SCULLY PEGS BACK HOOPS
Shamrock Rvs 1
Finn Harps 1
Dave Scully’s 48th-minute goal earned Finn Harps a point against 10-man Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium yesterday.
After recent heavy defeats to Dundalk and St Patrick’s Athletic, Harps boss Ollie Horgan was delighted to take something from the game.
“Certainly a point gained from our point of view,” said Horgan.
“We went 1-0 down early. We probably should have been out the door by half-time. Had they scored the second, it could have been like a few of the results we had in the last couple of weeks.
“It looked on the cards, we ran our luck, and probably the only time we got a foothold in the game was when Gary McCabe was sent-off.”
DANGER
When Ciaran Coll beat Brandon Miele to a long-ball on eight minutes, it looked like danger had been diverted for Harps.
However, the wing-back’s header was spilled behind for a corner by keeper Ciaran Gallagher, and Miele’s subsequent corner from the left was nodded in by Gary Shaw.
Harps did not panic, however, and the Donegal side were on level terms three minutes after the restart when Scully powered his header into the bottom right-hand corner.
Pat Fenlon’s men’s hopes suffered another hammer blow to their chances with 24 minutes left when McCabe was shown a straight red-card for an off-the-ball incident.
Now holding a numerical advantage now at their disposal, Harps entered the final quarter in a buoyant mood and with belief of a winner growing.
The closest they came to finding a second goal was when Michael Funston was marginally wide of the mark with a late right-footed drive.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Hyland 7; Madden 7, Cornwall 7, Heaney 7, O’Connor 7; McCabe 6, McPhail 7 (Cregg 70, 6), Brennan 7; Clarke 7 (North 70, 6), Shaw 8, Miele 7 (Doona 85, 6).
FINN HARPS: Gallagher 8; Boyle 7 (J Mailey 93, 6), McNulty 7, P Mailey 7, McMonagle 7, Coll 7; Funston 7, Harkin 7, Hanlon 7 (McNamee 71, 6); Houston 7, Scully 7 (McHugh 62, 6).
REFEREE: A Buttimer (Cork).