Donegal Daily
  • News
  • Sport
    • Football

      Super sub Duffy helps Finn Harps return…

      8 hours ago

      Football

      Seamus Coleman offered new contract by Everton

      15 hours ago

      Football

      Harps can return to winning ways against…

      18 hours ago

      GAA

      Clash of the Titans in 2023 SFC…

      1 day ago

      Athletics

      Are you ready for the Letterkenny Gaels…

      2 days ago

      Athletics

      Nakita and Theresa shine at VHI Women’s…

      6 days ago

      Athletics

      On your marks, get set for the…

      1 week ago

      Athletics

      ‘Special K’ for Finn Valley brothers on…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Pic Special – Boxer Paddy McShane honoured…

      1 week ago

      Boxing

      New boxing club opens in west Donegal

      1 month ago

      Boxing

      Jason Quigley to headline iconic Madison Square…

      2 months ago

      Boxing

      Quigley remains focused despite late opponent change

      2 months ago

      Football

      Super sub Duffy helps Finn Harps return…

      8 hours ago

      Football

      Seamus Coleman offered new contract by Everton

      15 hours ago

      Football

      Harps can return to winning ways against…

      18 hours ago

      Football

      Donegal Community Stadium has ‘dragged on for…

      2 days ago

      GAA

      Clash of the Titans in 2023 SFC…

      1 day ago

      GAA

      The great Martin Griffin – still lending…

      1 day ago

      GAA

      Donegal clubs receive copy of GAA County…

      2 days ago

      GAA

      Donegal LGFA underage league winners recognised

      3 days ago

      Golf

      Dunfanaghy golfers tee up for 24-hour fundraiser…

      2 weeks ago

      Golf

      Golf: Shaun lands top prize at Otway…

      3 weeks ago

      Golf

      Seán MacCumhaills Golf Classic returns on June…

      3 weeks ago

      Golf

      Cloughaneely Golf Club hosting Golf Classic on…

      4 weeks ago

      Hockey

      Raphoe Hockey scoop Intermediate League title after…

      1 month ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe complete double with Intermediate Ulster…

      1 month ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe victorious in Linden Cup Final…

      3 months ago

      Hockey

      Hard-fought win sees Raphoe close in on…

      3 months ago

      Hurling

      Disappointment as Donegal lose composure in Nickey…

      7 days ago

      GAA

      GAA Roundup: Good day for senior hurlers…

      1 month ago

      GAA

      Super win for Donegal hurlers in Nicky…

      2 months ago

      Hurling

      Brave Donegal U17 hurlers go down to…

      2 months ago

      Rugby

      Letterkenny RFC beat Cavan to reach Gordon…

      2 months ago

      Rugby

      Sadhbh McGrath (18) to make senior Ireland…

      3 months ago

      Rugby

      Anne Scott receives IRFU Spirit of Rugby…

      3 months ago

      Rugby

      Free pizza! Six Nations fundraiser to float…

      3 months ago

  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Travel
  • Features
  • Business
  • Property
  • Council News
  • Politics
  • More
    • Advertise with us
    • Haircare
    • Cooking
    • DD Pets
    • Hairdressing
    • Motors
Saturday 20°CSunday 21°C

Donegal Daily Donegal Daily

  • News
  • Sport
    • Football

      Super sub Duffy helps Finn Harps return…

      8 hours ago

      Football

      Seamus Coleman offered new contract by Everton

      15 hours ago

      Football

      Harps can return to winning ways against…

      18 hours ago

      GAA

      Clash of the Titans in 2023 SFC…

      1 day ago

      Athletics

      Are you ready for the Letterkenny Gaels…

      2 days ago

      Athletics

      Nakita and Theresa shine at VHI Women’s…

      6 days ago

      Athletics

      On your marks, get set for the…

      1 week ago

      Athletics

      ‘Special K’ for Finn Valley brothers on…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Pic Special – Boxer Paddy McShane honoured…

      1 week ago

      Boxing

      New boxing club opens in west Donegal

      1 month ago

      Boxing

      Jason Quigley to headline iconic Madison Square…

      2 months ago

      Boxing

      Quigley remains focused despite late opponent change

      2 months ago

      Football

      Super sub Duffy helps Finn Harps return…

      8 hours ago

      Football

      Seamus Coleman offered new contract by Everton

      15 hours ago

      Football

      Harps can return to winning ways against…

      18 hours ago

      Football

      Donegal Community Stadium has ‘dragged on for…

      2 days ago

      GAA

      Clash of the Titans in 2023 SFC…

      1 day ago

      GAA

      The great Martin Griffin – still lending…

      1 day ago

      GAA

      Donegal clubs receive copy of GAA County…

      2 days ago

      GAA

      Donegal LGFA underage league winners recognised

      3 days ago

      Golf

      Dunfanaghy golfers tee up for 24-hour fundraiser…

      2 weeks ago

      Golf

      Golf: Shaun lands top prize at Otway…

      3 weeks ago

      Golf

      Seán MacCumhaills Golf Classic returns on June…

      3 weeks ago

      Golf

      Cloughaneely Golf Club hosting Golf Classic on…

      4 weeks ago

      Hockey

      Raphoe Hockey scoop Intermediate League title after…

      1 month ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe complete double with Intermediate Ulster…

      1 month ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe victorious in Linden Cup Final…

      3 months ago

      Hockey

      Hard-fought win sees Raphoe close in on…

      3 months ago

      Hurling

      Disappointment as Donegal lose composure in Nickey…

      7 days ago

      GAA

      GAA Roundup: Good day for senior hurlers…

      1 month ago

      GAA

      Super win for Donegal hurlers in Nicky…

      2 months ago

      Hurling

      Brave Donegal U17 hurlers go down to…

      2 months ago

      Rugby

      Letterkenny RFC beat Cavan to reach Gordon…

      2 months ago

      Rugby

      Sadhbh McGrath (18) to make senior Ireland…

      3 months ago

      Rugby

      Anne Scott receives IRFU Spirit of Rugby…

      3 months ago

      Rugby

      Free pizza! Six Nations fundraiser to float…

      3 months ago

  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Travel
  • Features
  • Business
  • Property
  • Council News
  • Politics
  • More
    • Advertise with us
    • Haircare
    • Cooking
    • DD Pets
    • Hairdressing
    • Motors
homepage-sportNews

Capital gains for Harps as Horgan’s men bag first win of the season

written by Chris McNulty March 13, 2017
FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint

Finn Harps held on for dear life to, deservedly, earn their first win of the season at St Patrick’s Athletic tonight.

St Patrick’s Athletic 1 Finn Harps 2

By Chris McNulty at Richmond Park

Goals from Sean Houston and Ciaran O’Connor secured the come-from-behind win in front of 895 spectators at Richmond Park.

Battling Harps had to endure almost six minutes of added time at the end of the game and they were frenetic and chaotic at times with Pats’ Kurtis Byrne seeing a free-kick saved by Harps goalkeeper Ciaran Gallagher.

The second half was one of few chances, but Pat’s laid siege on the Harps box in the closing stages – but resilient and spirited Harps, who saw the guile of Paddy McCourt and experience of Michael Funston introduced late on.

O’Connor’s third goal of the season fired Harps to a rare away win.

Caolan McAleer intercepted a poor back pass from Pat’s full-back Michael Barker. McAleer squared for O’Connor, who calmly passed the ball to the net.

Harps have had a wretched sequence of results against the Saints in recent times and you have to go all the way back 16 years for their last victory.

That was a 4-1 win in Inchicore on a 2001 night when Jonathan Speak, then Harps player-manager, scored twice.

Speak was poacher supreme and in O’Connor Harps have a new goal ace.

It was a just-about deserved lead for Harps, who started on rocky ground after conceding early, but they slowly-and-surely got into the game, spurred by Sean Houston’s equaliser.

Before that, their supporters watched from between the gaps in their fingers as Pat’s – also searching for a first win of the campaign – roared to life from the off.

Harps fell behind after only three minutes. Jonny Bonner was caught out by Graham Kelly, who nipped in to punish his lapse as he fired past Ciaran Gallagher.

It was all Pat’s at the outset and Harps were rather fortunate not to have been further behind by the time Houston drew Harps level, against the run of play, on 19 minutes.

After Pat’s failed to deal with McAleer’s cross, a weak header out by Barker fell the way of Houston on the edge of the area and the midfielder delightfully fired beyond Barry Murphy.

Almost immediately, Pat’s were inches from regaining the lead. Gavin Peers beat Gallagher with a superb head, but the crossbar came to the rescue.

Kelly’s follow-up was over the top and Harps survived.

Moments earlier, just before Houston’s leveller, Gallagher somehow saved from Billy Dennehy, who ghosted in to connect with a Josh O’Hanlon centre, although the offside flag of Robert Clarke had signalled Dennehy offside.

