Finn Harps 1 - 2 Limerick FC
Credit:
Going into Saturday’s League of Ireland Division One encounter in Ballybofey, the only form that both Finn Harps and Limerick FC shared was bad form.
James Gallagher’s side, after an enterprising run that saw them go half-a-dozen games undefeated in the early summer, have seen that positivity shrink into four consecutive losses. On the other hand, Pat Scully’s Shannonsiders had only picked up one point from their last three encounters; that being a 0-0 draw at table-croppers Kildare County last month, but it was they who went home with a smile.
Scully was highly critical of his side after last weekend’s 4-1 loss at Sporting Fingal’s hands, and the presumed rollicking he gave his players seemed to have the desired effect as they posted a 2-1 win in front of a poor crowd of barely 300 at Finn Park.
Goals in either half from Shane Treacy and Stephen O’Flynn were enough for the win, and although Harps rallied at the conclusion after Christy Conaghan’s goal, they failed to prevent the slide. In truth, the away side were just that little bit cuter than the inexperienced Harps team.
The opening goal of the game was an unfortunate one from the home side’s perspective. Shaun McGowan made an excellent covering tackle at the feet of John Tierney, after O’Flynn’s ball in. However, from that challenge, the ball rolled dangerously across the face of the hosts’ goal and Treacy was the quickest to react, steering home from eight yards on 36 minutes.
Prior to that, there were a couple of tackles that could best be described as agricultural, and the closest either side came to a goal was when Packie Mailey glanced a Conaghan corner inches wide of the post as half the penalty area stood still. Ciaran Gallagher in the Harps goal also had to be alert to smother at Treacy’s feet as the winger attempted to round him.
Five minutes into the second half, there was more red ink on the Harps ledger when O’Flynn blasted home number two. The former Cork City frontman was coolness personified as he steered home from 15 yards, but question marks will be raised as Treacy was allowed to create the opening with ease from the byline.
O’Flynn then almost added a spectacular third when he improvised and changed his body shape to hook a spectacular volley onto the crossbar at the Town End, but it was Harps that seized upon the rebound to clear.
With 21 minutes remaining, Harps gave themselves a fighting chance when Conaghan was the beneficiary in the crowded area following a corner from Gary Whoriskey. With all hell breaking loose and Limerick failing to get the ball away, Conaghan benefitted from the pinball machine to prod home.
Buoyed on by those in attendance, Harps tried gamely to force a leveller, but were unable to manufacture one, with Stephen McLaughlin’s blast into the side-netting at the bitter end the closest they came. In the end, the two goals conceded, which were unfortunate and avoidable, cost them dearly. Limerick ended their own poor run, as Harps added another notch to theirs.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; James Doherty, Packie Mailey, Shaun McGowan, Gary Whoriskey (Ciaran Coll 77); Christy Conaghan, Michael Funston, Mark Moran, Stephen McLaughlin; Fintan Bonner (Declan O’Donnell 63), Marc Brolly (Oisin McMenamin 52).
Limerick FC: Dave Ryan; John Boyle, Brian O’Callaghan, Conor Molan, Martin Deady; Shane Treacy, Wayne Colbert, Daryl Kavanagh, Jason Hughes (Robbie Kelleher 74); Stephen O’Flynn (Gavin Roche 74), John Tierney (Dave Ryan 51).
Referee: P Caschera
James Gallagher’s side, after an enterprising run that saw them go half-a-dozen games undefeated in the early summer, have seen that positivity shrink into four consecutive losses. On the other hand, Pat Scully’s Shannonsiders had only picked up one point from their last three encounters; that being a 0-0 draw at table-croppers Kildare County last month, but it was they who went home with a smile.
Scully was highly critical of his side after last weekend’s 4-1 loss at Sporting Fingal’s hands, and the presumed rollicking he gave his players seemed to have the desired effect as they posted a 2-1 win in front of a poor crowd of barely 300 at Finn Park.
Goals in either half from Shane Treacy and Stephen O’Flynn were enough for the win, and although Harps rallied at the conclusion after Christy Conaghan’s goal, they failed to prevent the slide. In truth, the away side were just that little bit cuter than the inexperienced Harps team.
The opening goal of the game was an unfortunate one from the home side’s perspective. Shaun McGowan made an excellent covering tackle at the feet of John Tierney, after O’Flynn’s ball in. However, from that challenge, the ball rolled dangerously across the face of the hosts’ goal and Treacy was the quickest to react, steering home from eight yards on 36 minutes.
Prior to that, there were a couple of tackles that could best be described as agricultural, and the closest either side came to a goal was when Packie Mailey glanced a Conaghan corner inches wide of the post as half the penalty area stood still. Ciaran Gallagher in the Harps goal also had to be alert to smother at Treacy’s feet as the winger attempted to round him.
Five minutes into the second half, there was more red ink on the Harps ledger when O’Flynn blasted home number two. The former Cork City frontman was coolness personified as he steered home from 15 yards, but question marks will be raised as Treacy was allowed to create the opening with ease from the byline.
O’Flynn then almost added a spectacular third when he improvised and changed his body shape to hook a spectacular volley onto the crossbar at the Town End, but it was Harps that seized upon the rebound to clear.
With 21 minutes remaining, Harps gave themselves a fighting chance when Conaghan was the beneficiary in the crowded area following a corner from Gary Whoriskey. With all hell breaking loose and Limerick failing to get the ball away, Conaghan benefitted from the pinball machine to prod home.
Buoyed on by those in attendance, Harps tried gamely to force a leveller, but were unable to manufacture one, with Stephen McLaughlin’s blast into the side-netting at the bitter end the closest they came. In the end, the two goals conceded, which were unfortunate and avoidable, cost them dearly. Limerick ended their own poor run, as Harps added another notch to theirs.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; James Doherty, Packie Mailey, Shaun McGowan, Gary Whoriskey (Ciaran Coll 77); Christy Conaghan, Michael Funston, Mark Moran, Stephen McLaughlin; Fintan Bonner (Declan O’Donnell 63), Marc Brolly (Oisin McMenamin 52).
Limerick FC: Dave Ryan; John Boyle, Brian O’Callaghan, Conor Molan, Martin Deady; Shane Treacy, Wayne Colbert, Daryl Kavanagh, Jason Hughes (Robbie Kelleher 74); Stephen O’Flynn (Gavin Roche 74), John Tierney (Dave Ryan 51).
Referee: P Caschera
