- David Wilson
- Fri, Mar 26 2021
David Wilson reports from Oriel Park
Adam Foley was the hero once more as his brace earned an incredible away win for Finn Harps at Oriel Park. Foley had got the winner last week against Bohs and his goalscoring exploits earned Harps’ first win against the Lilywhites since 2007.
Dundalk have only picked up a point from their opening two games as the pressure mounts while Harps remain top of the league as Ollie Horgan’s side continue to defy the odds.
Two minutes before halftime, Andy Boyle rolled a ball back to goalkeeper Alessio Abibi. He took a heavy first touch as he surveyed his options and within a flash, Finn Harps goal getter Foley closed down the dawdling ‘keeper. Seconds later the ball rolled into an empty Dundalk net after quite an error from the Lilywhites new number one.
On a bitterly cold night at Oriel Park Dundalk had the best of the opening exchanges. They had long periods of possession but failed to test Harps shot stopper Marc Anthony McGinley.
The Town had reverted to four at the back, partly on the unavailability of key players but also in an attempt to provide more attacking nous in the final third.
Michael Duffy was the brightest for the home side playing off both the right and the left, switching positions with Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe from time to time. Duffy sprang in behind and found centre-forward Patrick Hoban, who in turn found Junior but his effort was smothered by Harp’s skipper David Webster in the 12th minute.
Hoban tried his luck from 22 yards and Junior just missed a Duffy cross in the opening 20, but the home side failed to carve the Donegal side open.
The best chance of the first half hour actually fell to the away side. In the 26th minute centre-back Dan Cleary tried to dribble around Mark Russell, who picked his pocket and fed Foley one on one with the ‘keeper but Abibi got down very smartly and flicked the ball away from the striker’s feet.
Right on the half hour mark, Dundalk had claims for a penalty waved away by referee Derek Tomney as Webster looked to have pulled down Greg Sloggett at a corner.
Junior nodded a Duffy corner over, as Dundalk huffed and puffed but failed to blow the Harps’ house down.
As the clock ticked towards 45, the weather turned as the wind gusted and hail pelted down on top of the players. However, Harps did not mind when they saw Foley’s block roll into an empty net to give them the lead at the break.
At halftime Dundalk rang the changes. Junior and Sam Stanton were hooked, Jesus Perez and youngster Ryan O’Kane introduced.
It was the prodigy O’Kane who had a hand in the equaliser just three minutes into the second half. Fouled by Mark Coyle, Duffy whipped a free kick into the box from 40 yards and record scorer Hoban nodded past McGinley to put the teams on level terms once more.
Dundalk were on top and looked to get the second goal, Duffy now playing on the right was fed by Cameron Dummigan. The cross from Duffy found O’Kane who took the ball on to his left foot before Ethan Boyle slid the ball away excellently.
Two minutes before the hour mark, Dummigan and Duffy combined again. This time Dummigan played a one-two with Perez and then crossed for Hoban who headed from point blank range. McGinley denied the Galwegian brilliantly.
Foley, who led the line imperiously for the away side, twinkled inside and unleashed a left footed strike that brushed the side netting of the near post in the 63rd minute.
A minute later Harps had the lead once again. A brisk counterattack saw McNamee find Russell, he dinked a ball over the top behind Cleary who tried to play offside, into the path of Foley. The front man looked to be a yard or two offside, however he steadied himself and finished beyond the on-rushing Abibi.
Dundalk summoned the cavalry and introduced David McMillan and new signing Han Jeongwoo, built other than a series of crosses they failed to create any clear-cut opportunities.
Three minutes from the end, Hoban nearly had another equaliser. A cross from Duffy found Hoban who held off Shane McEleney and fashioned an overhead kick which hit the bottom of the post.
The away sided defended manfully, blocking crosses, heading clearances until Perez flashed an effort from the edge of the box which McGinley saved. The Harps were delirious when the final whistle went picking up a huge three points to take home to Donegal.
Dundalk: Alessio Abibi; Cameron Dummigan, Daniel Cleary, Andy Boyle, Darragh Leahy (Han Jeongwoo 81); Chris Shields (c), Gregg Sloggett (David McMillan 73), Sam Stanton (Jesus Perez h/t); Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe (Ryan O’Kane h/t), Michael Duffy; Patrick Hoban
Subs not used: Peter Cherrie (gk); Brian Gartland, Enda Douglas
Booked: Patrick Hoban (65), Darragh Leahy (68), Ryan O’Kane (67)
Finn Harps: Mark McGinley; Ethan Boyle, Kosovar Sadiki, Shane McEleney, David Webster (c); Will Seymore, Barry McNamee (Stephan Folan 76), Mark Coyle, Mark Russell; Karl O’Sullivan, Adam Foley (Ryan Shanley 76)
Subs not used: Luke McNicholas; Tony McNamee, Tunde Owolabi, Ryan Rainey, Sean Boyd, Jamie Browne, Niall McGinley
Booked: Karl O’Sullivan (48), Mark Coyle (84), Ryan Shanley (90)
Referee: Derek Tomney
Attendance: 0
Extratime.com man of the match: Adam Foley (Finn Harps)