After letting their hearts settle from that Peers-Kelly double chance, Harps settled to the task and Houston, after winning possession and working a chance with Danny Morrissey, saw a second 20-yarder charged down.

Horgan made four changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Galway as Bonner, Morrissey, Gareth Harkin and Damien McNulty have come in.

Injury prevented Paddy McCourt and Barry Molloy from starting, while Packie Mailey and Eddie Dsane also dropped out.

Pat’s tried to put Harps on the back foot early in the second half, but Ian Bermingham fired over from distance and couldn’t really trouble Gallagher.

Sub Christy Fagan thought for a moment that he had headed in an equaliser, but saw his efforr whizz just wide with Gallagher at full stretch.

In the 86th minute, Peers flicked wide from Conan Byrne’s cross and the nerves were beginning to whistle through Harps’ boots.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Barry Murphy; Michael Barker, Gavin Peers, Lee Desmond, Ian Bermingham; Conan Byrne, Patrick Cregg, Graham Kelly, Billy Dennehy; JJ Lunney; Josh O’Hanlon. Subs: Kurtis Byrne for Kelly (61), Christy Fagan for O’Hanlon (67), Alex O’Hanlon for Dennehy (80).

Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Damien McNulty, Kilian Cantwell, Ciaran Coll, Gareth Harkin; Ethan Boyle; Caolan McAleer, Jonny Bonner, Sean Houston, Danny Morrissey; Ciaran O’Connor.

Subs: Paddy McCourt for Bonner (76), Michael Funston for Morrissey (83), Packie Mailey for McAleer (90).

Referee: Ben Connolly (Dublin).

Capital gains for Harps as Horgan’s men bag first win of the season was last modified: March 13th, 2017 by Chris McNulty
FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint
Chris McNulty

Author of 'Boxing In Donegal: A History (2021)' - the definitive history of the sport in County Donegal - and 'Relentless: A Race Through Time', the 2019 memoir of former Irish Athletics Team Manager Patsy McGonagle. From St Johnston and now based in Letterkenny, Chris was a nominee for NUJ Sports Journalist of the Year in 2010. Honoured by the Donegal Boxing Board in 2016 for his coverage on the sport.

LEAVE A COMMENT

You may also like

Price tag of €200,000 for one of...

10 hours ago

This week’s Greencastle Community Notes are out

12 hours ago

Car seized after driver tried to evade...

13 hours ago

Donegal Gardaí remind public to be alert...

14 hours ago

New Deputy Principal appointed to Coláiste na...

15 hours ago

New map and index of historic Inishowen...

15 hours ago

Plans for new ‘drive-thru’ restaurant in east...

16 hours ago

‘Unplanned’ helicopter maintenance left Tory without GP...

17 hours ago

Community wall in west Donegal daubed in...

18 hours ago

An Cailín Ciúin and RnaG win big...

19 hours ago
Advertisement
Advertisement

MOST POPULAR

Donegal County Council
Advertisement

Sport Hub

  • Stay up to date with Donegal Sport Hub on Facebook

    1 year ago
  • Donegal links rank in Top 100 Golf Courses in the World

    1 year ago
  • Bundoran 10 Event set for March 2022

    1 year ago
See More

Donegal Woman

    See More

    Columnists

    Motoring - Brian McDaid

    DD Motoring: Here comes the Rotaflora!

    6 days ago

    Group Holidays - Travel Department

    Travel: Seven amazing reasons to visit Northern Cyprus & Cyprus

    1 week ago

    Pet Corner with Gary's Pet World - Michelle Kelly

    DD Pet Corner: Top tips to keep your dog safe at the beach

    1 week ago

    Career Advice - Rory White

    Leaving Cert Countdown: Tips for exam success

    2 weeks ago

    Healthy Living - Sorcha McElchar

    Burns overcomes challenge of Donegal man Erskine to become GAA President

    3 months ago

    See All Columnists
    Advertisement
    Donegal Daily Jobs

    Donegal Woman

      See More

      Read More

      • News
      • Sport
      • Courts
      • Jobs
      • Sales & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Features
      • Business
      • Politics
      • Council News

      Information

      • Contact Us
      • About
      • Advertise WIth Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Disclaimer
      • Terms & Conditions

      Our Sites

      Donegal Woman
      Donegal Woman
      Donegal Daily

      © 2023 Donegal Daily. All rights reserved.
      Website by owenod


      Back To Top.