Finn Harps 0
Drogheda United 1
Alan Foley reports from Finn Park
A CONTROVERSIALLY awarded but brilliantly taken free-kick in the 95th minute by Dane Massey was the difference between Drogheda United and Finn Harps in Ballybofey.
With the last kick of the contest, Massey struck a fabulous winner for the Louth team and finally get the better of Harps goalkeeper Mark Anthony McGinley, who was keeping his side in the game.
McGinley performed heroics in Harps’ 1-1 draw against Dundalk a week beforehand and made three top-class saves either side of half-time as Drogheda threatened. In the end, though, he was beaten — although the hosts weren’t happy with what they felt was a soft award when Dave Webster was penalised for a foul on Chris Lyons.
It was Webster’s second yellow and he was dismissed, moments after Luke Heeney saw a red of the straight variety for a challenge on Harps substitute Babatunde Owolabi.
McGinley was keeping Harps afloat. Firstly, following a deep free into the Harps penalty area by Conor Kane, the ball broke off Ethan Boyle and Mark Doyle looked like a certain scorer, steering goalwards only for McGinley to make an astonishing save.
Scoreless at the break, the deadlock was almost broken within two minutes of the restart and again it was McGinley keeping Harps’ sheets clean as he clawed out a curling free-kick from Ronan Murray, who many felt was about to cross and not shoot.
In another two minutes, Drogheda rapped the door again, with Doyle’s header tipped over by McGinley at full stretch and although Harps created a couple of half-chances late on, they were far from their best with Ollie Horgan suspended for the second of his three-game ban, having been sent off against Shamrock Rovers last month.
Drogheda are learning fast back in the Premier Division and in many ways here tonight, they did a Harps on Harps. They got what they deserved — it just took a while — but that won’t matter one bit.
Finn Harps: Mark Anthony McGinley; Ethan Boyle, Shane McEleney, Kosovar Sadiki, David Webster; Mark Coyle (Johnny Dunleavy 68), Will Seymore; Karl O’Sullivan (Conor Barry 68), Barry McNamee, Stephen Doherty (Mark Russell half-time); Adam Foley (Babatunde Owolabi 76).
Drogheda United: David Odumosu; James Brown, Killian Phillips, Daniel O’Reilly, Dane Massey; Luke Heeney, Darragh Markey, Ronan Murray (James Clarke 78), Mark Doyle, Conor Kane; Chris Lyons.
Referee: Derek Tomney
