FINN HARPS HAVE won one and lost one this season in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division and tonight they welcome Shamrock Rovers to Ballybofey. Follow us here:
Match report to come in a minute or two from Chris McNulty.
FULL-TIME – FINN HARPS 0-1 SHAMROCK ROVERS
90+5 mins – Michael Funston runs right at Maxime Blancard in the penalty area and goes down. Referee Neil Doyle shakes his head. And was probably right. FH 0-1 SR
90+2 mins – Gareth McCaffrey replaces Danny North for Shamrock Rovers moments after a free-kick from Kevin McHugh is curled over the visitors’ crossbar. FH 0-1 SR
90 mins – Six minutes of added time has just been signalled. FH 0-0 SR
88 mins – Scramble in the Rovers box but they’re holding on. Gary McCabe hoofs clear. FH 0-1 SR
83 mins – Liam Flatley is on for Ethan Boyle. Harps have had a little bit of pressure. Barry Murphy saves easily from Gareth Harkin. FH 0-1 SR
80 mins – Michael Funston is on for Tony McNamee. FH 0-1 SR
78 mins – Michael Drennan taps in from close range after a shot from Simon Madden isn’t kept out by Richard Brush. However, Drennan had strayed offside and the goal was disallowed. FH 0-1 SR
76 mins – Pat Cregg gets into a channel down the right in space but shoots from an impossible angle high into the night sky. FH 0-1 SR
Lot of fellas in lots of different languages – presumably for betting – on about that goal by McCabe on Twitter.
72 mins – Kevin McHugh is on for Harps in place of Raymond Foy. FH 0-1 SR
FINN HARPS 0-1 SHAMROCK ROVERS
70 mins – Brilliantly struck penalty by Gary McCabe, right into Richard Brush’s top corner after the Finn Harps goalkeeper brought down Danny North. FH 0-1 SR
69 mins – PENALTY FOR SHAMROCK ROVERS
66 mins – Dave Scully gets half a chance but his effort from outside the area is drawn wide at the Town End at Ballybofey. Killian Brennan is going off and is replaced by Pat Cregg. FH 0-0 SR
59 mins – Dave Scully is fouled and then pushed to the ground by Simon Madden, who has already been booked. Neil Doyle lets him off with it. Madden is lucky. What’s the odds he will be hooked in the next five minutes? FH 0-0 SR
57 mins – Almost a brilliant goal from Gary McCabe, who won possession from Gareth Harkin and then tried to lob Richard Brush – whose backpedal was quite sharp – but the ball landed on the roof of the net. FH 0-0 SR
55 mins – A long free from Adam Hanlon causes a little consternation in the visitors’ penalty area but whatever fuss there might’ve been was extinguished by Barry Murphy, who claimed a routine catch. FH 0-0 SR
51 mins – A Shamrock Rovers free-kick some 35 yards from goal and Brandon Meile – who showed how it’s done against Sligo on the opening night of the season for Shamrock Rovers – flights the ball into the mid-rift of Richard Brush. Easy save. FH 0-0 SR
47 mins – Dave Scully – of Bohemians persuasion he’s reminded from the visiting supporters – gets a deserved yellow for a late tackle. FH 0-0 SR
It’s half-time
43 mins – Simon Madden takes a tumble for no reason and for a man booked three minutes ago he shouldn’t have bothered. Not to worry. FH 0-0 SR
40 mins – Simon Madden is yellow-carded for a foul on Adam Hanlon but the free-kick comes to nothing. FH 0-0 SR
37 mins – Sniff of a chance for Harps. Following Adam Hanlon’s diagonal ball into the box, which was won in the air by Ryan Curran, Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper Barry Murphy got down to gather as Packie Mailey rushed in. FH 0-0 SR
This is pretty much where it’s at …
All the best to Finn Harps tonight! Looking forward to some half time soup! ?
— MICAD Security (@MICADSecurity) March 14, 2016
30 mins – Brandon Miele’s curling shot hasn’t any power on it and Richard Brush gathers it easily. FH 0-0 SR
“The sweet shop and tea shop is open on the Aldi side of the ground,” we’re informed. Not much movement.
29 mins – Adam Hanlon cuts inside from the left wing and although he had a support runner in Ryan Curran, opted to go himself and the shot was wild and flew off right. FH 0-0 SR
27 mins – A free from Adam Hanlon was won by Packie Mailey in the Shamrock Rovers penalty area. Comes to nothing. Harps best hopes look to be from dead balls or Tony McNamee’s long throws. FH 0-0 SR
25 mins – More Rovers pressure and Packie Mailey clears a ball from Michael Drennan that was flying from the right across the goalline. FH 0-0 SR
21 mins – Double-chance for Rovers. Adam Hanlon’s header is weak and Michael Drennan’s shot is saved by Richard Brush. Brandon Miele’s rebounded shot is blocked by Packie Mailey. FH 0-0 SR
18 mins – Brandon Miele has been as involved as anyone. The Shamrock Rovers winger sees the ball break his way but his effort is sliced and well of target.
Good crowd here at Finn Park – perhaps 2,000. We’ll confirm that when/if we get it. And the away fans are right, they’re the only ones making noise
“You’re supposed to be at home,” sing the Shamrock Rovers fans. There’s a certain irony in that one
10 mins – Best chance so far for the away team. Brandon Miele out-paces Damien McNulty down the Shamrock Rovers left and his pull-back – towards the penalty spot – is met by Michael Drennan, who drags the shot off target. FH 0-0 SR
And Shamrock Rovers have lined out like this:
Barry Murphy; Simon Madden, Maxime Blancard, David O’Connor, Gavin Brennan; Michael Drennan, Gary McCabe, Killian Brennan, Brandon Miele; Gary Shaw, Danny North.
Pitch is much better here at Finn Park than it was 10 days ago against Derry City.
4 mins – Yellow card for Raymond Foy.
Harps have started with a 4-4-2 and it looks like this: Richard Brush; Damien McNulty, Keith Cowan, Packie Mailey, Ethan Boyle; Adam Hanlon, Raymond Foy, Gareth Harkin, Dave Scully; Tony McNamee, Ryan Curran.
2 mins – Action underway here at Finn Park and the first chance sees Brandon Miele’s shot blocked by Damien McNulty following a pullback by Simon Madden. FH 0-0 SR
Ciaran Gallagher missed Friday night’s game due to work commitments and although he’s available tonight, Ollie Horgan, the Harps manager, has opted for Richard Brush in goal.
For Harps, there’s two changes. Ciaran Coll was stretchered from the field on Friday night against Dundalk in a 3-0 loss with a knee injury and he’s replaced by Packie Mailey. Tony McNamee, who was man of the match against Derry City on the opening night of the season in a 2-1 Harps win, replaces Michael Funston in midfield.
Shamrock Rovers – two from two this season with their last result a 2-0 victory over Wexford Youths – have taken Gary Shaw replacing Dean Clarke.
Here are tonight’s teams:
