Finn Harps 1 - 1 Sligo Rovers
Credit:
Finn Harps shared the spoils with an experimental Sligo Rovers at the Finn Valley Centre in Stranorlar on Saturday afternoon in their first pre-season outing.
Tommy Bonner put the Ballybofey side in front 10 minutes into the second half before Alan Keane levelled matters for the reigning FAI and EA Sports Cup holders. And although Harps manager James Gallagher and his counterpart Paul Cook might’ve stressed the unimportance of the result, the draw and a decent run-out meant both parties could go home reasonably content with their afternoon’s work.
While the Harps squad was made up of solely Donegal players, with the exception of substitute Marc Brolly from nearby Strabane, Sligo contained a number of trialists including a number of Korean players as well as Escude Vincent from France and American Jamal Gedhers.
The first half, especially, was keenly contested and it was Sligo who probably shaded things in terms of chances and their two wide players – Eoin Doyle and Daryl Horgan from Salthill Devon – had particularly good halves. Vincent should’ve given the visitors the lead but he headed over after Doyle caressed a Horgan centre his way, but the striker’s header went over Ciaran Gallagher’s crossbar instead of under it.
Doyle, in a similar situation, also headed off target from another cross by Horgan.
Harps, though, played some decent football themselves with Mark Forker showing well and wanting the ball, while trialist Neil Harkin grew into the game the longer it went on. Bonner sliced wide after some good approach play from Garbhan Friel, who is training with Harps in the pre-season, while Ciaran Coll fizzed a shot over from the left-hand-side.
As the second half begun, Cook changed his entire team who wore white instead of the red they had adorned in the first 45 minutes. With so many players trying to make an impression on their trial, the second period was snappier than the first.
Harps, who used seven substitutes themselves, went ahead when Bonner, one of the players that wasn’t replaced sneaked in front of Soek Beon Kim to beat replacement goalkeeper Benjini Gommad to Raymond Foy’s centre.
The upbeat nature of the game continued but Harps were denied a win when Alan Keane steered a pass from Mark McColdrick past Gallagher in the Harps goal with just nine minutes left to play. Harps continue their pre-season next Sunday, when Derry City come to Finn Park, while Sligo take on Galway United at Terryland Park.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; James Doherty, Packie Mailey, Keith Cowan, Ciaran Coll; Mark Forker, Tommy Bonner, Neil Harkin, Chris Breen; Oisin McMenamin, Garbhan Friel.
Substitutes used: Gary Whoriskey, Matthew Crossan, Kieran Gorman, Raymond Foy, Marc Brolly, Gary Merritt, Kevin McHugh.
Sligo Rovers: Ciaran Kelly; Cheol Sung, Tob Som, Sang Hum; Daryl Horgan, Richie Ryan, John Russell, Eoin Doyle; Escude Vincent, Matthew Blinkhorn.
Subs: Benjini Gommad, John Dillion, Alan Keane, Gavin Peers, Jason McGuinness, Iarflaith Daroven, Soek Beon Kim, Filip Prostram, Jamal Gedhers, Mark McColdrick, Alan Kirby.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
Tommy Bonner put the Ballybofey side in front 10 minutes into the second half before Alan Keane levelled matters for the reigning FAI and EA Sports Cup holders. And although Harps manager James Gallagher and his counterpart Paul Cook might’ve stressed the unimportance of the result, the draw and a decent run-out meant both parties could go home reasonably content with their afternoon’s work.
While the Harps squad was made up of solely Donegal players, with the exception of substitute Marc Brolly from nearby Strabane, Sligo contained a number of trialists including a number of Korean players as well as Escude Vincent from France and American Jamal Gedhers.
The first half, especially, was keenly contested and it was Sligo who probably shaded things in terms of chances and their two wide players – Eoin Doyle and Daryl Horgan from Salthill Devon – had particularly good halves. Vincent should’ve given the visitors the lead but he headed over after Doyle caressed a Horgan centre his way, but the striker’s header went over Ciaran Gallagher’s crossbar instead of under it.
Doyle, in a similar situation, also headed off target from another cross by Horgan.
Harps, though, played some decent football themselves with Mark Forker showing well and wanting the ball, while trialist Neil Harkin grew into the game the longer it went on. Bonner sliced wide after some good approach play from Garbhan Friel, who is training with Harps in the pre-season, while Ciaran Coll fizzed a shot over from the left-hand-side.
As the second half begun, Cook changed his entire team who wore white instead of the red they had adorned in the first 45 minutes. With so many players trying to make an impression on their trial, the second period was snappier than the first.
Harps, who used seven substitutes themselves, went ahead when Bonner, one of the players that wasn’t replaced sneaked in front of Soek Beon Kim to beat replacement goalkeeper Benjini Gommad to Raymond Foy’s centre.
The upbeat nature of the game continued but Harps were denied a win when Alan Keane steered a pass from Mark McColdrick past Gallagher in the Harps goal with just nine minutes left to play. Harps continue their pre-season next Sunday, when Derry City come to Finn Park, while Sligo take on Galway United at Terryland Park.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; James Doherty, Packie Mailey, Keith Cowan, Ciaran Coll; Mark Forker, Tommy Bonner, Neil Harkin, Chris Breen; Oisin McMenamin, Garbhan Friel.
Substitutes used: Gary Whoriskey, Matthew Crossan, Kieran Gorman, Raymond Foy, Marc Brolly, Gary Merritt, Kevin McHugh.
Sligo Rovers: Ciaran Kelly; Cheol Sung, Tob Som, Sang Hum; Daryl Horgan, Richie Ryan, John Russell, Eoin Doyle; Escude Vincent, Matthew Blinkhorn.
Subs: Benjini Gommad, John Dillion, Alan Keane, Gavin Peers, Jason McGuinness, Iarflaith Daroven, Soek Beon Kim, Filip Prostram, Jamal Gedhers, Mark McColdrick, Alan Kirby.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
