- Rory Morrow
- Fri, May 03 2024
Finn Harps captain Tony McNamee proved Treaty United’s nemesis once again as his winner ensured Harps ended their four-game winless streak with a 1-0 win in Ballybofey on Friday night.
Having netted at the Markets Field back in late March to nick the points, McNamee repeated the feat this evening as his goal deservedly rewarded a fine Finn Harps performance.
As two out-of-form teams, winless in twelve combined league games, took to the field, the Finn Park faithful crossed their fingers.
One off-field miracle had already occurred with the restoration of working floodlights allowing Ballybofey to resume late kick-offs, starting with tonight’s.
Home coach, Darren Murphy, handed Mark Mbuli his first start. Eight minutes in, Mbuli almost repaid his manager as Harps hared up-field on the counter. McNamee, so often the sides’ heartbeat, found Mbuli down the right, but his low strike squirmed wide of the far post.
Ten minutes later, another chance arrived. McNamee’s corner headed away by Lee Devitt before Noe Baba ballooned an effort off-target.
Treaty’s number ten, Thomas Considine, enjoyed an early running battle with home left-back, Luke O’Brien. Considine’s crossing, though, was hampered by O’Brien’s tenacity in restricting his space out wide.
As the visitors struggled to create opportunities, the McNamee-Mbuli partnership threatened again as the latter’s ball in saw David Cawley stab a strike narrowly wide.
Into the second half and Harps made a half-chance when Jamie Watson’s cross was met by Baba, the defender, though, unable to trouble away goalkeeper, Corey Chambers.
Considine then came closest to opening the scoring when he scorched onto Alec Byrne’s through ball, burst beyond the frantically retreating blue shirts and rolled his measured attempt across goal, Baba mopping up at the back for Harps.
Harps, however, looked most dangerous from set-pieces as McNamee’s devious deliveries required good clearances from first Devitt and then, Oisin O’Reilly.
It was becoming a bombardment and just as Treaty looked to have weathered the storm, Harps deservedly broke through.
Goalkeeper, Tim Heimer hoofed long to the edge of the box. Substitute, Sean O’Donnell, on for the tiring Mbuli, won the aerial contest with Considine. O’Donnell’s flick fell into McNamee’s path and the forward scuttled down the left side of the area before planting an inch-perfect, left-footed finish into the bottom corner.
Finn Park went wild as Harps’ scoring drought came to an end courtesy of the same man who had scored their last goal, here against UCD.
Treaty’s response was a deluge of corners, Mark Walsh’s delivery battered clear by the authoritative figures of Heimer and Baba.
Edogun departed late on. Despite not scoring, his energetic presence up front was a stark reminder to former club, Treaty, of the attacking armoury they once had amidst their ranks.
A League of Ireland debut for Richkov Boevi off the bench represented one of few Treaty United positives on a bleak night.
This win is perfect timing for Harps as they enter their double game-week away at Bray Wanderers and at home to Longford Town in renewed spirits.
For Treaty, successive home games with Athlone Town and Wexford will need to yield some points if they are to avoid sliding all the way to the bottom of the pile.
Finn Harps: Tim Heimer; Jamie Watson, Matty Makinson, Noe Baba, Luke O’Brien, Ryan Rainey, Tony McNamee (c), David Cawley (Darragh Coyle 84), Mark Mbuli (Sean O’Donnell 65), Success Edogun (Patrick Ferry 88), Max Johnston.
Subs not used: Oisin Cooney (gk), Conor Walsh (gk), Shane McMonagle, Chris Lotefa, Stephen Doherty, Gavin McAteer.
Booked: Ryan Rainey (32), Noe Baba (76).
Treaty United: Corey Chambers; Ben O’Riordan, Oisin O’Reilly, Lee Devitt, Thomas Considine, Stephen Christopher, Alec Byrne (Nikodem Kozlowski 90), Scott Kirkland (Richkov Boevi 90), Mark Walsh ©, Robbie Lynch (Evan O’Connor 74), Mark Byrne.
Subs not used: Michael Dike (gk), Mark O’Halloran, Adam O’Halloran, Mark Murphy.
Booked: Thomas Considine (45), Scott Kirkland (64), Oisin O’Reilly (76)
Referee: Oliver Moran.
Attendance: 1,032.
extratime.com Player of the Match: Tony McNamee (Finn Harps).
