Details

Date Time League Season
27 August 2021 8:00 pm FAI Cup 2021

Match Report

Harps grab first ever Cup win over Derry

A Tunde Owolabi penalty on home turf ensured Finn Harps grabbed their first ever win over Derry City in the FAI Cup, and with it a spot in the third round.

In a keenly contested affair, Owolabi's 74th minute place-kick was the difference, as Harps came away 1-0 winners over Derry City in the North-West Derby in Ballybofey.

The first half was a very dull affair with both sides struggling to test either ‘keeper. The defences were on top which makes sense considering the excellent performances that the two teams have been putting in at the back recently.

Towards the end of the first period, the visitors began to take control with multiple passages of possession. However, they could not cause Gerald Doherty any problems in the Harps net.

The hosts began to find their feet around ten minutes into the second half. A wild effort from Dave Webster was followed by two excellent strikes from Adam Foley, one of which skimmed the crossbar on the way over and the other which forced Nathan Gartside into a wonderful diving save.

Harps looked to have taken control of possession while Derry were lucky to still be level.

The Ballybofey side finally took the lead after a clumsy tackle from Ciaron Harkin on Ryan Rainey was given as a penalty by the referee. Tunde Owolabi stepped up and slotted the ball into the top left corner.

The Candystripes began to cause some trouble for their opponents going into the closing moments. Doherty was called upon and made three vital saves ensuring his side's progression into the next round of the cup.

A disappointing result for Derry who have seen their streak of wins come to an end against their local rivals.

For Finn Harps, their run continues and who knows how far they could go in the cup this year.

Finn Harps

40Gerard Doherty Goalkeeper
3Jordan Mustoe 7 Defender
5Dave Webster Defender 80'
8Johnny Dunleavy Defender 96'
11Barry McNamee Midfielder
14Mark Coyle Midfielder
16Shane McEleney Defender
19Adam Foley Forward
22Ryan Rainey Midfielder
24Ethan Boyle 4 Defender 62'
45Babatunde Owolabi 9 Forward 74'
1Mark McGinley Goalkeeper
Luke Rudden Forward 90'
4Kosovar Sadiki 24 Defender
7Karl O’Sullivan 3 Forward
9Sean Boyd 45 Forward
17Dan Hawkins Forward
21Stephen Doherty Midfielder

Derry City

1Nathan Gartside Goalkeeper
3Ciaran Coll Defender
4Ciaron Harkin 25 Midfielder
6Eoin Toal Defender
8Joe Thomson Midfielder
10Jamie McGonigle
14Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe Forward
15Ronan Boyce 31 Defender
23Bastien Hery 11 Midfielder
24Danny Lafferty Defender
29Jack Malone Midfielder
30Jack Lemoignan Goalkeeper
Caoimhin Porter Midfielder
11James Akintunde 23 Forward
20Darren Cole Defender
24Mark McChrystal Defender
25Evan McLaughlin 4 Defender
31Patrick Ferry 15 Forward
32Caolan McLaughlin Forward
33Michael Harris Midfielder
  • FULL-TIME: Finn Harps 1-0 Derry City

  • 96'

    Play is stopped due to McNamee receiving attention

  • 96'

    A header is straight at Doherty who holds onto it

  • 92'

    Doherty is once again forced to make a save tipping the ball over the bar

  • 92'

    Doherty is forced to parry a shot away

  • 90'

    Luke Rudden, a substitute is booked for kicking the ball away

  • 87'

    A great chance from Lafferty who heads over

  • 86'

    Great defending by Finn Harps as the ball goes out for a corner

  • 83'

    Owolabi with a real chance but he is ruled offside

  • 81'

    Doherty makes a fine save to keep his side ahead

  • 80'

    The resulting free caused Harps some trouble but they managed to clear it away

  • 80'

    Webster is booked for a late challenge

  • 74'

    Four goals in two games for the striker

  • 74'

    Owolabi slots it into the top left corner

  • 74'

    A loose tackle from Harkin seen the penalty awarded

  • 73'

    Penalty for Finn Harps

  • 68'

