Defeat Again For Harps September 9, 2006 Finn Harps………....1 Cobh Ramblers…….2
Anthony Gorman's Finn Harps suffered a second league defeat in a row as two goals in a seven minute period in the second half saw Cobh Ramblers come away from Finn Park with all three points on Saturday night. Many in attendance would have felt that Harps didn't deserve to lose this one as it was looking so good for the Twin Towns side with Stephen O'Donnell firing them into an early lead. But, again their failure to build on a lead was to be their downfall and goals from Alan Carey and Darren Murphy left Harps ruining those missed chances and as a result of this defeat they are now ten points behind Dundalk who are at the summit of the table. Harps made two alterations from the side that had lost out in Limerick with Shane O'Connor coming in for the suspended Shaun McGowan and Stephen O'Donnell coming back into the starting eleven in favour of Ryan McGavigan. The change paid dividends after 12 minutes of play when O'Donnell blasted Harps in front. The Manor native was on the end of a promising move down the right and after turning his man, he beat Cobh 'keeper Packie Holden with a neat finish. O'Donnell should have doubled Harps' advantage on 24 minutes, but he fired over the bar at the River End after latching onto Barry Curran's cross. At the other end, James Gallagher was in fine form once more and he denied both Willie Bruton and Davin O'Neill from equalising and at the break, Harps held the slender one-goal lead. At the start of the second period, both David Walsh and Jonathan Minnock missed chances to double the lead and on 55 minutes the missed chances would prove costly as Cobh drew level. Seven minutes later disaster struck for Harps as Cobh grabbed goal number two when Darren Murphy beat James Gallagher with a fine strike from all of 30 yards out to leave the home support stunned. Harps went in search of a means of salvaging something from the contest, but it was to be in vain as Stephen Henderson's men held out to take the three points. Indeed, Cobh could have added number three late on, but Willie Bruton dragged his low effort wide of Gallagher's left-hand post. In the closing stages, Cobh had manager Stephen Henderson dismissed from the dugout for contesting a decision too much with the match officials as the home support began trundling through the turnstiles. For the umpteenth time this term, they left a disgruntled bunch and one would wonder what the attendance figure will be like now as the season nears a conclusion with only five games remaining on home soil in 2006. Next up is a clash with Pat Scully's Shamrock Rovers on Tuesday night next, before the trip to Dundalk is made on Friday night. Following last night's defeat, both these games must now be classed as being in the 'must win' bracket if Harps are to keep alive their fading title hopes. Finn Harps: James Gallagher; Shane O'Connor, David Bell, Eloka Asokhu, Shane Bradley; Barry Curran, Jonathan Minnock, Michael Funston, Matthew Crossan; Stephen O'Donnell, Davitt Walsh. Subs: Darren Meenan (for Crossan).
Cobh Ramblers: Packie Holden; Alan Carey, Kenny Coleman, Colin Flavey, David Breen; Steven Yelverton, Davin O'Neill, Darren Murphy, Mickey O'Shea; Willie Bruton, Davy Warren. Subs: Shane Barrett (for Yelverton); Gareth Cambridge (for Warren). Referee: Tom Connolly
Finn Harps Dot Com Man-of-the-Match: Once more Shane Bradley was solid at the back for the hosts while David Walsh's workrate could again be complimented, but the Finn Harps Dot Com Man-of-the-Match award last night went to young right-back Shane O'Connor. The Ballyshannon man was starting his first home game and he certainly didn't fail to impress as he showed an array of passing, tackling and organisation that could be termed as top class. This promising youngster is definitely one to watch out for in the future.
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