Finn Harps held a deserved lead for just under an hour when Referee Marc Lynch pointed to the spot with Matthew Makinson the alleged guilty party.
Finn Harps ….1 Cork City …1
Success Edogun had given Harps the lead in the first-half for his second of the campaign and he could have doubled their advantage late on but the penalty converted by Jack Doherty drew the game level after a call of handball.
By Stuart Connolly with pictures by Joe Boland.
The result lifts Harps onto four points from their first two games, Cork City sit on the same amount having won their first fixture too.
Both sides triumphed during gameweek one with Finn Harps coming from behind to win in Bishopsgate while Cork City recorded a 2-0 victory over Kerry FC in Turner’s Cross.
Darren Murphy was forced into one change for this encounter with Tim Clancy’s team – Max Hutchison in for the injured Aaron McLaughlin.
Set-pieces were the early source of any danger but they never resulted in anything clear cut at either end.
With 17 minutes gone on the clock, Harps took the lead after a moment to forget for Sean Murray. His reaction told the story as his backpass to Bradley Wade didn’t quite have the required connection and it allowed Success Edogun to act fast and calmly slot the ball past the netminder from 35 yards and into an unguarded goal for his second goal in as many games.
Opportunities were slim pickings for much of the first-half with Tony McNamee hitting a shot that was always rising while a Patrick Ferry shot met the same fate as the minutes ticked away.
At the other end, it was no different. Harry Nevin had a long range effort routinely saved while a few more corners were the source of some threat but the home defence held firm to hold their lead at the half-time interval.
The visitors were quick out of the blocks in the second-half and the home defence was called upon to keep that clean sheet in tact.
Barry Coffey had a goalbound shot blocked by Matthew Makinson while Evan McLaughlin had two pops at goal thwarted by Noe Baba.
Edogun was Harps’ main threat up top and two big chances fell his way in the minutes surrounding the hour mark. His first effort was blasted sky high from a promising position but the second should have found the back of the net. Played through by Ferry, the striker was one-on-one but sliced his effort into the side netting.
Just minutes later and much to the frustration of the home fans who voiced their opinion on the matter, Makinson was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area. Jack Doherty stepped up and slammed his penalty home despite the best efforts of Heimer who dived the correct way.
Harps had the best opportunities to win the game late on both via the foot of McNamee.
One came courtesy of a free kick, aimed for the top left corner which Wade saved quite well.
The second came in stoppage time courtesy of a corner. McNamee’s delivery was precise and landed on the head of Makinson and among a host of players, it was somehow clawed away from danger.
The home crowd’s chanting toward referee Marc Lynch at the final whistle was not unexpected after he had no small part in denying their team full points.
Finn Harps: Tim-Oliver Heimer; Jamie Watson, Matthew Makinson, Noe Baba, Shane McMonagle; Max Hutchison, Stephen Doherty(Darragh Coyle 82), Tony McNamee, David Cawley; Patrick Ferry(Mark Mbuli 67), Success Edogun.
Cork City: Bradley Wade; Harry Nevin, John O’Donovan, Charlie Lyons, Cian Coleman; Jack Doherty, Evan McLaughlin(Jaden Umeh 75), Sean Murray, Barry Coffey, Niall Brookwell(Cathal O’Sullivan ht); Nathan Wood.
Referee: Marc Lynch
