Derry City 2 - 0 Finn Harps

• Aidan O'Donnell
• Wed, May 05 2010


Two goals in the space of seven minutes handed Derry City a derby win over northwest rivals Finn Harps at the Brandywell on Tuesday night.

At times, it was a typically explosive affair and the eight bookings that ref Rob Rodgers handed out merely underlined the fully-committed nature of the game. The referee failed to take full control of proceedings, which ultimately led to Derry grabbing the crucial first goal.

Derry were deserved winners with their well-drilled backline not allowing Harps a single shot on target from play all night.

Derry defender Mark Scoltock had the best chance of a breakthrough when he headed over from three yards out with barely four minutes on the clock. Harps were dealt a blow midway through the first-half when midfield dynamo Tommy Bonner had to be subbed off after picking up a leg injury, with Mark Forker coming on in his place.

On thirty minutes, Derry went extremely close when David McDaid tried to catch Liam Mailey off his line with a deft lob that the ‘keeper did well to get an arm to. However, with the goalie well off his line, Ruairi Harkin tried to send the rebound into the empty net only for the well-placed Crossan getting back just in time to clear.

A long range effort for Mickey Funston was the closest Harps really got to testing Gerard Doherty as striker Davitt Walsh was living mostly off scraps all evening while Kevin McHugh was employed more as an extra man in midfield.

It all came to a fore then in a manic and tempestuous last five or six minutes of the half. Jonathan Minnock, having been warned previously for a late challenge, picked up his first booking when fouling McClean in the forty-first minute.

The visitors then went in at the break incensed by a dramatic and contentious turn of events. It began when Derry were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area after Minnock was adjudged to have fouled a Derry player.

Kevin McHugh then picked up a booking for contesting the decision before Davitt Walsh also joined him in the referee’s notebook for charging down the free-kick before it had been taken.

However, McClean found a way under the wall on his second attempt, his shot going in off Liam Mailey’s right hand post to send in Derry into a 1-0 lead. But instead of celebrating in front of his own fans, McClean raced, childishly, towards James Doherty – who had done a terrific job in keeping him quiet for the opening forty-five – and started to snarl obscenely right in his face.

The winger rightfully picked up a booking for his aggravating and provoking gesture. However, as the referee was called into action to try and calm down the subsequent aftermath, Michael Funston went crashing to the floor when he seemed to be struck by a retreating Derry player. The incident went unnoticed by the referee.

Funston had picked up a yellow for his part in a confrontation as players left the pitch at half time.

The second half was only seven minutes old when Harps conceded their second. A routine ball over the top by McCallion chased down by McDaid, and after Crossan and Mailey failed to deal with it, McDaid scampered in behind to lob into the vacated net.

Harps’ frustration was complete, though, when Minnock picked up his second booking on sixty-three minutes when McClean was again the man fouled. Crossan’s sending-off in the dying moments of the game baffled many inside the Brandywell in what seemed the average run of the mill tugging and pulling inside the box whilst awaiting the delivery of a corner.

Nevertheless, Derry take the points forward and will finish the first series of games as leaders of the First Division, while Harps will look to pick up the pieces at home to Mervue United on Friday before another trip to Derry on Monday night for the league cup.

Derry City: Gerard Doherty; Eddie McCallion, Mark McChrystal, Mark Scoltock, Emmet Friars; Patrick McEleney, Kevin Deery, Barry Molloy, James McClean; Ruairi Harkin, David McDaid.
Substitutes not used: Darren Cassidy (Harkin, 36 mins), Vincent Sweeney (P. McEleney, 80 mins), Mark Farren(McClean, 86 mins).

Finn Harps: Liam Mailey; James Doherty, Packie Mailey, Matthew Crossan, Jonathan Minnock; Michael Funston, Tommy Bonner, Johnny Lafferty, Marc Brolly; Davitt Walsh, Kevin McHugh.
Substitutes not used: Mark Forker (Bonner, 26 mins), Stephen McLaughlin (Walsh, 67 mins), Gary Whoriskey (Brolly, 67 mins).

Referee: Rob Rodgers (Dublin).