A Championship: Finn Harps 0 - 1 Derry City

FINN Harps' opening game in the A Championship ended in a defeat to rivals Derry City at Finn Park on Saturday afternoon - Neil Harkin's strike from close to the half-way line proving to be the only separator between the teams.

Fifteen minutes from time, a long punt into Harps territory was met by the head of goalkeeper Liam Mailey, who raced from his box to head clear. However, the clearance fell only at the feet of Nash who, from inside the centre circle, arrowed a first-time effort back in over the head of the back-peddling Mailey and into the net.

Playing against a strong looking Derry team that included first-teamers Sean Hargan, Ruadhri Higgins and one-time Harps target Aaron Callaghan, Sean McGowan's Harps, missing the likes of Declan O'Donnell and Johnny Havlin from their ranks, performed admirably throughout.

Indeed, the home side can count themselves unlucky not to have taken anything from the contest. Johnny Gallagher had a header cleared off the goal-line by Hargan while Derry goalkeeper Eugene Ferry had to be at his best to beat away efforts from Gallagher and Alan Gethins.

At the other end, the Harps stopper Liam Mailey pulled off a couple of good saves of his own as Derry pressed hard. Harps thought they had taken the lead when the promising Christy Connaghan broke through to score, only for the celebrations to be cut short by the raised flag of the linesman who penalised the winger for an offside infringement.

After Neil Harkin fired Derry in front, Harps set about grabbing the equaliser, but right at the end Fintan Bonner had a good chance of a levelling strike saved by Ferry.

"I thought we played some good football," said Harps manager Sean 'Wizard' McGowan afterwards. "In fairness, Derry did as well and they took their goal very well. But, I thought that we were a wee bit unlucky not to take anything from the game because we had our chances. Overall, we're not far away."

Finn Harps: Liam Mailey; Brian Lafferty, James Doherty, Darren McGowan, Danny Keohane; Christy Connaghan, Patrick Bonner, Trevor Gethins, Fintan Bonner; Jonathan Gallagher, Alan Gethins.
Subs: Barry Tourish for Gallagher, Mark Moran for T Gethins, Oisin McMenamin for Keohane.

Derry City: Eugene Ferry; Aaron Callaghan, Thomas Burke, Martin Doherty, Sean Hargan; Ruadhri Higgins, Neil Harkin, Gareth Harkin, James McClean; Garbhan Friel, Aaron Nash.

Referee: Terence Moyne