Finn Harps FC

April 01 , 2006

Chris Mc Nulty reports from The Curragh

Sean "Wizard" Mc Gowan's Finn Harps Under 21s overcame their Derry City counterparts by a goal to nil in the pre-season tournament at the Curragh Athletic grounds in Killygordan.

This game should have been the second outing for the young Harpers, but following the postponement of last week's game against Shelbourne, this was a first showing for them.

Indeed, following a mix up surrounding the match officials, the start of the game was delayed for 50 minutes until a second linesman appeared.

Harps opened with a strong outfit. Marc Mokendi, who had impressed against Galway United for the first team the previous evening started at centre back.
There were starts too for Matthew Crossan, Davitt Walsh and Darren Meenan, who had impressed in the pre-season campaign.

The first period was a relatively quiet affair, with chances kept to a premium. Mickey Porter headed too close to James Gallagher for what was Derry's only real threat in the first half.

Harps' first attempt on goal was more successful however. Davitt Walsh was brought down 25 yards from goal and referee Tommy Mc Aree awarded the home side a free kick.

Up stepped Ryan Mc Gavigan, who curled a cracking left-footed free kick beyond the despairing dive of Eugene Ferry in the Derry goal.

The goal was particularly sweet for Mc Gavigan who was playing against his former employers. The Drumkeen man joined Derry midway through last season, having been at Harps previously.

Harps went in the goal to the good at the interval and at the start of part two, they again looked threatening, but they failed to turn chances into goals.

Davitt Walsh glanced a header wide and Chris Malseed fired wide of the posts from distance as Harps searched for the elusive second goal.

At the other end, Derry too at their moments. A well worked set piece saw two Donegal men fashion a good goal-scoring opportunity for them.

Ciaran Greene played a free kick round the wall to Gareth Harkin, but his final effort was too close to James Gallagher, who collected with ease.

Chris Malseed again fired wide from 20 yards and Ryan Mc Gavigan also had an effort from the edge of the box deflected wide after being teed up by Darren Meenan.

Darragh Mc Gee then fired wide from a tight angle as Derry searched for an equaliser. The former Harps defender left for Derry in the closed season, and his effort was let run by James Gallagher for a goal-kick.

James Gallagher then showed his worth as he stretched to tip over a back header from Barry Mulligan. The Gorthahork man showing great agility to tip over for a corner.

Not to be outdone, Eugene Ferry in the Derry goal then did well to tip Johnny Gallagher's right footed effort round the post, after the Termon man was played in by Darren Meenan.

Meenan himself then had two good chances, both of which failed to extend the Harps advantage.

The first was well parried wide by Ferry, and the second was parried out to the right only to Scott Devenney, but sliding in the Raphoe man failed to connect properly and the chance was gone.

And so, a valuable three points for Sean Mc Gowan's team in Group 2. They will certainly be happy with this initial showing.

Next week they are up against Bohemians at Dalymount Park.

Finn Harps: James Gallagher; Brian Lafferty; Matthew Crossan; Marc Mokendi (Barry Mulligan); Seamus Peoples; Shane O Connor (Keith Cowan); Fintan Bonner (Aaron Scott); Chris Malseed; Darren Meenan; Davitt Walsh (Johnny Gallagher); Ryan Mc Gavigan (Scott Devenny).

Derry City: Eugene Ferry; Ryan Mc Garvey (Liam Nash); John Carlin; Darragh Mc Gee; Mickey Porter; Patrick Bonner; Paul King (Caolan Doyle); Ruadhiri Higgins; Laurence Toland; Gareth Harkin; Ciaran Greene (Mark Brolly).

Referee: Tommy Mc Aree