Finn Harps FC

April 30 , 2006

Finn Harps…………..0

Shamrock Rovers……0

Chris Mc Nulty reports from Finn Park

Finn Harps are still searching for their second league win of the new campaign but will take heart from a good performance following this scoreless draw with Shamrock Rovers on Saturday night.

The Finn-siders' quest for a first home win in the league also continues and indeed they could have got it on Saturday night as they had their chances to put one over on Pat Scully's men.

However, the Hoops had their share of chances too, and certainly should have made more of their chances. Upon reflection, a draw was probably a deserved result, although both managers felt that they should have taken victory when interviewed after the game.

"Coming to a place like Ballybofey is never easy, and to play as well as we did and not get three points is disappointing," said Rovers boss Pat Scully.

"There were a couple of times they could have scored, but I think most of it was down to our own problems. They didn't really cut us open with any great chances; basically we made a couple of errors; I look at that game and think that we've dropped two points," continued the Dubliner.

Harps player-manager, Anthony Gorman, was also of the opinion that his side should have taken the three points home with them.

"We certainly could have got three points," began Gorman, who sat out Saturday night's game.

"I thought we created enough chances and we could, and maybe should have won the game.

"It was pleasing that Stephen O Donnell and Chris Breen gave them all sorts of problems and also Barry Curran and Jonathan Minnock out wide worked very hard, closing down the fullbacks," said the Letterkenny native.

Although the score-line might say otherwise, this was a good game of football to watch with Harps producing their best display of the season thus far.

Gorman made a couple of alterations from the side that had drawn 1-1 with Cobh Ramblers at the Finn-side venue the previous week.

Gorman himself sat out the game with Chris Malseed deputising in a central role alongside Michael Funston.

Jonathan Minnock returned from suspension to take up his place on the left, allowing Stephen O Donnell push up front. This meant that Davitt Walsh was the unlucky party to miss out.

Malseed impressed and he set up Chris Breen in the first half, but Breen's header was dealt with by Barry Murphy in the Rovers goal.

Rovers too were pressing for the opening goal. Jamie Price and particularly, skipper Aidan Price were unlucky with chances in the opening 45 minutes.

Price got to Maher's cross in front of James Gallagher, but Shane Bradley averted the danger with a goal looking like the outcome.

At the start of the second half, the home support were sure that they were set to go a goal down when Philip Shepard was played in on goal.

His delicate effort beat James Gallagher, but the Hoops' front man watched as his strike came agonisingly back of the post.

Both teams pressed for a winner, and in the closing stages it was Harps who had the better of those chances.

Barry Curran fired wide from what was a good position, while Shane Bradley and Davitt Walsh went close to getting the elusive winner for Gorman's charges.

It wasn't to be however, and in the end both sides had to be content with the stalemate.

Next up for Harps is a trek to Oriel Park to take on in-form Dundalk.

Finn Harps: James Gallagher, Eloka Asokhu, Jonathan Minnock, Marc Mokendi, Shane Bradley, Michael Funston, Barry Curran, David Bell, Chris Breen, Stephen O Donnell, Chris Malseed. Sub: Davitt Walsh (Curran).

Shamrock Rovers: Barry Murphy; Ger O Brien; Robbie Clarke; Aidan Price; Ray Kenny; Ray Scully; Jamie Duffy; Ian Maher; Philip Shepard; Tadhg Purcell; Dave O Connor. Subs: Robbie Shields (O Connor); David Cassidy (Purcell).

Referee: Tom Connolly

Harps Man Of The Match: David Bell