- Stuart Connolly
- Sat, Mar 25 2023
Jack Doherty was the man of the hour as Cobh Ramblers battled from two goals down to earn his side a point and maintain their unbeaten away record while Harps have now gone four without defeat.
Seamas Keogh opened the scoring with less than a minute on the clock for his first in Harps colours while Filip Da Silva also netted his first in Ballybofey just over ten minutes later.
Doherty missed a spot kick at the start of the second half but fired in two goals in just over 15 minutes to draw the game level. Sean O'Donnell was shown a straight red card with ten minutes to go.
Finn Harps bagged their first win of the campaign last weekend and Dave Rogers made three changes to that side as Katlego Mashigo, Seamas Keogh and Okwuy Okwute jumped into the starting eleven.
Shane Keegan's side suffered their first defeat of the season and three changes were also introduced with Wilson Waweru back in the side after being ineligible last week. James O'Leary made his first start of the season while James Abbott captained the team on his birthday.
A fourth consecutive away clean sheet would have been the ideal gift but Finn Harps spoiled the party with just 42 seconds on the clock.
Okwuy Okwute had the first attempt at goal from close range which was blocked on the line and it fell invitingly for Seamas Keogh to bag his first goal of the season.
Cobh responded with a couple of set-pieces but found little success and with just 13 minutes on the stopwatch, Harps doubled their advantage.
A Ryan Flood corner was whipped into the area and after a failure to clear their lines, Filip Da Silva took control and finished low into the bottom left corner and ran to embrace his manager after his first of the campaign.
The hosts almost had a third before the half hour mark only for a vital touch from Lee Steacy to deny a close range effort from Michael Harris.
At the other end a few moments later, Tim Heimer was called upon to make a vital touch to deny Cobh and Wilson Waweru.
Ellis Farrar had lost possession to Jack Doherty and his ball into the box was aimed goalwards by the man on loan from Galway United but the glove of the German Goalkeeper kept Harps' two goal cushion alive.
The hosts took that advantage into the interval but a spot kick threatened that lead just five minutes after the restart.
Katlego Mashigo upended Pierce Phillips just inside the area and Jack Doherty stepped up but blasted his penalty high over the bar.
That strike from 12 yards didn't dent his confidence in front of goal though as he bagged the third goal of the game a few minutes later. A cross into the box by James O'Leary left Doherty with a bit to do but he finished well from an acute angle.
A quarter of an hour later, Doherty bagged his fifth goal of the campaign to draw Cobh level. An inviting cross into the area went above Farrar and it allowed Doherty to take a touch before a calm finish past Heimer.
Cobh held the upper hand after the equaliser and with ten minutes to go, they had a bit more space on the park due to a red card for Sean O'Donnell.
Only on the pitch for five minutes, the youngster went in late on Phillips and the referee brandished the red card.
A couple of chances went astray at both ends in the build up to stoppage time as a late header by Waweru over the bar brought an end to proceedings.
Finn Harps: Tim Heimer; Caoimhin Porter, Noe Baba, Ellis Farrar, Ryan Flood; Ryan Rainey, Katlego Mashigo, Seamas Keogh; Michael Harris(Shane McMonagle 61), Okwuy Okwute(Sean O'Donnell 76), Filip Da Silva.
Subs not used: Brendan McLaughlin, Damian Duffy, Oisin Farrell(GK), Oisin Cooney(GK), Shaunie Bradley.
Booked: Okwute(70), Flood(90)
Sent off: O'Donnell(81)
Cobh Ramblers: Lee Steacy; Michael McCarthy(Jake Hegarty 87), Cian Browne, Brendan Frahill, Jason Abbott; James O'Leary(Issa Kargbo 77), Dale Holland(Conor Drinan 77), Charlie Lyons, Pierce Phillips; Wilson Waweru, Jack Doherty.
Subs not used: Darragh Burke(GK), Justin Eguaibor, Luke Desmond, Claudio Osorio, Callum Stringer, Tiernan O'Brien.
Booked: McCarthy(24), Doherty(63)
Referee: Alan Patchell
ExtraTime.ie Player of the Match: Jack Doherty(Cobh Ramblers)
