- Dave Donnelly
- Sat, Aug 29 2015
Finn Harps survived a late scare to run out 3-2 winners over Cabinteely in Stradbrook.
Kevin McHugh's seventh and eighth goals of the season and a third from on-loan Derry City striker Nathan Boyle helped the visitors to a commanding three-goal lead at the break, but second-half strikes from Karl Byrne and Conor Foley made for a nervy finish in South Dublin.
It was a position Ollie Horgan's charges should never have found themselves in after a ruthless first half performance appeared to have ended the game as a contest, and they had only themselves to blame for easing off and allowing an injury and suspension-ravaged Cabo side back in the game.
Cabinteely boss Eddie Gormley made five enforced changes as John McKeown, Victor Ekanem, Sodiq Oguntola were all suspended, Shane O'Neill was injured and Evan Whelan was unavailable, meaning 16-year-old Cathal Gillen made his first start in goal.
Harps manager Ollie Horgan had a comparatively full selection to choose from, with Tommy McMonagle for Matthew Crossan the only change, and his centre-half partner Keith Cowan went close as early as the second-minute when he met Gareth Harkin's corner and headed just wide.
Moments later, Tony McNamee's cross somehow managed to evade the nervous Gillen and trickled across goal, and the Ballybofey side didn't have to wait much longer for the breakthrough as Kevin McHugh scored his first from the spot on nine minutes.
Winger Micky Funston latched onto Nathan Boyle's through-ball and raced through on goal, only to collide with the unfortunate Gillen who, mercifully, was spared a red card by referee John McLoughlin.
McHugh didn't have to wait long for his second as he then latched onto a pass from the left and kept his composure to slot the ball into the corner from ten yards out, before his strike partner Boyle embarrassed Gillen, dispossessing the goalkeeper on the edge of his box and easing the ball into an empty net.
Both teams mad changes at the break, with Conor Foley replacing Sean Burke for Cabo and Rob Waters on in place of Boyle for Harps, but it was Cabo right back Karl Byrne who surfaced for the second half with a renewed spring in his step.
Byrne first got himself booked for a late challenge, before moments later cutting infield and dancing past three Finn Harps defenders and firing a shot low and hard past Ciaran Gallagher from just inside the D.
Cabo came within inches of making it a one-goal game shortly after as Kevin Knight met a corner from the left with a bullet header that he was desperately unlucky to see cannon back off the left-hand post with Gallagher motionless.
Harps hit the post as Keith Cowan met Tony McNamee's free kick from wide on the right but his glancing header skidded off the post and away from goal before McHugh, in search of his hat-trick, drove just over from the edge of the box.
Gillen, who hadn't a save to make for most of the second half, did well to turn behind Raymond Foy's long-range drive with five minutes remaining, and Harps were eventually made pay for their lack of urgency when Foley slammed home after Kevin Knight had seen Foy clear his effort off the line.
Harps did manage to play out the three minutes of injury time in the Cabo half and emerged, just, with the three points that lift them above UCD and back into second position.
Cabinteely: Cathal Gillen; Karl Byrne, Kevin Knight, Edward McDonagh, Josh Quinlavin; Richard Purdy, Aaron Brilly, Sean Burke (Conor Foley 46), Michael Brown (Darren Clarke 83); Peter Durrad, Stephen Dunne (Simon Power 75).
Subs not used: Sean Hyland (gk), Jamie Broderick, Ross Broderick, Stephen Hanley.
Booked: Dunne (13), Byrne (48).
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Damien McNulty, Ciaran Coll, Keith Cowan, Tommy McMonigle; Gareth Harkin, Michael Funston (Wifried Tagbo 81), Raymond Foy, Tony McNamee; Nathan Boyle (Rob Waters 46), Kevin McHugh.
Subs not used: Tommy Lee McCarron (gk), Kieran McDaid, Josh Mailey, Oisin Hassett, Ata Ozbay.
Booked: McMonagle (44), McNamee (69), Cowan (89).
Referee: John McLoughlin.
Attendance: 250 (estimate).
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Michael Funston (Finn Harps).
