Finn Harps 3
St Patrick’s Athletic 2
FINN HARPS WON for only the second time at home in the SSE Airtricity League this season but tonight’s dramatic victory over St Patrick’s Athletic means they might avoid the relegation play-off.
Ryan Connolly was the match-winner in a clash that had no shortage of incident, just when it looked like Harps had blown it having surrendered a two-goal lead.
Goals from Adam Foley and Stephen Folan inside of the opening 11 minutes put the home side two in front. Remarkably, Harps had only amassed that many in the entire league season to date in Ballybofey.
However, St Pat’s were back in the contest within a minute, when Luke McNally pulled one back and in the second half, Donegal native Georgie Kelly made it 2-2.
Following on from their excellent 2-0 victory at Dalymount Park on Saturday against Bohemians, Ollie Horgan’s side knew with three home fixtures to conclude their league season there was still a chance to reach eight position and automatic safety.
Shelbourne, St Pat’s and Derry City aren’t out of the woods just yet.
No more than that famous line about the wet and windy night in Stoke, you have to have your wits about you at Finn Park. With conditions heavy and plenty of showers in the north-west all day, there are more appealing options but both sides continued to an enjoyable spectacle.
Harps were ahead as early as the third minute when Foley pinched possession and placed the ball underneath Brendan Clarke in the St Pat’s goal.
It was 2-0 on 11 minutes, when a Tony McNamee throw-in into the penalty area caused consternation and David Webster was deep and put the ball back into the mixer and Folan, despite was on hand to tuck home from close range.
The Inchicore team halved their deficit on 14 minutes when McNally stabbed past Mark Anthony McGinley, who failed to deal with a corner from Robbie Benson.
On 35 minutes, Harps almost had a third when the ball was worked out to the left to Mark Russell, whose rasping drive was touched onto the post by Clarke.
Folan took one for the team with a brave block to keep a McNally shot from hitting the target to ensure Harps were 2-1 up at the break.
Eight minutes into the second half, it was 2-2 when Kelly headed home a cross from Benson.
Folan and Foley, the two Harps goalscorers, combined 20 minutes from time with the striker failing to keep down a centre in front of a yawning goal. It was a huge chance.
Connolly wasn’t for passing up his opportunity from the penalty spot 16 minutes from the end. Opting for power, he blasted down the middle to put his team back in front following a foul by Rory Feely on Harps substitute Raphaelle Cretaro.
St Pat’s did the pressing late on, with Harps creating two good chances on the break. Firstly Clarke saved from Connolly in a one-on-one and then McNally slid in to prevent Adrian Delap from sealing the points.
Finn Harps: Mark Anthony McGinley; Shane McEleney (Adrian Delap 83), Kosovar Sadiki, Stephen Folan; Dave Webster, Tony McNamee (Ruairi Harkin 68), Gareth Harkin, Mark Coyle (Raffaele Cretero 68), Mark Russell; Ryan Connolly; Adam Foley (Sam Todd 79).
St Patrick’s Athletic: Brendan Clarke; Ray Feely, Luke McNally, Lee Desmond, Shane Griffin (Ben McCormack 87); Chris Forrester, Jamie Lennon, Robbie Benson; Jordan Gibson (Darragh Burns 77), Georgie Kelly, Jason McClelland (Billy King 61).
Referee: Robert Harvey.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!