Finn Harps 3
St Patrick’s Athletic 1
Alan Foley reports from Finn Park
WITH 800 SUPPORTERS allowed in and a contingent from Inchicore on the lavishly titled Aldi side, there was a real Friday night fever by the Finn as the boisterous Harps support applauded their hat-trick hero, Tunde Owolabi, off with three minutes to play – the first player since Jonathan Speak in 1997 against Sligo Rovers to manage the feat.
On a rather absurd night in the Airtricity League, St Pat’s had the chance to get level on points with Shamrock Rovers at the top and were turned over in Donegal, as Dundalk slipped into the bottom two. Ollie Horgan’s side have won three on the bounce in the league, with tonight’s fine win adding to successes on the road at Sligo Rovers and Longford Town.
The former FC United striker has been keeping Adam Foley on the bench of late and tonight his finishing was excellent in that often lonely role of lone striker. When Harps had a lead to hold onto he was still a considerable threat.
Owolabi cut inside and with considerable aplomb and, swept the ball into the bottom corner to give Ollie Horgan’s team the lead on 12 minutes. However, it didn’t take long for St Pat’s to level – just two minutes in fact.
Forrester put a penalty past Mark Anthony McGinley, who guessed the right way but was beaten by the power and placement for 1-1 after Barry McNamme had handled.
Owolabi got his second on 42 minutes having picked up a pass from McNamee, he made space and hammered low across the brows of Jaros for a 2-1 half-time home lead.
O’Donnell made three switches at the break – with Jack Hickman, Ronan Coughlan and Darragh Burns coming in – but it was Harps who continued on the front foot. Owolabi completed his hat-trick on 54 minutes when he was adjudged to have sprung the offside trap from a Ryan Connolly pass as St Pat’s sought a flag that never came.
The expected onslaught never really happened. Coughlan saw a free-kick flash inches wide and Kyrian Nwoko’s neat turn was unfortunate to hit the base of the post.
Harps, though, carried a significant threat. McNamee had an effort on goal that was headed just over by Hickman and Owolabi had a couple of chances to bring his tally to four, with the closest being a header inches wide. As it was, three was more than enough.
Finn Harps: Mark Anthony McGinley; Karl O’Sullivan (Johnny Dunleavy 76), Ethan Boyle, David Webster, Jordan Mustoe; Mark Coyle, Will Seymore; Ryan Rainey (Stephen Doherty 92), Ryan Connolly, Barry McNamee; Tunde Owolabi (Adam Foley 87).
St Patrick’s Athletic: Vitezslav Jaros; Sam Bone, Paddy Barrett (James Abankwah 90), Ian Bermingham, Jay McClelland (Ronan Coughlan half-time); Alfie Lewis, Chris Forrester; Mattie Smith; Billy King (Darragh Burns half-time), Nahum Melvin-Lambert (Jak Hickman half-time), Ben McCormack (Kyrian Nwoko 60).
Referee: Damien McGraith.
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