Finn Harps...........2
Mervue United.....0
By Aidan O'Donnell
FINN Harps made it three games without defeat in Ballybofey last Friday night when they defeated a dismal and hugely weakened Mervue United in front of a worryingly scattered crowd. Despite the goals not arriving until the last quarter of an hour, Harps had dominated the game from pillar to post and but for a lack of killer touch in front of goal the game could have been put out of sight as early as half time.
Mervue who prior to the game sat three places and four points ahead of Harps in the league table, travelled to Ballybofey off the back of a somewhat tainted win over Limerick. With Noel McDonnell, Ger McGrath, Nigel Keady, Paul Scally and Mixie Harty already sidelined for the Galway side, both Mike Tierney and David O'Dowd joined them on the treatment table after sustaining injuries in last weekend's game. For Harps, the obvious and most notable absentee was skipper Conor Gethins who will be lucky to miss out on no less than eleven games for the club having suffered an untimely dislocated shoulder during a midweek training session.
With Gethins out, loan signing David McDaid was presented with a fantastic chance to stake a claim in the side, however, a number of missed chances and the fact that his replacement Oisin McMenamin scored virtually with his first touch will have left him looking mercilessly to the heavens. Unfortunately for interim manager James Gallagher, Marc Mukendi was only able to take a place on the bench which forced Sean McGowan to fall back into the heart of defence to partner Packie Mailey. Gavin Cullen returned in goal following Ciaran Gallagher's sojourn with the Irish U-19 squad in Belgium.
As early as the third minute Harps were presented with their first opening when Christy Conaghan intercepted a loose pass before going on a mazy run that in the end forced Eoin Martin to pull off a fine save, albeit at the expense of a corner. Five minutes later and the rampaging winger was again involved in what was probably the best chance of the half. After being released by Johnny Havlin, Conaghan managed to beat the offside trap and as he ran down the inside right channel, he unselfishly laid the ball off to David McDaid who failed to get the ball from under his feet in time, making it easy for Martin to gather.
The home side had a lot more chances thereafter with Conaghan, Shaun Houston and Mark Brolly twice going close to finding the breakthrough but on each occasion failing to trouble Martin in the United goal. On thirty seven minutes the goalkeeper was again called into action to deny what looked like a certain goal. With David McDaid's shot getting blocked down by Damian O'Rourke, the recycled ball fell kindly to Mark Forker who from twelve yards out headed over the advancing Martin and as the ball appeared to be trickling into the net, the keeper showed great reflexes to get back and divert away. A minute later and with Mervue firmly on the back foot the keeper made a somewhat careless misjudgement when he failed to catch a routine cross that fell to McDaid but sadly his shot was cleared off the line by Mervue captain Eric Browne. McDaid then thought he was handed a clear run in on goal right on the brink of half time when he attempted to get on the end of a Gary Whoriskey through ball only to mistime his run.
However, within a minute of the restart the striker was handed an identical opportunity, this time staying well onside. Sean McGowan played a beautifully lofted long ball over the top of the defence and with just the keeper to beat from fifteen yards out, Martin to his delight saved effortlessly from McDaid's tame effort. Three minutes later and Conaghan delivered an inviting corner into the area, yet from just five yards out and standing unmarked, McDaid failed to make any kind of connection with his head. With chances being squandered it was hard not to imagine that Mervue would continue go the distance without troubling the Harps rearguard at least once. Shortly after the hour mark, Alex Lee was handed a glorious chance to test Gavin Cullen when the ball fell to him but from barely six yards out he blazed his shot shockingly wide of the mark.
After a ten minute period of disillusion and misdirection, Harps finally made the breakthrough thanks to a wonderful piece of magic from Michael Funston. From a quick throw in just inside the Mervue half, Funston skipped inside and with nothing else on released an unstoppable low drive that nestled decisively into the bottom left corner. Mervue substitute Kevin Crehan had two shots late in the game that had they met the target would have been a disastrous misfortune of injustice on Harps. However, thankfully not only did Cullen keep a clean sheet but also managed a rare assist. After a long punt up field in the dying stages for Oisin McMenamin, the striker was handed a one on one situation against Martin; with defenders quick on his heels, the young man from Newtoncunningham held his nerve superbly to slot competently into the net for his first goal for the club and hand his team a rare two goal lead but more importantly three points.
Despite the win, Harps (who still have a game in hand) remain in tenth place but move to within a point of the three sides above them who all lost at the weekend. Next week the league takes a back seat as Harps entertain Galway United in the third round of the FAI Ford Senior Cup.
