20.00 2 Apr 2010 - Tolka Park
Referee:
Shelbourne 1 - 0 Finn Harps
- Niall Farrell
- Sat, Apr 03 2010
An Eric Foley goal after just over half an hour gave Shelbourne a win over Finn Harps in a hotly contested match in Tolka Park on Friday night.
There was some controversy before kick-off as Finn Harps only brought eleven jerseys with them, resulting in the away side having to kit out in Shelbourne’s navy third jersey.
Shelbourne began well and enjoyed most of the chances and possession in the first fifteen minutes. After only three minutes a probing David Cassidy run produced a cross which was almost turned into the Finn Harps’ net by Mark Leech.
Marc Hughes then glided past two defenders and Finn Harps goalkeeper Liam Mailey but the shot dribbled wide from a very tight angle. Harps didn’t have any real chances on goal until the 17th minute, when forward Stephen McLauchlin’s header fell wide after a corner.
McLauchlin was, for the most part, the main point in the Finn Harps
attack. Five minutes after his first chance, he had another half-
chance.
A Shels corner was cleared and as Dean Delaney rushed to claim the
ball, McLauchlin headed it just past the Shels ‘keeper. McLauchlin was
unluckly to see the ball cleared by Michael Coburn before he could
shoot on the open goal.
The home side employed long balls in their search for an opening goal,
but the Finn Harps’ defence were aerially dominant. Only when the ball was
played on the ground did Shels genuinely threaten.
Stephen McLauchlin had another glorious chance for Harps as he failed
to score from a free header in the Shels penalty area after Packie
Mailey drafted in a free-kick.
Minutes later, Shels scored on the counter-attack. Dean Delaney
saved well after a Finn Harps corner was nearly put into the net by team mate
Michael Coburn.
Delaney then kicked long up the pitch where Eric Foley was able to
catch Liam Mailey off his line and lob the Finn Harps ‘keeper to score
Shels’ first and only goal on 32 minutes.
After the half time break, Shels came out looking to kill off Finn
Harps, who had numerous chances to grab the lead in the first half.
Mark Leech almost replicated Foley’s goal on 53 minutes, but the
striker’s lob over Packie Mailey fell just wide of the Finn Harps
goal.
Stephen McLauchlin was again the man at the fulcrum of the Harps
attack in the second half and did well to find space to shoot on 57
minutes, only to see his shot comfortably gathered by Dean Delaney.
David Cassidy went close to scoring a second for Shels on 72 minutes,
but the final 15 minutes saw Finn Harps desperately seek an
equaliser.
That equaliser almost came when substitute David Walsh headed the ball
against the bar on 82 minutes following an in-swinging free-kick from
Kevin McHugh.
In the five minutes that followed that Walsh chance, Stephen
McLauchlin had two more chances to get Harps a point.
Tommy Bonner put in a low cross on 85 minutes which McLauchlin
couldn’t finish and three minutes later the striker again went close
with a deflected shot from just outside the box.
Despite McLauchlin testing the Shels defence and Harps pressing hard
in the latter stages of the match, Shels held out to get the three
points.
Harps will probably feel aggrieved that they didn’t get anything from
the match, while Shelbourne may wonder how they didn’t finish the
match off.
Shelbourne: Dean Delaney, Ray Scully, Stephen Quigley, Michael Coburn,
Gareth Whelan, Paul Shiels, David McGill (Colin O’Brien ’77), David
Cassidy (Ian Ryan ’85), Mark Leech (Philip Gorman ’54), Marc Hughes,
Eric Foley.
Subs Not Used: Steve Williams, Dinny Corcoran
Finn Harps: Liam Mailey, James Doherty, Matt Crossan, Johnathan
Minnick (Gary Whoriskey HT), Packie Mailey, Michael Funston, Stephen
McLauchlin, Mark Forker, Tommy Bonner, Kevin McHugh, Marc Brolly
(David Walsh ’77)
Subs Not Used: Jason Noctor, Fintan Bonner, Oisin McMenamin
Attendance: 705
Referee: Mike Jones (Wales)
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Dean Delaney
About Niall Farrell
Niall Farrell is our correspondent at Tolka Park, covering the goings-on at Shelbourne. You can visit Niall's website for further information and contact details- niallf.net.
Subs
Subs
P | Team | Pd | W | D | L | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Derry | 33 | 20 | 9 | 4 | 69 |
2 | Waterford | 33 | 20 | 6 | 7 | 66 |
3 | Monaghan | 33 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 62 |
4 | Shels | 33 | 18 | 7 | 8 | 61 |
5 | Limerick | 33 | 17 | 6 | 10 | 57 |
6 | Cork | 33 | 15 | 7 | 11 | 52 |
7 | Wexford | 33 | 12 | 6 | 15 | 42 |
8 | Harps | 33 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 40 |
9 | Longford | 33 | 9 | 8 | 16 | 35 |
10 | Athlone | 33 | 6 | 13 | 14 | 31 |
11 | Mervue Utd | 33 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 19 |
12 | Salthill Devon | 33 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 15 |
Top Stories
League Report: Bohemians 2-1 Treaty United
- Christine Allen
- Sun, Apr 28 2024
Tommy Barrett: ‘We might have a big injury list …
- Éanna Mackey
- Sun, Apr 28 2024
Barcelona beat Chelsea to reach Champions League final
- Macdara Ferris
- Sat, Apr 27 2024
WLOI Preview: Bohemians -v- Treaty United
- Christine Allen
- Sat, Apr 27 2024
League Report: Treaty United 0 - 2 UCD
- Éanna Mackey
- Sat, Apr 27 2024
The extratime Football Podcast - Season 12 - Episode …
- Luke Jordan
- Sat, Apr 27 2024
League Report: Waterford 0 - 2 Derry City
- Dylan O'Connell
- Fri, Apr 26 2024
League Report: Shamrock Rovers 1 - 1 Galway United
- Macdara Ferris
- Fri, Apr 26 2024
League Report: Finn Harps 0 - 2 Cork City
- Rory Morrow
- Fri, Apr 26 2024
League Preview: Athlone Town -v- Cobh Ramblers
- Andrew Dempsey
- Fri, Apr 26 2024
League Preview: Bray Wanderers -v- Kerry
- Andrew Dempsey
- Fri, Apr 26 2024
League Preview: Treaty United -v- UCD
- Andrew Dempsey
- Fri, Apr 26 2024
League Preview: Dundalk -v- Bohemians
- Andrew Dempsey
- Fri, Apr 26 2024
League Preview: Waterford -v- Derry City
- Andrew Dempsey
- Fri, Apr 26 2024
League Preview: Finn Harps -v- Cork City
- Rory Morrow
- Fri, Apr 26 2024
League Preview: Shamrock Rovers -v- Galway United
- Macdara Ferris
- Thu, Apr 25 2024
Ireland still looking for National Team Coach
- Phil Lynam
- Thu, Apr 25 2024
The extratime Voice Notes Podcast - Season 2 - …
- Oisin Langan
- Tue, Apr 23 2024