harps defense to allow O'Connor pick the ball up on the deadline and deliver it into the danger area.

He once again found Galvin who cracked his close range effort off the upright to the relief of the nervous home crowd at Finn Park.

Five minutes later, Roddy Collins did see his side put the ball in the back of the net.  It was Corey Galvin who tucked away a deep delivery from Anthony McAlavey but not before the whistle had sounded.

Galvin or Daniel Pender who had stormed into the box were judged to have been in an offside position when neither had strayed the wrong side of the last defender when the ball was delivered.  This was not to be the last call of its kind on the night.

The biggest talking point of the game with home fans happened moments later after United’s Dineen fouled Damien McNulty, who had a very solid game, 15 yards outside of the Blues penalty area.  McNamee whipped in a sublime ball from the free kick which was buried into the back of the net off the head of McNulty.

Not for the first time on the night the flag went up and what appeared to be a perfectly good goal was ruled out.  The home fans, who's cheer had shaken the entire county of Donegal when the ball nestled in the net, were left wondering was it to be their night or not.

The visitors finished the game with substitute goalkeeper Matthew Connor as their target man following the withdrawal of Daniel Pender who left the field on a stretcher.  Collins had already introduced the other two reserves he had on the bench to the game which left him with no choice but to end the game with two goalkeepers on the field.

Referee, Ray Matthews blew the final whistle, much to the disappointment of the home crowd who were no doubt aware of the points they failed to pick up on and those they had dropped on UCD and Wexford Youths in the race for the First Division title and more importantly, a coveted place in next season's Premier Division.

Finn Harps manager will feel a little hard done by on the night not to get the three points but Waterford United and Roddy Collins will make the long trip home in a much better mood with a hard earned point and a clean sheet under their belts.

Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Damien McNulty, Ciaran Coll, Keith Cowan, Tommy McGonagle; Gareth Harkin (Matthew Crossan 58), Michael Funston (Nathan Boyle 71), Raymond Foy, Tony McNamee; Rob Waters (Wilfried Tagbo 65), Kevin McHugh.

Subs Not Used: Tommy Lee McCarron; Josh Mailey, Kieran McDaid; Packie Mailey.

Yellow Cards: McHugh (21), Foy (83), McNulty (89).

Waterford United: Robert Birdsall; Dean Reidy (Robbie Buckley 77), Shane Dineen, Colum Nugent, Shane Mackey; Corey Galvin, Evan Galvin, Brian Nolan, Anthony McAlavey, Aaron O’Connor (Mark Walsh 65); Daniel Pender (Matthew Connor).

Yellow Cards: Nugent (52).

Referee: Ray Matthews

Attendance: 850 (Estimate)

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Tony McNamee (Finn Harps)