- Rory Morrow
- Sat, Jun 29 2024
Longford Town came from behind at Bishopsgate to hold Finn Harps to a draw, with Jordan Tallon's equaliser cancelling out Patrick Ferry's early goal.
Having stormed back from two goals down in the reverse fixture, Harps went ahead as they made a speedy start on their second visit to Bishopsgate of the season.
With Success Edogun sending an early effort over, the forward assisted the opener. Edogun outlasted Dean O'Shea to reach David Cawley's chipped pass.
The striker charged into the box at speed with his low shot across the goal, turning into the perfect pass for Ferry to tap in at the back post.
Chasing only their third league win all season, Longford rallied as Kyle O'Connor's whizzing cross found dangerman Jordan Adeyemo, with Harps' stopper, Tim Hiemer, clutching his header.
Ferry nearly doubled up as he vigorously attacked another alert pass from Edogun, this time though, the goal scorer was denied by the post.
Viktor Serdeniuk drilled off-target before an unmarked O'Shea, having scored at Finn Park in the side's last meeting, rued fine margins as he headed against the upright.
Longford upped the ante with former Harps' man, Bastien Hery, linking play in an intriguingly fought midfield duel with Cawley.
Leading the way, though, were the central defensive pairing of Matty Makinson and Noe Baba, who between them, made several lung-busting clearances to preserve Hiemer's goal.
Enabled to counter through the pace and intelligent hold-up play of both Edogun and Max Johnston, Harps sought a second goal.
First, Tony McNamee skimmed a glancing header wide from Johnston's curling cross. Makinson then, up from the back, planted a meaty headed connection high over Longford goalkeeper Jack Brady's crossbar.
Mirroring Finn Harps' fast start, Longford levelled before the hour as Harps were left rueing their failure to build on their lead.
O'Shea hooked it down the channel, Ross Fay surged through dozy Harps marking before his cutback, more intentional than Edogun's earlier, unselfishly located Jordan Tallon who made no mistake in dispatching the ball beyond Hiemer from inside the box.
Despite boisterous home support at Bishopsgate, it was Longford's turn to dominate proceedings for a while. They too, though, were unable to add a quickfire second.
Teenager Gavin McAteer made only his third senior club appearance off the bench late on as Harps' boss, Darren Murphy, turned to his youthful substitutes.
With McAteer slotting in nicely alongside Cawley, Harps created their best opportunity in a long while as Stephen Doherty sneaked down the left before seeing his low shot smuggled away well by Brady.
More heroics came from Longford's captain as next, Edogun was sent haring through. With the two former Treaty United teammates facing off, Edogun's burst of speed saw him outpace O'Shea but Brady bravely blocked his toe-poke goalwards.
Given their chances, Harps will be frustrated to only take a point home; for all Longford's doggedness, these are the matches that a side with promotion aspirations needs to be winning.
Thursday night action next for both teams as Longford travel to Bray Wanderers while Harps return to Ballybofey to host Kerry.
Longford Town: Jack Brady (c); Kyle O’Connor, Dean O’Shea, Ross Fay (Emmanuel James 88), Viktor Serdeniuk, Jordan Tallon, Karl Chambers (Adam Wixted 80), Mohammed Boudiaf, Francis Campbell, Bastien Hery, Jordan Adeyemo.
Subs not used: Jack Harrington (gk), Ryan Boyle, Vasyl Tropanets, Guilherme Rego Priosti, Callum Bonner.
Booked: Karl Chambers (73).
Finn Harps: Tim Hiemer; Jamie Watson, Matty Makinson, Noe Baba, Stephen Doherty, Ryan Rainey, David Cawley, Patrick Ferry, Tony McNamee (c) (Gavin McAteer 79), Max Johnston, Success Edogun.
Subs not used: Conor Walsh (gk), Oisin Cooney (gk), Kevin Jordan, Max Hutchison, Darragh Coyle, Nathan McDaid.
Booked: Success Edogun (15), Tony McNamee (69), Noe Baba (90+3).
Referee: Lucas Keating.
Attendance: 400.
extratime.com Player of the Match: David Cawley (Finn Harps).
