Finn Harps held on for dear life to grab their first point of the season against Galway United tonight.
Finn Harps 1 Galway United 1
Sean Houston’s first-half goal was cancelled out by ex-Harps man Kevin Devaney early in the second half on a night when Paddy McCourt made his first Harps start.
With both sides having lost their opening two games, it was, even in the third week of the campaign, billed as a six-pointer and the end result after they came under siege in the second half, will be a relief to Finn Park faithful.
It had all looked so positive for Harps when Houston, after being fed by McCourt, opened the scoring, but they never really looked like winning it after Devaney struck.
They did throw the contents of the kitchen at the goal in added time, but were unable to sneak it.
There were only 57 seconds gone in the second half when the Tribesmen drew level as Devaney broke through and capitalised on a mix-up to fire home.
It was the worst possible way for Harps to begin the second half – and they’d been warned twice before the break.
Seven minutes after Houston’s opener, Galway were inches from a leveller.
Devaney released Ronan Murray, who rounded Ciaran Gallagher, but went too wide.
Devaney latched onto Murray’s pull-back and fired off the post with Gallagher relieved to gather from Gavan Holohan’s follow-up.
Just before half-time, Vinny Faherty had a golden chance for Galway, but fired tamely wide when he ought to have, at least, tested Gallagher.
Devaney, again, was the architect, with his trickery as Galway went agonisingly close to hitting the front, but Murray clipped off the far post with Harps all at sea at the back.
Harps, who had started with promise, took some time to find their way again and it was the 69th minute before Eddie Dsane – also making his first Harps start tonight – managed to go clear, but Conor Winn was out to save.
It was Galway, though, who were looking the more likely and Faherty headed off the top of the crossbar at a time when it seemed as if Harps were clinging on by the tips of their fingers.
It hadn’t appeared that way earlier in the night.
McCourt created the goal for Houston, playing a neat pass to Houston, who did well to fire past former Harps metinder Winn to the bottom corner.
McCourt was included as one of three changes to the Harps side from that which lost 5-3 to Bray last Friday, with Dsane also making his debut and Packie Mailey given a first start of 2017.
Damien McNulty, Jonny Bonner and Michael Funston were the men to make way in the reshuffle.
It was from a quickly and cleverly played McCourt corner, in the 13th minute, that Harps had their first opportunity with the in-rushing Caolan McAleer drilling low from 20 yards, but David Cawley made the clearance from an awkward attempt by the Omagh man.
The same two players combined for the hosts when McCourt’s fine ball into the right channel invited an effort from McAleer, but his effort was saved by Winn.
In Horgan’s first season as Harps manager, in 2014, Winn was the Harps goalkeeper, while Kevin Devaney – who spent a time on loan at Finn Park in 2011 – was also named in the Galway side.
The cagey opening continued with defender Lee Grace heading over the top before Houston broke the deadlock.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Ethan Boyle, Packie Mailey, Killian Cantwell, Ciaran Coll; Aidan McAleer, Sean Houston, Barry Molloy, Eddie Dsane; Paddy McCourt, Ciaran O’Connor. Subs: Gareth Harkin for McCourt (59), Danny Morrissey for O’Connor (59), Jonny Bonner for Dsane (71).
Galway United: Conor Winn; Colm Horgan, Lee Grace, Stephen Folan, Mark Ludden; Gavan Holohan, David Crawley, Alex Byrne, Kevin Devaney; Ronan Murray; Vinny Faherty. Subs: Padraic Cunningham for Faherty (81), Conor Melody for Murray (85), Gary Shanahan for Devaney (90).
Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin).
Tags: