A battling defeat proves costly for Finn Harps in Cork

FINN HARPS’ APPALLING RECORD against Cork City has another entry for the credit side of the ledger.

Cork City 3 Finn Harps 1

While Ollie Horgan’s side performed manfully for the most part at Turner’s Cross, they ultimately fell to what was a costly defeat with enforced departure to the injured Raymond Foy, Adam Hanlon and Richard Brush.

Gearóid Morrissey and Sean Maguire had Cork 2-0 up by the seventh minute and there were signs that this could have been even more of an ordeal for Harps at that juncture.

Cork played much of the second half with ten men after Kenny Browne’s red card in the 55^th minute, but Karl Sheppard’s strike on 76 minutes sealed a first League win in four for the Rebels.

Ryan Curran pulled a late goal back for Harps, but they left the Lee empty handed.

It will be the injuries that will be of most concern to Horgan ahead of a trip to fellow newly-promoted side Wexford Youths next Friday.

Foy and Hanlon both left the action in the opening 26 minutes while Brush limped off in the second half, with Ciaran Gallagher – who had performed so well in Monday’s League Cup defeat at Galway United – coming back in.

Harps were already without Keith Cowan, who picked up an injury against Galway on Monday, not to mention the long-term absentees Barry Molloy, Josh Mailey and Michael Rafter.

Cork had drawn three on the spin since defeating Dundalk in March and their manager, John Caulfield, said before tonight’s game that it was one from which his side ‘needed’ a win and Ballybofey man Johnny Dunleavy recovered from a concussion injury that threatened his participation to take his place in the Rebels’ defence.

Cork took the lead after just a minute-and-a-half. Kevin O’Connor burst down the left channel and fed Maguire, whose off-loaded to Morrisey and his shot deflected off Packie Mailey and past Brush for the lead goal.

If that meant an uphill battle for Harps then the gradient rose significantly when Cork netted a second.

Former Derry City player Stephen Dooley laid on the assist as it was from his corner that Maguire stole a march to power a header past Brush.

With Foy and Hanlon – who carried a knock into the game – leaving the action, Horgan must have wanted to pack up the tent at that stage.

It took a fine save from Brush to deny Dooley, who scampered in from the left and shot from the edge of the box before Maguire was denied just as he was about to pull the trigger when he broke through on Brush.

Ten minutes into the second half, Browne was given his marching orders by Padraigh Sutton, the referee, after becoming embroiled in an off-the-ball scuffle with Harps striker Dave Scully, who was booked for his involvement.

Scully shot from long-range on 70 minutes, but Mark McNulty, the Cork goalkeeper, punched clear, before Cork made it 3-0 14 minutes from time as Maguire set up Sheppard who gave Ciaran Gallagher no chance with a clever finish.

Gallagher replaced Brush on the hour and it will be a busy medical room at Finn Park next week as they ready themselves for another long haul journey to Wexford.

On 83 minutes, Harps – who didn’t create much of note otherwise – did get a goal for their efforts. Ciaran Coll an Liam Flatley did the spadework and the latter’s cross was turned home by Curran.

Morrissey forced Gallagher into a strong save and the Raphoe man beat away a free kick from Mark O’Sullivan, the substitute, to keep the score down.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; John Dunleavy, Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne, Kevin O’Connor; Steven Beattie (Danny Morrissey 77), Gearóid Morrissey, Greg Bolger, Garry Buckley, Stephen Dooley (Karl Sheppard 57); Sean Maguire (Mark O’Sullivan 77).

Finn Harps: Richard Brush (Ciaran Gallagher 61); Ethan Boyle, Damien McNulty, Packie Mailey, Ciaran Coll; Ryan Curran, Raymond Foy (Tony McNamee 10), Gareth Harkin, Sean Houston, Adam Hanlon (Liam Flatley 25); Dave Scully.

Referee: Padraigh Sutton.