Soccer

Late penalty drama rescues a point for Derry against rivals Harps

City keep European hopes alive while Harps move out of the relegation playoff position

Finn Harps’ Ryan Connolly makes an attempt on goal during the draw with Derry City. Photograph: Evan Logan/Inpho

Chris Ashmore at Finn Park
Fri Nov 5 2021 - 22:21

Finn Harps 1 Derry City 1

Substitute Jamie McGonigle scored an 87th minute penalty to snatch a point for Derry City against arch-rivals Finn Harps during a pulsating end to their clash in Ballybofey.

Just four minutes earlier Ethan Boyle had put the Donegal side ahead in a rip-roaring contest with a huge amount at stake for both sides.

This result keeps City’s European hopes alive while Harps move back above Waterford who now drop into the relegation playoff position with two games to play with the latter having an inferior goal difference.

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Top scorer Tunde Owolabi showed his attacking qualities for Harps as early as the second minute when he found the side netting and on eight minutes Ethan Boyle let fly with a shot that Nathan Gartside struggled to deal with.

Derry’s only real shot of note before the break came on 40 minutes when Ciaron Harkin’s 30 yard effort whizzed just wide of the target.

While chances remained scarce in the damp conditions after the break, it was still an absorbing contest with no shortage of good old fashion endeavour.

Derry went close on 78 minutes with a decent Joe Thomson drive just over the target and moments later Jamie McGonigle almost scored with a looping effort that dropped just over the bar.

Boyle then connected with a Connolly free for what looked like being the winner, but the visitors had the final say with the late, late penalty - for handball against Ethan Boyle - to grab a share of the spoils.

Finn Harps: McGinley; Boyle, Webster, Sadiki, Mustoe; Rainey, Coyle (O'Sullivan, 68 mins), Connolly, Seymour; McNamee (Foley, 77 mins), Owolabi (Rudden, 90).

Derry City: Gartside; Toal, McJannett (Boyce 6, 77 mins), Coll; Malone (Fitzgerald, 84 mins), Thomson, Harkin, Lafferty; Hery (McGonigle, 71 mins); Akintunde, Junior.

Referee: B. Connolly (Dublin)