Sporting Fingal 4 - 1 Finn Harps

• Niall Farrell
• Sat, Sep 26 2009


Sporting Fingal tonight emerged as 4-1 winners over Finn Harps at the Morton Stadium, although many observers will feel that their lead could have been even greater.

The match plodded along for the first 20 minutes, with neither side able to keep possession for very long. Both sides battled for the ball in midfield, but until around the 20 minute mark neither team really mounted an attack.

On 17 minutes, Ian Rossiter puts the ball over the Harps net, just clearing away a dangerous ball. Gary O'Neill nearly scored from the resulting corner.

Finn Harps defender Sean Roddy picked up a yellow card for a tackle on Conan Byrne, who subsequently shot narrowly wide from the free kick which followed.

Another Finn Harps defender, James Doherty, did very well soon afterwards to deny Alan Kirby a shot at goal, timing his tackle brilliantly to end the Fingal midfielder’s run into the Finn Harps penalty area and in the process clearing the ball out for a corner.

The resulting corner was swung in by Conan Byrne. Robert Bayly got on the end of it, sending a low ball into the box and Shaun Williams was able to smash the ball into the net for 1-0 in the 29th minute.

Fingal were in the ascendancy now and made their momentum count just three minutes later when Alan Kirby unlocked the Finn Harps defence with an excellent pass to set up Conan Byrne to neatly chip over the helpless Ciaran Gallagher.

Finn Harps struggled to come back with anything and they were only able to mount an attack with their first corner of the match in the 42nd minute, which came to nothing.

After half time, Sporting Fingal initially looked like they had carried their momentum across the break, with Conan Byrne again looking dangerous early on.

Sporting began to give the ball away under pressure and Finn Harps clawed a goal back in the 52nd minute through Christy Conaghan.

A clearance by Harps goalkeeper Ciaran Gallagher found its way to Conaghan, who was able to head the ball past Darren Quigley after the ‘keeper rushed out to claim the ball. Brian Gannon nearly cleared the ball away as it rolled into the net, but luck was with Finn Harps to make it 2-1.

Suddenly Finn Harps seemed to have a bit more about themselves. Conaghan again went close just six minutes later but failed to capitalise on the Fingal defence’s failure to clear the ball away.

Fingal were able to withstand the bust of pressure from Finn Harps, and in the 73rd minute ended any hopes of a comeback. Robert Bayly put Gary O’Neill through on Gallagher and the striker made no mistake in putting the ball away.

Mark Moran came on for Finn Harps in place of James Doherty while the goal celebrations were still taking place, and Ciaran Coll came on for Paddy Bonner minutes later.

The substitutions had no effect on the match though, as Fingal were to subject Finn Harps to further misery in the 80th minute. Gary O’Neill was the scorer, again making the most of some lacklustre Finn Harps defending.

Sporting Fingal will relish this win as it keeps them in contention for a promotion spot, but for Finn Harps this match will be one to forget.

Sporting Fingal: Quigley; Gannon, Fitzgerald, Williams, Maher; Frost, C.Byrne, Bayly (Foley ‘86); O’Neill (Zayed ‘89), Kirby, McFaul Unused Unused Subs: Konopka, Dawson Whelan

Finn Harps: Gallagher; Doherty (Moran ‘73), Mailey, Roddy, Rossiter; Bonner (Coll ’75), Brolly, Conaghan, Forker, Funston; McLoughlin (Gethins ’86) Unused Subs: Mailey, Laffety

Referee: Sean Grant

Attendance: 386

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Shaun Williams drove Sporting Fingal on and chipped in with a well taken goal as well. Man of the Match could just have easily gone to the excellent Conan Byrne as well though.