Cockhill provide stiff test for
Harps 26.02.09
Cockhill Celtic...0
Finn Harps...1
McMenamin 89
by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent, at St Mary’s
Park
A GOAL from substitute Oisin McMenamin a minute from
time was enough for Finn Harps to squeeze past Cockhill
Celtic in this evenly contested pre-season friendly at
St Mary’s Park in Cockhill.
With a scrappy game seemingly headed for stalemate,
McMenamin struck from close range following a swift
Harps counter attack to settle the match in the Eircom
League side’s favour.
Harps keeper Gavin Cullen, back on his local patch,
bowled the ball out to the right to Christy Connaghan,
who ran deep into the Cockhill half then found James
Doherty on the overlap. Doherty’s cross was headed back
across goal by Sean Houston, Vincent Sweeney then
flicked it on for McMenamin to tap in from close range.
McMenamin was a real threat after coming on with ten
minutes to go. Moments before his goal he tested Stephen
Conroy with stinging drive and in injury time McMenamin
played a telling through ball to Connaghan who just
failed to hit the target. |
McMenamin also had a goal
disallowed for offside after following up to head
Houston partially saved shot into the net.
If Harps got their act together late in the game, they
were disappointing in for much of the game, their third
pre-season friendly ahead of the new Eircom League First
Division season.
The Ballybofey side’s passing was sloppy at times and
they failed to trouble their Intermediate level hosts
much in the final third of the pitch.
Johnny Havlin presented the hosts with the first clear
opening of the match inside ten minutes when the he was
dispossessed by Aidan O’Donnell, but the Harps defender
recovered to clear the danger as the Cockhill forward
set his sights for a shot.
Cockhill’s defence coped well with the Harps threat in
the opening exchanges, restricting their guests to half |
 |
chances – a 20th minute
Connaghan shot, then a weak Havlin header from the
former’s corner.
Cockhill, a little rushed in the early going tried to
hit early passes to utilize the pace of Aidan O’Donnell
and Garvan Friel, but found there was little space
between the Harps back four and their keeper Cullen in
which to run into.
This was a game short on excitement. Indeed neither
keeper had a serious save to make in the opening 45
minutes.
There was more last ditch defending from the visitors in
the 40th minute when Aidan O’Donnell beat Havlin to the
bounce and crossed low to the back post for Liam
O’Donnell only for Paddy Bonner to make a block to
prevent a near certain goal.
Aidan O’Donnell was warming to his task at this stage,
and a few minutes before half time he did really well to
dig out a cross for James Bradley who might have shot
first time, but elected to take a touch, unwisely given
the calibre of the opposition and the chance was gone.
There was a similar chance for Harps at the other end
when Connaghan was guilty of poor control in the
Cockhill box.
Newly-crowned national boxing champion William
McLaughlin was invited onto the pitch at half time and
received a lengthy round of applause from the crowd and
the two sets of players.
Perhaps spurred on by their Illies Golden Gloves
fighter, Cockhill made the better start to the second
half.
Cullen was called upon to make smart save from Paul
McKinney on 55 minutes before the same player rode
Havlin’s challenge on the right and hit a low centre
across the Harps box that was just too strong for the
inrushing Friel.
Shortly before his substitution, Cockhill keeper Galvin
darted off his line to save from Vincent Sweeney.
Harps then threw on new signing Ciaran Coll and the
former Kildrum youngster looked comfortable in the left
back berth. He made a few strong tackles and his passing
was assured.
Donal O’Brien’s men tired slightly towards the end of
the game allowing Harps to dominate for the first time
in the match. Sweeney shot well wide after good approach
play from Corny Gallagher and Houston.
After being chided by his manager for not taking
responsibility to shoot Mark Porter then hit in a low
drive that Conroy claimed with the minimum of fuss.
Sweeney enjoyed more leeway from his manager than
Porter, although he was no more deadly than the Harps
midfielder, heading Paddy Bonner’s deep cross from the
left into the side netting on 83 minutes.
After McMenamin’s intervention there was still time for
Bonner to force an impressive save from Conroy before
referee Liam Porter’s final whistle brought an end to
proceedings on a cold and windy afternoon in Cockhill.
Cockhill Celtic: Shane Galvin, David McDermott,
Patrick McLaughlin, William O’Connor, John McElroy,
Derek Doherty, Liam O’Donnell, Ciaran Grant, Aidan
O’Donnell, Garvan Friel, James Bradley. Subs: Barry
McColgan for McDermott (HT), Paul McKinney for A
O’Donnell (HT). Mark Donagey for McElroy (56), Stephen
Conroy for Galvin (67), George Porter for Grant (77).
Finn Harps: Gavin Cullen, James Doherty, Sean
Houston, Johnny Havlin, Mark Mukendi, Paddy Bonner,
David McDaid, Mark Porter, Damien Whitehead, Ruarai
Harkin, Christy Connaghan. Subs: Vincent Sweeney for
David McDaid (HT), Ciaran Coll for Whitehead (53), Oisin
McMenamin for Harkin (80).
For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the
Inishowen Independent. |
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