Finn Harps find the going too tough away to UCD and remain seventh in standings
Conor Tourish might have quickly cancelled out Adam Brennan’s opener but efforts either side of the break from Mikey McCullagh and Michael Raggett made sure the Students took all points
By Daire Walsh
Goals either side of half-time from Michael McCullagh and Michael Raggett were crucial on Friday night as UCD brought Finn Harps’ five-game unbeaten streak in the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division to an end in Belfield.
There were a couple of changes to the Harps team that played out a scoreless draw at home to Longford Town seven days earlier with Oran Brogan and Idir Zerrouk drafted into the starting line-up for their debuts.
Corey Sheridan was retained between the sticks by Kevin McHugh despite the presence of another new recruit – shotstopper Lorenzo Piaia – in the match day squad and he showed his worth when he produced a superb point-blank save from Adam Brennan six minutes into the contest.
Harps attacker Gradi Lomboto was presented with a golden opportunity of his own to break the deadlock off a subsequent move, but Dara Kavanagh got his hand to the ball as the former Galway United star attempted to round the UCD netminder.
It was proving to be a high-octane encounter played in ferocious conditions and it was the hosts who ultimately broke the deadlock in the 16th minute. Via a cross on the right-wing by McCullagh, Adam Brennan was ideally positioned to finish from close-range.
While this was a set-back for a Harps side that hadn’t conceded a goal since a 1-1 draw with Wexford on June 13 at Finn Park, they were back in the reckoning just before referee Darragh White called for a first half water break on 21 minutes.
From an enticing set-piece delivery by Joel Bradley Walsh, Conor Tourish headed home in convincing fashion to bring the visitors back on level terms.
This was a significant boost for Harps, but just when it looked like the sides were going to be inseparable at the interval, UCD’s McCullagh clinically fired home from inside the box just under three minutes into stoppage-time at the end of the opening period.
2-1 adrift on the resumption as a consequence of this late sucker punch, Harps suffered another blow in the early stages of the second period. After Tourish had fouled the lively McCullagh inside the penalty area on 49 minutes, Raggett stepped forward to coolly slot the resulting penalty beyond the reach of Sheridan.
In an effort to get his team back into contention, Harps boss McHugh introduced Gavin Hodgins and Aaron McLaughlin as part of a double substitution just past the hour mark. There was still some life in their starting players, however, and Lomboto curled narrowly wide of the target off a counter attack in the 65th minute.
Gavin Gilmore, Adam McDaid and Kevin Jordan were also added to the mix as a triple change inside the final-quarter, albeit the aforementioned McLaughlin was one of the Harps players to be withdrawn at this point.
Although there was plenty of endeavour from his team-mates, Sheridan was the busier of the two goalkeepers in the closing stages and with 23 games now under their belts in the current season, Harps remain seventh in the First Division table.
UCD: Dara Kavanagh; Eanna Clancy, Adam Wells, Carl Lennox (Harry Whelan 93), Ciaran Behan (Sam Norval 82); Michael McCullagh (Odhran McLaughlin 88), Sean Brennan, Brian McManus, Adam Brennan (Louis Dignam 93); Jake Doyle, Michael Raggett (Ben Mahon 88).
Finn Harps: Corey Sheridan; Mikey Place (Kevin Jordan 75), Max Hutchison, Conor Tourish (Aaron McLaughlin 61 (Adam McDaid 75)), Joel Bradley Walsh, Kieran Cooney; Gradi Lomboto, Oran Brogan (Gavin Hodgins 61), Tony McNamee, Gavin McAteer (Gavin Gilmore 75); Idir Zerrouk.
Referee: Darragh White.