Cobh Ramblers 0 Finn Harps 4 The long journey home on the coach from Cobh will be a lot easier for Finn Harps tonight after they booked a place in the FAI quarter finals in style.
The Donegal outfit might have thought they left the game behind them in Ballybofey last Friday night when Cobh scored a late, late goal to earn a replay.
Despite starting the brighter tonight, Cobh lost concentration and were punished with two first half goals from Kevin McHugh and recent signing Lee Toland.
The goals left Cobh chasing their tails and frustrated they saw two players dismissed to leave Harps to coast home eventually winning 4-0.
Their reward is now a home-draw against Drogheda Utd at Finn Park on September 13th.
Cobh used their home advantage to the full at St Coleman’s Park early on tonight.
Both David O’Neill and lively winger Alan O’Flynn could have been the Cork side in front in the opening half hour.
But a rash challenge from Craig Burns on Kevin McHugh inside the area on 34 minutes gifted Harps a chance to press ahead.
The Harps captain took responsibility for the spot kick and it’s not often the Killea man misses from here.
If the visitors were buoyed by their lead, they were already planning their gameplan against Drogheda after Lee Toland made it 2-0 four minutes later form a free-kick.
Brendan Frahill handled on the edge of his own area and Toland drilled the ball low into the bottom corner of the Cobh net.
Harps bosses the rest of the half and emerged for the second half determined to hold onto their two goal cushion.
The first incident of note in the 62nd minute could have resulted in another Harps goal when James Doherty drilled the ball straight at Cobh ‘keeper Shane Hallahan.
Things took a turn for the worst for Cobh when Brendan Frahill received a second yellow card for a rash challenge which reduced the home side to ten men.
Ramblers threw caution to the wind leaving just three at the back as the searched for a goal to get them back into the tie.
But Cobh were seeing red once again and their exit from the competition when Roy Kenny was given a straight red after a bad tackle on James Doherty.
Harps were cruising and substitute Paul McVeigh then got in on the goalscoring act.
McVeigh latched onto a long kick-out form Ciaran Gallagher to find himself one-on-one with Hallahan whom he beat.
Michael Funston, who has been having a great season for Harps, rounded off the evening by slotting home to make it 4-0 in the 90th minute after a good through ball from Josh Mailey.
The league play-offs may be out of reach but Harps can still dream about the cup!
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