Keith Cowan bagged a precious equaliser as Finn Harps earned a point from their trip to Cork City.
Cork City 1 Finn Harps 1
Cowan’s leveller, 14 minutes from the end, cancelled out Kevin O’Connor’s free kick for Cork, as Harps moved within six points of UCD – who are in Ballybofey on Friday for a crunch relegation clash.
Harps have yet to win, but two points on the road at Sligo and Cork certainly represents something of a turn of fortune for Ollie Horgan’s men.
Harps gave a first League start to teenager Michael Gallagher on the right-hand side and the Letterkenny man acquitted himself quite well at Turner’s Cross.
City went close early on when Karl Sheppard fired wide from Graham Cummins’ ball in. Cummins headed wide soon after, but Harps had a half-chance when Sean Boyd headed at Mark McNulty.
Harps ‘keeper Peter Burke saved from Cummins before he denied Sheppard as Cork turned the screw.
Caolan McAleer arched over the top and the sides were scoreless at the break.
Harps are still without Gareth Harkin and Mark Timlin, while John Kavanagh was unable to play against his parent club and suspensions prevented Colm Deasy and Daniel O’Reilly from lining out.
Four minutes into the second half, Cork hit the front, as O’Connor cracked home a classy free.
Gallagher teed up Jacob Borg and he was inches from an equaliser, only to see a header come off a post.
Harps, though, did get level when Cowan riffled past McNulty from a cross by Tony McNamee.
Cork City: McNulty; Horgan (Bennett 75), McCarthy, McLoughlin, Griffin; Phillips (Rainsford 79), K O’Connor (D O’Connor 69), Buckley, Tilley; Cummins, Sheppard.
Finn Harps: Burke; Todd, Cowan, Logue; Gallagher, Coyle, Borg (McNamee 73), Russell; McAleer (Cretaro 73), Boyle (Ascroft 89); Boyd.
Referee: R Hennessy (Limerick).
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