    He is replaced by Sadiki

  • 66'

    Boyle is down again and looks certain to be coming off

  • 65'

    Akintunde is on to replace Hery

  • 63'

    Play is stopped as Boyle receives attention

  • 62'

    Ethan Boyle is booked

  • 60'

    Foley's effort looked destined for the top left corner

  • 60'

    Nathan Gartside makes a wonderful save

  • 56'

    Adam Foley goes close as his shot goes narrowly over

  • 54'

    An effort from outside the area from Dave Webster sails over the bar

  • 53'

    There have been a lack of chances in the opening minutes

  • 47'

    Thompson cannot beat the wall and Doherty collects

  • 46'

    Derry are awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position after what seemed to be a good tackle by Dunleavy

  • 46'

    Derry get the second period underway

  • The players are on the pitch ahead of the second half

  • 45'

    HALF-TIME: Finn Harps 0-0 Derry City

  • 49'

    A scramble in the box leads to an appeal for handball by Finn Harps but the referee waves it away

  • 46'

    An injury to Jordan Mustoe sees him replaced by Karl O\'Sullivan

  • 45'

    Three minutes added time

  • 44'

    A good period of play from Derry City as they look comfortable on the ball

  • 36'

    Danny Lafferty has an effort from outside the area that is easily gathered by Doherty

  • 34'

    Adam Foley makes a wonderful tackle but he cannot make the right pass to set up a counter attack

  • 31'

    After just over 30 minutes both sides are struggling to create any concrete chances

  • 31'

    Mustoe finds space and strikes on the volley but sees his shot go over

  • 20'

    A well worked corner from Finn Harps does not result in anything as the assistant's flag is raised

  • 15'

    Joe Thompson has the visitor's first effort that goes off target

  • 12'

    A Ryan Rainey shot is well blocked by the Derry defence

  • 11'

    Jordan Mustoe has a strike from distance that goes well over the bar

  • 9'

    Owolabi with the first chance as he hits the side netting

  • 5'

    Play resumes with a Finn Harps free-kick

  • 4'

    Stoppage in play as Tunde Owolabi receives attention

  • 1'

    Finn Harps get the game underway

  • The players are on the pitch ready for kick-off

  • Just over ten minutes to go until kick-off

  • Finn Harps make four changes from last week with Doherty, Dunleavy, Foley and McEleney in to replace McGinley, Connolly, O\'Sullivan and Seymore

  • Derry make one change from last week with Bastien Hery in for Evan McLaughlin

  • The previous two meetings between the sides this season have seen both come away with wins, the most recent being a 2-1 win to the Candystripes in June so the visitors may have a slight edge tonight

  • It was Joe Thompson and Ronan Boyce who chipped in with the goals in that one

  • Derry City have done won better than their opponents with five wins in a row, their last coming in a 2-1 win away to Sligo Rovers

  • Tunde Owolabi put three past the Saints in that game

  • Finn Harps have won four from four with their previous match ending in a 3-1 win at home to St. Patrick's Athletic

  • Both sides come into this tie in excellent form

  • Finn Park is the venue for tonight's game with all available tickets sold out

  • Hello and welcome to Final Whistle's coverage of tonight's North-West Derby between Finn Harps and Derry City in the second round of the FAI Cup

Past Meetings

(Round 16)
1 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps v Derry City

(Series 9)
1 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City v Finn Harps

(Series 11)
0 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps v Derry City

(Series 2)
1 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City v Finn Harps

4 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City FC v Finn Harps FC

1 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Derry City FC

4 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City FC v Finn Harps FC

2 - 3
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Derry City FC

3 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City FC v Finn Harps FC

0 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Derry City FC

0 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City FC v Finn Harps FC

5
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Derry City FC

2 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City FC v Finn Harps FC

2 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Derry City FC

Ground

Finn Park
Finn Park, Navenny Street, Stranorlar Electoral Division, Lifford-Stranorlar Municipal District, County Donegal, F93 Y27K, Ireland

A journalist with an interest in sports. BA in Multimedia Journalism from the University Of Wolverhampton.