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Finn Harps 1 Waterford United 3
Friday, 10 April 2009 09:40


Finn Harps fell to a third successive defeat at Finn Park on Saturday night, this time at the hands of Waterford United.  The Munster men were well on top in the first forty-five minutes of this game, despite Harps taking the lead, but the young Harps side were much the better side in the second half until Waterford managed to get the all important third goal.


Harps lined out in a 4-5-1 formation and manager Paul Hegarty was looking for his midfield players to get forward in support of lone striker Conor Gethins.  In the first half this tactic rarely worked as the Lifford man found himself constantly isolated in the forward line.  In the second half, the introduction of Ciaran Coll for Corny Gallagher meant that Harps began to take the game to the Munster side.


In what was a low key opening the first save of the game came from Ciaran Gallagher in the Harps goal.  This was after ten minutes when Seamus Long tried a snapshot, the young keeper, fresh from his week with the Republic of Ireland U18 side did well to gather the ball low to his left hand side. 


Four minutes later and the home side were in the lead.  Conor Gethins saw his volleyed effort handled by Kenny Browne and referee Neil Doyle had no hesitation pointing to the penalty spot.  The Harps skipper took the kick himself and sent Michael Devine the wrong way to put Harps one up.


Their lead lasted barely sixty seconds as Waterford went on the attack from the resulting kick-off.  The ball made it's way down Harps left hand side. Corny Gallagher failed to deal with the Waterford winger and his cross was met by Kevin Waters.  Waters shot wasnt on target but Graham Cummins managed to get a touch on it and turn the goal into the net.


Fifteen minutes later and the visitors felt they had taken the lead.  The home defence failed to clear a ball in the penalty area and Gallagher grabbed Cummins effort on the line. Despite appeals from Waterford the referee waved play on. 


Ciaran Coll replaced Corny Gallagher at half-time and this seemed to make a huge difference with Harps in the ascendancy for the early part of the second period.  The home crowd responded to events on the pitch and began to get behind the young side.


Harps went close on a couple of occasions, Gethins had a free-kick turned away for a corner and Christy Conaghan had a long range effort saved by Devine.   On the other side of the coin, Shaun McGowan had to react quickest to clear a goal bound effort off the line.


In the seventy-first minute Gethins was unlucky with an effort that went just wide of the goalpost.  Almost immediately Waterford attacked down the right hand side.  Full back, Ian Rossiter failed to deal prevent a cross which found Dunphy unmarked on the edge of the penalty area, and he fired a shot across the goal and into the bottom corner of the Harps goal.  It was rough justice on the Harps side who had been looking the better team.


The game began to peter out after this with Waterford content to hold what they had and not allow Harps in for any chances for their second goal.  Four minutes from the end the Suirsiders made sure of all the points going south when Waters fired in a shot from the edge of the penalty area, Gallagher wasnt able to gather the ball, and the rebound was despatched to the net by Cummins. 


Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher, Ian Rossiter, Corny Gallagher, Johnny Havlin, Marc Mukendi, Shaun McGowan, Christy Conaghan, Ruairi Harkin, Michael Funston, Conor Gethins, Gary Whoriskey  Subs Ciaran Coll for Corny Gallagher, David McDaid for Rossiter, Paddy Bonner for Harkin. Mark Forker and Liam Mailey (Unused)

Waterford United: Michael Devine, Kevin Murray, Kenneth Brown, Kevin Waters, Alan Carey, Graham Cummins, John Kearney, Willie John Kiely, Paul McCarthy, Gary Dunphy Subs Joe Mulcahy for Dunphy, David Grinell for Kiely, Kieran Fitzgerald for McCarthy. Declan Woodgate and Paul Carey (Not Used)
 
 
 
 
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