FINN HARPS LOST out to Shamrock Rovers last night by a single goal – a 70th minute penalty from Gary McCabe.
Ollie Horgan’s side fought bravely but in the end were beaten 1-0, so got nothing for the second game on the bounce having lost 3-0 against Dundalk on Friday night.
Photo caption: Dave Scully of Finn Harps in action against Shamrock Rovers in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division clash at Finn Park on Monday night. Picture by Gary Foy, newsandsportfiles
- Harps will prove to be difficult to beat at Finn Park …
TWO years ago, Ollie Horgan’s side lost 1-0 against Shamrock Rovers B so there’s a decent indicator of the progression that’s been made with some Harps supporters considering themselves unfortunate not to take a point from the visit of the more genuine article from Tallaght last night.
Harps’ battling spirit isn’t something we only learned last night and for long spells they matched their guests. Only for Gary Shaw getting in behind the defence before being taken down by Richard Brush for the penalty award – excellent converted by Gary McCabe – they might’ve held on for a point.
The more seasoned SSE Airtricity League Premier Division teams have a cuteness about them and Shaw did well to get the touch before going to ground.
It’s no secret that Harps’ best chance of getting points in this league will be at Finn Park and with the standard of opposition that’ll be arriving in Ballybofey, absolutely nothing will come easily. But having beaten Derry City 2-1 on opening night and running the league leaders so close, there are certain reasons for optimism.
The energy levels, though, cannot drop and with the games coming thick and fast for what is essentially an amateur squad getting expenses, it will take considerable effort.
“They had the better chances,” Horgan said afterwards last night. “But we have to go to Tallaght in 12 weeks time and it might be a different story up there. We’re disappointed. We gave it everything we had, which to be fair we always do. There was very little in it here at home.”
Listen to Ollie Horgan’s post-match thoughts here
2. … but need to create more
THOSE who did believe Harps were deserving of a point last night would have to confess that a 0-0 draw was what they might’ve referred to.
The home team might’ve got something late in the game with some pressure applied on the Shamrock Rovers goal and there were screams for a penalty when Michael Funston went down at the Town End five minutes into stoppage time when he ran into Maxime Blancard.
However, over the course of the 90 minutes, Barry Murphy, the Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper, was comfortable. He did have to make a save from Gareth Harkin, who didn’t get the purchase he might’ve wished on a second half shot.
Other than that, Harps’ best chances came from deadballs from Adam Hanlon and from long throw-ins from Tony McNamee. But even at that, Murphy was again uncomplicated in his catches.
Ryan Curran has shown his willingness to play and lead the line in a sometimes lonely role but the former Derry City striker didn’t have much service to have a chance at goal and when Kevin McHugh came off the bench late on, his only opportunity was from a free-kick that sailed over the crossbar.
3. Simon Madden was fortunate to stay on the pitch
WHEN Adam Hanlon was fouled by Simon Madden five minutes before the break, the Shamrock Rovers man went into Neil Doyle’s book.
Three minutes later, Madden took a tumble and on that occasion perhaps it was understandable that the referee would warn the player, who could hear the ice creaking beneath his feet.
However, the thing that irritated the home support was that when Madden pushed Dave Scully to the ground in the second half, there was still no second yellow card.
Scully wasn’t shy in his opinions on the issue after the game and with 31 minutes still to be played at that stage, it might well have been a different type of contest had Harps been playing against 10 men.
“He dived again in second half I helped him up and he pushed me,” Scully said afterwards. “It’s a yellow card and if that was one of our players we’d have been sent off.”
Ollie Horgan was more diplomatic.
“I’m not complaining about anyone not getting sent off on the other side,” he said. “That’s not what I do. I complain about enough but for not sending Simon Madden off, I’m not going down that line.”
4. Richard Brush or Ciaran Gallagher?
WHEN the blue and white-clad supporters arrived at Oriel Park on Friday night, there were a few eyebrows raised when Ciaran Gallagher’s name wasn’t on the team sheet.
It was later learned that Gallagher was unable to get off work in Letterkenny and on the night, despite the 3-0 reversal, Richard Brush had come in and acquitted himself well.
Gallagher was available to play on Monday night but had to be content with a place on the substitutes’ bench as Ollie Horgan opted to stick with Brush.
All in all, the former Shamrock Rovers and Sligo Rovers goalkeeper didn’t have a bad game but did charge out on occasion and was a touch fortunate when Michael Drennan was flagged offside as he tapped in, what he thought was a second goal for Pat Fenlon’s team.
Brush had got two hands on Simon Madden’s shot but it still made its way to Drennan having eluded Brush, who would’ve been relieved to see the flag raised.
Horgan has a call to make now on Saturday night as Harps take on Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.
“I have the utmost confidence in either of them,” Horgan said afterwards. “Both keepers are very capable. It’s certainly an area of the field we have choices to make.”
5. Pat Fenlon’s Shamrock Rovers can grind it out
SHAMROCK ROVERS, in a way, might’ve played into Harps’ hands a little bit. The side from Tallaght Stadium came to Ballybofey and played a game described by Ollie Horgan as “back to front.”
But now, following three wins from three – Rovers won 2-0 in Sligo and then at home to Wexford Youths on the same scoreline – they’ve proved a difficult nut to crack
Pat Fenlon, the Rovers manager, could be seen striding across the pitch afterwards attentively and might well have adapted a horses for courses attitude on a playing surface that was certainly better than when Harps played Derry two weeks ago, but still difficult.
“We’re delighted with the three points,” Fenlon said afterwards. “It’s a great three points. Conditions were difficult for both teams. We didn’t try to play too much in our own half and just tried to get it forward.
“It’s poor out there. It’s not a gripe, but it’s very difficult for both sets of players to play on that. It isn’t the only pitch in the League that’s poor. That’s where we need things to be right for players.”
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