Finn Harps 0-3 Limerick FC

• Alan Foley
• Sat, Mar 27 2010


Finn Harps’ aspirations of a third league win on the bounce were scuppered as Limerick FC left Finn Park with all three points on Friday night after an all too easy 3-0 win.

Goals from John Tierney, Stephen Hickey and Shane Tracey were enough for the side managed by Pat Scully to move onto seven points for the campaign to date, one more than the team they conquered in Ballybofey.

Limerick were much cuter on the night and took their chances when they came, while Harps huffed and puffed for spells but never really threatened to blow the house down in a painful loss.

After a pedestrian opening when the play seldom settled, Harps goalkeeper Ciaran Gallagher had to be on the ball to save well with his feet from Tracey’s angled shot on 23 minutes, after a cross from the right from the lively Tierney. At the other end, Johnny Lafferty really should have done better when he blasted over the bar in a cluttered penalty area.

Then, on 29 minutes, the most delicate of passes from Thomas Lyons picked the lock and caught the Harps defence square and Tierney, first time, smashed an unstoppable drive in off the underside of the crossbar. It was an excellently made and finished goal and one which set Limerick on their way.

The concession of a goal from what was the first meaningful effort on target from either side helped spring Harps to life. Davitt Walsh shot inches wide moments after the play restarted and a corner from Michael Funston flew across goal but had no takers.

James Gallagher’s team had gone into the game on the back of two successive wins and knew that if they harboured any hopes of adding to that run, a vastly improved second half was required.

However, the more Harps pressed to try and get back into the game, the more they were in danger at the back, where they were under-populated and held a line that proved to be too high as they were caught out by a couple of routine through balls.

In the opening minute of that second period, Matthew Crossan’s tantalisingly driven cross from the corner tempted Kevin McHugh into diving for the header, but he failed to get the decisive touch by a matter of inches.

Goalkeeper Gallagher then made a crucial save at the feet of Tierney, diving bravely to smother the ball, as the Limerick frontman tried to round him in search of what would have been a crucial second goal.

However, the young netminder could certainly have considered himself unlucky when, on 58 minutes, he faced Stephen Hickey in a one-on-one situation. Gallagher stayed on his feet for as long as he could, saving Hickey’s initial effort, but was powerless to prevent the midfielder rolling the rebound into the empty net for the second goal.

Shane Tracey saw the goal yawn in front of his face on 68 minutes when he rounded Gallagher from another break, only for Harps full-back James Doherty to win the race for the ball and clear what would have been a certain goal.

The respite for Harps, though, was only a temporary one as less than a minute later, the Limerick lead increased to three. A harmless looking free from Tracey under the shadow of the stand on the right-hand side flew towards goal and although there were a number of players that tried to get a touch on the ball, none actually did and the free sneaked in at the far post to complete a fine away win for the Jackman Park outfit.

Finn Harps: Ciaran Galagher; James Doherty, Packie Mailey, Jonathan Minnock (Gary Whoriskey 79), Matthew Crossan; Michael Funston (Mark Forker 79), Shaun McGowan, Johnny Lafferty, Stephen McLaughlin; Kevin McHugh, Davitt Walsh.
Unused Subs: Marc Brolly, Jason Noctor, Liam Mailey.

Limerick FC: David Ryan; Jason Hughes, Sean Kelly, Peter White, John Boyle; Thomas Lyons (Gavin Roche 51), Jeffrey Judge, Stephen Hickey (Robbie Kelleher 76), Shane Tracey; Shane Clarke, John Tierney (Daniel Clinton 88).
Unused Subs:
Nigel Stanley, John McGuinness.

Referee: Derek Tomney.