Visitors St.Patrick’s Athletic proved too strong for Finn Harps under 15’s, ending their unbeaten record this season with an impressive display.
Finn Harps 1 St Patrick’s Athletic 4
By Charlie Collins at Finn Park
The opening fifteen minutes of this game showed clearly why, along with Bohemians , these are the top teams in the Division.
Both produced some excellent football with the passing game a feature of both teams play.
Neither created any clear-cut chances but Harps midfielder Caoimhan Wheeler”s excellent cross in the 14th minute did require a fine headed clearance by Pat’s full-back Cian O’Malley.
Two minutes later the visitors were ahead. Kian Corbally floated in a free-kick from the left and Lee Kenny found time and space to head it home. Harps will feel they could have defended it better.
The visitors were the better side after getting this boost. Harps lost Conor Campbell to injury, and struggled to create chances.
It could have been 0-2 in the 29th minute, winger Ross Faye’s excellent cross found Cian Kavanagh inside the box, his volley was well saved by Patrick McGarvey and Corey Brolly just got a foot in to deny Faye as he followed up.
Three minutes later it was 0-2. From a Pat’s corner Referee Vincent McLaughlin deemed that a Harps defender’s foot was high and dangerous and pointed to the penalty spot. Cian Kavanagh blasted home from the spot and Harps unbeaten league record was in serious danger of ending. It remained 0-2 to Pat’s at half-time.
After a lively start to the second-half it was the visitors that struck again in the 61st minute, Ross Faye had a super curling shot headed off the line by Oran McGrath but when the ball wasn’t fully cleared it fell to Jamie Doyle who drilled it low and hard past Patrick Mc Garvey off the inside of the post for a 0-3 lead for St. Pat’s and it would seem the points in the bag.
Harps Manager Kevin Mc Hugh took the opportunity to empty his bench , introducing eight changes in total and likewise Pat’s a couple of subs as the game somewhat fizzled with the visitors happy to protect their lead but still dangerous when they broke forward. In the 86th minute they added a fourth goal when Darren Meaghan and Kian Corbally worked a short corner and the latter drill a low drive to the far corner. Harps got a consolation goal in the 90th minute when sub Joel Gorman cracked home a super free-kick from 25 yards, finding the top corner and giving keeper Josh Keely no chance.
So a first defeat for the young Harps team but they have the play-offs to look forward to and will be looking forward to the challenge they will present.
Finn Harps: Patrick McGarvey, Fionnan Diver, Liam McGranaghan, Conor McDaid, Corey Brolly, Caoimhan Wheeler, Daniel Gildea, Luke McGlynn, Jamie McDaid, Jack Dwyer, Conor Campbell. Subs used: Drew Mc Kinney, Oran McGrath, Daryl Porter, Mark Mbuli, Joel Gorman, Eoin McGettigan, Adam Murphy, Noah Barrett .
St Patrrick’s Athletic: Josh Keely, Cian O’Malley, Kian Corbally, William Chelaru, Daren Meaghan, Jamie Doyle, Kenny Lee, Kyle Conway, Cian Kavanagh, Ben McCormick , Ross Faye. Subs used: Ollie Birch, Aaron O’Reilly.
Referee: Vincent McLaughlin.
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