FULL-TIME: FINN HARPS 0 ATHLONE TOWN 0
90 +3 mins: The anser is no! It’s all over here.
90 +3 mins: Last chance for Harps as a Harkin free is deflected wide for a corner…
90 mins: The fourth official tells us that we’ll have three minutes of stoppage time at the end of this one. Can Harps get a winner?
88 mins – SUB: Kieran McDaid is on for Nathan Boyle.
85 mins: We’re into the final five minutes here at Finn Park and we still await the breakthrough…
77 mins: A real scare for Harps as Daniel Molloy slips Sam O’Connor in around the back, but Ciaran Gallagher is out well to make the save.
74 mins: Boyle’s shot across goal comes back off the inside of the post and McHugh’s follow-up is cleared out for a corner.
65 mins: The substitutes almost combine to good effect. McHugh retrieves a Funston cross that falls short of its intended target, but the veteran striker fires into Dunican’s hands.
63 mins – SUBS: Michael Funston and Kevin McHugh replace Wilfried Tagbo and Tony McNamee
57 mins: Mulroney gets another opportunity as Harps only partially clear a cross from the right, but he screws badly wide from the edge of the box.
48 mins: Keith Cowan blocks from Mulroney in the box as Athlone go in search of the opener.
46 mins: The second half is underway at Finn Park.
HALF-TIME: FINN HARPS 0 ATHLONE TOWN 0
41 mins: Strong appeals for a Harps penalty as Raymond Foy goes down in the box, but referee John McLaughlin is having none of it. Harps assistant manager, James Gallagher, is furiously protesting to fourth official Shane O’Brien
37 mins: Philip Gorman riffles just wide from 20 yards after Sam O’Connor rolls the ball into his path.
32 mins: Well-known Athlone Town fan and photographer Ashley Cahill certainly didn’t think it was a harsh red card for Mailey.
Derek Doyle boo’d by the partizan home crowd, despite almost having his leg broken
— Ashley Cahill (@cahill_ashley) July 31, 2015
32 mins: RED CARD – Josh Mailey is shown a straight red card after an over-the-top challenge on Derek Doyle.
29 mins: Harps have the best chance of the game so far, but Tagbo is denied at close range by Duncan, who turns over the crossbar.
27 mins: The boys at FM Ireland were on the ball with transfer deadline day news today. They revealed in the below tweet that American striker Ata Ozbay had his international clearance processed and is now eligible. DonegalSportHub understands, however, that Ozbay appears unlikely to feature for the first team having requested to stay on at Finn Park to train after having a trial with the club.
Transfer News Latest: ITC Clearance now through for Finn Harps new American striker Ata Ozbay. Eligible for tonight. #LOIDeadlineDay
— FM_Ireland (@FM_Ireland) July 31, 2015
23 mins: Matthew Crossan goes close to his first goal of the season with a delightful free-kick, but after going perfectly over the wall, the effort goes just past the post.
21 mins: Wilfried Tagbo’s cross finds Josh Mailey at the far end of the penalty box, bit his first-time shot is charged down.
16 mins: Athlone have come alive, but Robert Gaul fails to keep down his attempt from outside the box, which flies harmlessly over Gallagher’s target.
13 mins: The below tweet from earlier confirmed that Cobh Ramblers’ attacking midfielder Rob Waters has signed on for Harps. Manager Ollie Horgan traveled to Cork during the week to sign the player, although Waters’ personal circumstances mean that it remains unclear as to whether he’ll feature for the Ballybofey side.
Transfer News Latest: Finn Harps have completed the signing of Rob Waters from Cobh. Only likely to feature in away games #LOIDeadlineDay
— FM_Ireland (@FM_Ireland) July 31, 2015
9 mins: Athlone make a good break down the right flank and recycle Robert Gaul’s deep cross to force a corner, which Harps manage to clear after Ciaran Gallagher can only palm clear.
7 mins:Â From their first corner of the evening, Harps fashion a decent chance. After Keith Cowan flicks on Gareth Harkin’s delivery, Damien McNulty glances a header the wrong side of the post.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Damien McNulty, Keith Cowan, Matthew Crossan; Gareth Harkin; Josh Mailey, Raymond Foy, Wilfried Tagbo, Ciaran Coll; Tony McNamee; Nathan Boyle. Subs: Kevin McHugh, Michael Funston, Kieran McDaid, Tommy Lee McCarron, Oisin McMenamin, Oisin Hassett, Conor Keddy.
Athlone Town: Paddy Dunican; Aiden Friel, Aidan Collins, Stephen Dunne, Derek Doyle; Thomas Mulroney, Gavin Boyne, Robert Gaul, Philip Gorman;Â Sam O’Connor, Daniel Molloy. Subs: Ian Fletcher, Jamie O’Neill, Conor Gleeson.
Athlete Town are forced into a late change as Daniel Molloy replaces Conor Dunne who, presumably, was injured in the warm-up.
Ollie Horgan makes three changes to his team tonight. Thomas McMonagle misses out through suspension and Packie Mailey is injured. Matthew Crossan fills in at left-back while Keith Cowan – who got married to Toni Kelly last week in Italy – goes straight back in to partner Damien McNulty at the heart of the Harps rearguard. In a further change, Josh Mailey is in at right-back with Kevin McHugh dropping to the bench.
Finn Park (Pictured above) is looking in pristine condition ahead of tonight’s game, although club officials had a slurry tank draining water off the playing surface as recently as 5.30 this evening.
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