FINN HARPS PLAYED out a scoreless draw with Bohemians at Finn Park on Friday night.Ciaran Gallagher saved an injury-time penalty from Anto Murphy to preserve a point for Ollie Horgan’s team – here’s five things we learned in Ballybofey:
- Harps living dangerously
OLLIE Horgan, the Finn Harps manager, wasn’t far wrong when he mentioned that Friday’s drab display against Bohemians had been his team’s ‘poorest performance’ of the season.
While a point against Bohemians was still a useful one, it was the way that Harps just survived at the end that makes supporters pine for just a dollop more adventure from their side.
Dean Delany, the Bohemians goalkeeper, had a pretty stress-free night at his desk.
Harps were predictable at times, although it does say a lot for their marked improvement where a scoreless draw at home to Bohs is seen as a let-down.
It was perhaps the way that Harps got the point, through a last-gasp penalty save from Ciaran Gallagher to deny Anto Murphy – and maybe more so the way the move panned out – that sticks a bit.
Against Shamrock Rovers a few weeks ago, they weren’t so lucky with Rovers netting a penalty in the second half.
It is in these moments where Harps could be doing with creating a few more openings of their own. For the penalty, Bohs broke away after Ryan Curran’s free kick was fired into the wall and Harps were caught on the counter.
[adrotate group=”43″]- Gallagher on the spot again for vital save
WHEN Roberto Lopes flew to the floor in the penalty box under Ciaran Coll’s challenge in injury time, Ballybofey threw its collective eyes to the sky.
Neither side really deserved to win this one, which was a rather lifeless encounter up until that heart-stopping moment in stoppage time.
Coll and his team-mates insist that there was no foul, but Dave McKeon pointed to the spot.
Picture caption: Ciaran Coll protests to referee Dave McKeon after the awarding of a penalty to Bohemians. Picture by Gary Foy, newsandsportfiles
Ciaran Gallagher got inside the head of Anto Murphy, the Bohemians substitute who assumed the responsibility.
Gallagher has a good record facing penalties and, in what was his first outing at Finn Park since the opening win over Derry City, the Raphoe man dived right and got a strong arm to Murphy’s kick, turning ir around the Town End target for a corner.
Against anyone in the one-v-one from 12 yards, Gallagher fancies his chances and in these moments you just wouldn’t back against him.
[adrotate group=”50″]- A vital point gained
A THIRD of the season has now been played and Harps are in eighth position and perhaps feeling as if they could be a little further in front.
After 11 games, Harps have 12 points and are slightly ahead of their point-a-game target, which many feel is what they need to target to stay up and avoid relegation.
While Bohemians, a point adrift of Harps in ninth, were there for the taking on Friday night, this could well prove to be a vital draw, especially in the context of the results elsewhere this weekend.
Longford Town, Wexford Youths and Bray Wanderers all lost.
Harps are six points clear of the relegation zone, with Wexford and Longford joint bottom on six points and Horgan’s team have five points to spare on Bray, who are tenth.
[adrotate group=”38″]- More injury worries for Harps
WHILE Barry Molloy played his first full game since making a move to Harps on the eve of the new season, there are yet more injury concerns for Ollie Horgan arising out of Friday’s clash.
Molloy’s return is certainly welcome and Horgan’s value on the ex-Derry City player is very evident: ‘We will need Barry Molloy to survive’, he has said.
However, Harps ended the night with clouds over the fitness of Keith Cowan and Gareth Harkin.
In the 37th minute, Harkin – who was on the receiving end of a crunching tackle by Daniel Byrne – left the action. The midfielder should be back for Friday’s game against Dundalk, but is likely to miss Tuesday’s derby against Derry City.
The situation with Cowan is less positive. The defender had already been carrying a knock and he received treatment on a foot injury late in the game.
Cowan will have the injury x-rayed to determine its seriousness.
[adrotate group=”62″]- Bohs’ goal drought continues
YOU have to go all the way back to April 9th, and a 2-0 win against Bray Wanderers, for the last time that Bohemians celebrated a goal.
Ayman-Ben Mohamed netted in the 69th minute of that fixture, but in the subsequent games, against Shamrock Rovers, Derry City, Dundalk and, now, Harps, Keith Long’s team has failed to score.
That makes it running close on 400 minutes since the Gypsies last scored.
Long didn’t make himself available for media duties on Friday night and instead sent in his assistant manager, Graham O’Hanlon.
In the 2000/01 season, O’Hanlon played seven games for Harps, but is now number 2 at Dalymount Park.
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