A late goal by Daithi McCallion earned Finn Harps a most deserved share of the points in a cracking game against league leaders Galway United at a noisy Finn Park.
Full-Time 2-2
The visitors played with ten players from the 23rd minute after the sending off of Vincent Borden and made Harps work very hard to earn their point, and the home side did just that.
Harps welcomed back now club captain Ryan Rainey, from his long-term injury and after his late winner in Kerry last week gave a first start to B J Banda while with Rory Kelly unavailable and Tim Hiemer out injured also gave his debut to Croatian goalkeeper Antonio Tuta.
Visitors and runaway leaders Galway United had won twenty-one of their twenty-four league games, including just one defeat, and started tonight’s game eighteen points ahead of second place Waterford Utd.
Harps had moved up the table with wins against Bray and Kerry to move within three points off the play-off spots but would need to be at their best to get anything tonight.
They started well with Caoimhin Porter and Ryan Flood causing Galway smoke problems in wide positions. That almost paid off in the fifteenth minute when Tony McNamee played Flood away on the left and despite the angle, he forced a good save from Brendan Clarke.
Just a minute later disaster for Harps as Semi Scott Wara failed to cut out a through ball and gifted Ronan Manning a clear run at goal and he beat the advancing Tuta with a delightful chipped effort.
Harps Manager Dave Rogers
Harps responded well and five minutes later McNamee slid another super pass through for B J Banda but he dragged his shot wide of the far post.
Two minutes later Galway were down to ten men when Vincent Borden received a straight red card for a very dangerous high challenge on Jamie Watson, as tempers flared in response to the incident both Wara and Killian Brouder received yellow cards.
Harps again pushed on in search of an equaliser and Caoimhin Porter’s shot was blocked in the 37th minute and with the extra man it was Harps on top until half-time and both Porter and Banda went close with headers but at the break Galway United’s ten men lead 0-1.
Harps had introduced Daithi McCallion for Wara just before the break and sprung both Sean O Donnell and Patrick Ferry at the start of the second-half and it brought an instant reward as forty-five seconds into the half they were level. Ryan Flood returned a ball into the box and sub Sean O Donnell downward header beat Brendan Clarke, 1-1 and game-on.
In the 53rd minute another Flood cross found the head of Tony McNamee, Clarke saved well and then Patrick Ferry’s follow-up was deflected for a corner.
With the man advantage Harps looked the more likely to push on to win it. Galway had introduced one sub at half-time a then made a triple change on the hour. Nine minutes later they took the lead when keeper Antonio Tuta, not for the first time failed to deal with a high ball, and former Harps man Rob Slevin scrambled the ball over the line from close range, a deal body blow for the home team.
To their credit and having seemingly weathered the storm Galway defended their box in numbers making it very difficult for Harps to get back on level terms for a second time.
But the storm was not quite over and Harps were not to be denied in a game they deserved to get some reward from, and so it was to be. Tony McNamee’s long throws are a dangerous weapon for defending teams and in the 90th minute it again proved priceless as it arrived in the box and Daithi McCallion steered the ball low into the corner of the net, 2-2 and the least Harps deserved for their performance in a cracking game.
FINN HARPS: Antonio Tuta, Semi Scott Wara ( Daithi McCallion 44mins ), Caoimhin Porter ( Aaron McLaughlin 75mins ), Matthew Makinson, Stephen Doherty ( Patrick Ferry h/t), Ryan Flood, Max Hutchison ( Daniel Stokoe 86mins), Jamie Watson, Tony McNamee, Ryan Rainey, B J Banda ( Sean O Donnell h/t).
GALWAY UTD ; Brendan Clarke, Rob Slevin, Killian Brouder, Stephen Walsh ( Wassim Aouachria 60mins), David Hurley Ronan Manning ( Aodh Dervin h/t ), Vincent Borden, Colm Horgan ( Francely Lomboto 60mins), Conor McCormack, Edward McCarthy ( Evan O Conner 70mins), Oisin O Reilly ( Regan Donelon 60mins). Referee ; Paul Norton
