Mervue content with first point

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CONTENT but well aware that a key chance had passed them by would describe Mervue manager John Glynn’s emotions on Friday night.

His squad could well have garnered its inaugural First Division win if all had gone to plan against Finn Harps at Terryland Park , but a 91st minute equaliser from the visitors quashed their hopes and a point had to do.

“The goal was in the 46th minute (of the second half) so disappointed with that,” Glynn said. “We played well in the first half, lost our shape a little in the second half.

“All in all it’s the first point, we’re off the mark and we’re delighted with that. I’d say in the first half we probably had the better of the game, second half they had a little bit of class at the end when Gethins scored.”

Inexperience continues to be the largest obstacle the side must overcome though in its first season since moving up from the A Championship and they’re facing frying pan into the fire-type challenges every week.

“It’s not going to be easy when you’re playing against sides with League experience,” Glynn said.

“We probably had 10 lads playing their second ever League of Ireland game there tonight and we had nine the last time we played at home. So we’re lacking a little bit of experience, but I said to them afterwards, that’s how hard it is to get a point so the work we’ll have to put in to get to that level and to improve. We're happy to get one point anyway and we hope to improve on that.”

Mervue can claim to have controlled the opening half and were rewarded with Dave Goldbey’s 44th minute goal, but lost their command in the second half, allowing Harps back into the contest.

“I’d say in the first half we probably had the better of the game, second half they had a little bit of class at the end when Gethins scored,” Glynn said.

“It could have gone over, it could have gone wide but it ended up in the net.

“I was very happy with the back five (though). Eoin Martin came in at the last minute, our goalie got injured last night and I thought he was going to be okay and then he hurt his finger in the warm-up so we had to make that change.”

The result is a vast improvement on last week’s 4-1 loss to Limerick FC, although Glynn said that result was not nearly as one-sided as it appeared on paper.

“We didn’t play badly last week, we conceded two goals from corners last week and one penalty and that wasn’t mentioned too much in the press,” he said.

“We didn’t concede any goals from set pieces tonight and we defended a lot better so that’s a big plus for us.”