Finn Harps 0 - 0 Cork City Foras Co-op

• Alan Foley
• Fri, Apr 30 2010


Battling Finn Harps held on for a scoreless draw against Cork City Foras Co-op at Finn Park on Friday night.

It was, though, as much by accident as design as the visitors missed a succession of chances, particularly in the first half. Harps did improve somewhat after the break, so overall James Gallagher can be content enough. From his perspective, it was certainly a case of a point gained rather than two dropped.

And although the visitors certainly shaded the scoring opportunities, Tommy Bonner almost grabbed a late winner when he almost took advantage of some dithery Cork defending. The former Letterkenny Rovers midfielder opted for power and his connection was true, but Mark McNulty got down in a flash to turn the ball away.

Reincarnated under another alias they may be, but the Leesiders still contained a healthy sprinkling of familiar names and carved open the Harps defence on numerous occasions in the first half and really Should have had at least one goal to take into half-time with them.

Just after the quarter-hour mark, Shane Duggan headed over a yawning goal with Liam Mailey out of the equation and onto the roof of the net after Cathal Lordan's cross was only partially cleared.

Davin O'Neill then patiently teed up Eoin Ward in space, but the Cork substitute wasted the opportunity by shooting straight at Liam Mailey who had taken a step off his line to reduce the angle. As well as those clear-cut openings, there was a constant supply of half-chances.

Harps had their sporadic openings, and from one positive forward burst, Kevin McHugh bore down on goal following Mark Forker’s cut pass but just as the former Derry City striker was about to pull the trigger, Greg O’Halloran came in and made an important defensive tackle to avert the danger.

O’Neill, after taking an excellent crossfield pass from Cillian Lordan on his chest, skipped inside Gary Whoriskey and Matthew Crossan only to shoot tamely at Mailey in the Harps goal.

As the second half started, it was once more the Munster side that were proving the most likely. O’Neill drew another couple of saves from Mailey, the second from a header from only a couple of yards out following a corner from Duggan’s corner.

The game belatedly evened itself out in the closing stages, with Bonner’s pop at goal with four minutes remaining the closest either party came to a late winner.

Finn Harps: Liam Mailey; James Doherty, Matt Crossan, Packie Mailey, Gary Whoriskey; Marc Brolly (Stephen McLaughlin 56) Johnny Lafferty, Tommy Bonner, Mark Forker (Fintan Bonner 83); Kevin McHugh, Davitt Walsh (Oisin McMenamin 88).

Cork City Foras Co-op: Mark McNulty; Ian Turner, Stephen Mulcahy, Greg O’Halloran, Dave Rogers; Cathal Lordan (Dave Warren 86), Uros Hojan (Eoin Forde 6), Cillian Lordan, Shane Duggan; Graham Cummins, Davin O’Neill. Referee: Paul McLaughlin.