- Stuart Connolly
- Sat, Aug 12 2023
Treaty United bagged an away win at Finn Park to halt a run of four successive defeats in all competitions.
After a goalless first half, Dean George netted the only goal of the game while Harps had two shots cleared off the line in the second half.
Thomas Barrett's side leapfrog Harps in the table and now sit five points shy of the playoff picture with a game in hand.
Just two points separated these sides prior to kick off with Finn Harps holding the advantage in the league standings.
Dave Rogers' side had the upper hand too in the previous meetings, scoring five without reply in the two encounters.
This encounter wasn't a fast starter by any means and chances were difficult to come by, though not through a lack of effort.
The opening twenty minutes went by in a flash without so much as a shot on target with Ryan Flood blazing over for Harps while Adam Lennon couldn't quite get on the end of a cross from Enda Curran.
As the game approached the half hour mark, little had changed in an attacking sense as Lee Devitt had a pop from range fly wide of the target.
Curran was the closest to putting his name on the scoresheet shortly after the half hour as his thunderous volley fizzed just past the post.
The hosts created the last chance of the half not long after with Corey Chambers bravely diving in at the feet of Sean O'Donnell to deny him an effort on goal.
Level at the interval, that scoreline soon changed with the visitors breaking the deadlock 90 seconds into the second-half.
Stephen Christopher played through Dean George on the left side and after a couple of touches, his final one was a shot which squeezed in at the near post.
Harps looked stunned and nearly gifted their opponents a second goal moments later with a Rory Kelly pass bouncing off the head of Lennon, fortunately for the shot stopper, it rolled wide of his goal.
Two big chances landed at Harps' feet as the game edged towards the hour and beyond and both required some heroic defending from Treaty.
Caoimhin Porter had the first effort on goal following a cross and with Chambers beaten, it was up to the alert Mark Walsh to clear the shot off the goal line.
Ten minutes later, Harps put themselves in a great position again and Scott Wara had a towering header directed at goal but this time Jordan Tallon was in the right place to keep Treaty's clean sheet in the bag.
Further opportunities went astray for Harps during the final ten minutes of the game as a succession of corners offered little in return.
Flood had Harps' best chance late on, a deflected strike which required a fingertip save from Chambers.
Finn Harps: Rory Kelly; Scott Wara, Matty Makinson(Ellis Farrar 78), Daithi McCallion, Scott Wara, Stephen Doherty(Max Hutchison 56); Caoimhin Porter(Aaron McLaughlin 66), Tony McNamee, Ryan Rainey, Ryan Flood; Sean O'Donnell, BJ Banda.
Subs not used: Antonio Tuta, Noe Baba, Kevin Jordan, Seamas Keogh, Sean O'Kane.
Booked: Wara(26)
Treaty United: Corey Chambers; Ben O'Riordan, Mark Walsh, Jordan Tallon(Darren Nwankwo 78), Marc Ludden; Lee Devitt, Adam Lennon(William Armshaw 78), Conor Barry, Stephen Christopher(Colin Conroy 89); Dean George(Dean O'Shea 70), Enda Curran(Success Edogun 70).
Subs not used: Michael Dike(GK), Scott Kirkland.
Booked: Walsh(64)
Referee: Daniel Murphy
ExtraTime.ie Player of the Match: Mark Walsh(Treaty United)
