Harps Maintain Winning Momentum

June 29, 2007

Finn Harps................2

Athlone Town.................0

Match Report from the Derry Journal

Goals either side of half-time from Marc Brolly and Conor Gethins ensured that Harps' tremendous recent run continued. It made it five league wins on the bounce - and five clean sheets.  For Brolly, who joined Harps from Derry City's U-21's, it was his first senior goal on a night to savour.

"It's good to get off the mark, it's been coming over the last few games, but it felt good when the goal finally came," he said.

"We were under pressure a bit before that but then Matty (Crossan) sent in the ball from the left hand side, all I had to do was get my head to it and luckily for me it went in. It was a great win for us tonight and hopefully we can carry on from here."

Harps were quickest out of the blocks and Seamus Brown almost handed them an early lead when his wonderful strike was tipped onto the crossbar by keeper, O'Leary.

Conor Gethins also struck the woodwork soon after when he latched onto James Gallagher's long goal kick only to volley first time onto the post.

Athlone offered little in the way of any danger in the first half but while Harps were the better team, they lost their impetus when midfielder John O'Loughlin was forced off with a hamstring injury after 24 minutes.

But it was his replacement, Matthew Crossan who provided the perfect delivery from the left on half-time - Marc Brolly's bullet header squeezing in at the near post.

The visitors had their moments and in Eric Lavine and Paul McTiernan, they possess a strike-force that's the envy of many eircom league clubs. But rarely did either player show just why they are so highly thought of and James Gallagher's goal never looked like being breached.

In contrast, Harps were threatening every time they came forward. Substitute, Stephen Parkhouse started the move which led to the second goal on 61 minutes - his pass into Tony Shields saw the captain's effort saved by Danny O'Leary. But Conor Gethins was on hand to hammer in the rebound from close range.

Once the second went in, Harps were never going to lose this game. Athlone made changes but disappointingly for them, they rarely threatened and in the end Harps comfortably held on for another much needed win.

Finn Harps - James Gallagher; Sean Roddy, Jonathan Minnock, Declan Boyle, Eloka Asokuh; Tony Shields, John O'Loughlin, Shaun McGowan, Conor Gethins; Seamus Brown, Marc Brolly. Subs- Matthew Crossan for O'Loughlin (24 mins); Stephen Parkhouse for Brown (57 mins)

Athlone Town - Danny O'Leary; Ian Rossiter, Darren Young, Ronan Frawley, Brian McCarthy; Colin Fortune, Steven Gavin, Davy Byrne, Eric Lavine; Paul McTiernan, Colm Heffernan. Subs - David O'Dowd for Gavin (57 mins); Adrian Carberry for Byrne (68 mins); Noel McGee for Heffernan (76 mins).

Referee - Derek Tomney (Dublin).