Finn Harps fell to their first defeat of the campaign after Cobh Ramblers returned to St. Colman’s Park with the three points.
Jack Larkin scored the only goal of the game midway through the first-half while Harps struggled to get a foothold.
Finn Harps 0 – 1 Cobh Ramblers
By Stuart Connolly at Finn Park with pics by Joe Boland
That changed in the second-half but chances were limited while Sean O’Donnell was denied a spot kick during the dying embers.
Finn Harps were unchanged from last week’s victory over Athlone Town while Cobh Ramblers had just one change from their last fixture with Athlone a fortnight ago.
It was a game of throw-ins during the opening stages and a couple of those caused a little havoc among the Harps defence. Just 60 seconds in, Matthew McKevitt fizzed an effort narrowly wide after a Cian Browne delivery from the left.
Another attempt from that side was cleared less than ten minutes later but it lead to a low ball across goal from James O’Leary and David Bošnjak slid in at the far post but couldn’t divert the ball on target.
Those moments of danger eventually caught up with Harps and Cobh Ramblers took the lead with 23 minutes gone.
Browne provided the delivery from the left side and after a nick of a defender, it fell invitingly for Jack Larkin to blast beyond Tim Heimer in the Harps goal.
Harps attempted to replicate the feat via Tony McNamee but any ball launched into the area was cleared by Brendan Frahill or Dean Larkin.
The theme of throw-ins continued during a lacklustre first-half for both sides. Noe Baba was the standout for the hosts at the centre of defence.
A quadruple substitution prior to the hour helped Harps get a foothold in the game but clear cut chances were still difficult to conjure up.
Sean O’Donnell and Conor Tourish made a difference for Harps and it was the latter, along with Baba who helped limit the visitors to scraps during the second-half.
Jamie Watson and David Cawley both had long range strikes fizz beyond the intended target as the minutes ticked away and it was during the final quarter of an hour that Harps applied some heavy pressure.
Sean O’Donnell had the best opportunity and after getting beyond his marker, his goal bound effort was parried away by the gloves of Darragh Burke.
As the game entered stoppage time, O’Donnell was involved again and the referee’s decision was lambasted by the home faithful. The youngster got the better of Justin Equiabor in the box and was hauled down before he could get a shot or cross away. Many expected a spot kick but the man in the middle, who was poor throughout, blew the other way and booked O’Donnell for simulation.
Finn Harps: Tim Heimer; Jamie Watson(Chris Lotefa 81), Matthew Makinson, Noe Baba, Shane McMonagle(Conor Tourish 58); Stephen Doherty(Luke O’Brien 58), Tony McNamee, David Cawley, Max Hutchison(Sean O’Donnell 58), Patrick Ferry(Mark Mbuli 58); Success Edogun.
Cobh Ramblers: Darragh Burke; Cian Browne, Brendan Frahill, Nolan Evers, Jason Abbott; David Bošnjak(Beineón O’Brien Whitmarsh 73), Dale Holland(Pierce Phillips 80), Dean Larkin, Jack Larkin, James O’Leary(Justin Eguaibor 88); Matthew McKevitt.
Referee: Oliver Moran
