Cork City’s new signing Sean Maguire showed why there was such a buzz about him coming back to Leeside as he almost single-handedly dragged his side back into this tie.
Cork City …2 Finn Harps…2
After three wins in a row Harps made the long trip to Turner’s Cross to take on the already crowned champions to try and keep that fine run going and continue their renewed hopes of play-off spot.
With the title already secured the home team gave a start to a number of fringe players with perhaps something to prove for next season which wouldn’t help Harps hopes of victory.
The home side started well but Harps, who had given them a guard of honour onto the pitch, responded with a Tony McNamee goal in the 11th minute, an excellent finish from the Harps captain and a great start for Harps.
Patrick Ferry fired a shot just wide in the 22nd minute but Cork hit back and forced two fine saves from Oisín Cooney and an even better one from the Harps keeper in the 35th minute to keep his team ahead.
But just when it looked like Harps would hold on to their single goal lead they went one better with a second one on the stroke of half-time, Success Edogun adding to his season’s total with a fine finish .
The second-half followed a similar pattern to the first.
But when things hadn’t changed on the hour mark Cork made four changes and four minutes later one of them Sean Maguire pulled a goal back.
And after sustained pressure Maguire equalised in the 75th minute from a free-kick after it took a big deflection.
The question now was could Harps hang on to a point or would Cork push on to take all three points.
Harps defended well and did hang on for the point and could have even nicked it at the death when McNamee shot wide when Edogun slipped him through.
All in all, a good result for Darren Murphy’s side against the league champions and enough to keep alive those play-off hopes.
Finn Harps: Oisin Cooney; Jamie Watson, Noe Baba, Matthew Makinson, Kevin Jordan; David Cawley (Bruce Strachan 62mins), Tony McNamee, Max Hutchison; Patrick Ferry, Sean Patton (Max Johnston (67mins), Success Edogun.
Cork City ; Aidan Dowling ,John O Donavan , Barry Coffey ( S.Maguire 59mins), Evan McLaughlin , Cian Bargary (C.O Sullivan 59mins) , Conor Drinan ( M.Dijksteel 59mins), Niall Brookwell , Josh Fitzpatrick , Cian Murphy (R. Keating 59mins) , Arran Healy , Matthew Kiernan.
