Details

Date Time League Season
9 April 2022 5:30 pm LOI Men's Premier Division 2022

Match Report

Derry do the job in North West Derby

Derry beat Finn Harps 2-1 in an action packed North-West Derby in Finn Park.

A Brandon Kavanagh corner on 22 minutes found McJannett who lost his marker in the box and found the top corner brilliantly with his head. Will Patching made it two in the 87th with a wonderful free kick.

Harps provided a late scare through a converted Filip Mihaljevic penalty in stoppage time but the Candystripes saw things out.

Ruadhri Higgins will be delighted to advance his title charge tonight after a solid display from his red and white army. He won’t be too bothered by the scrappy nature of how the game ended because after all, a derby is a derby.

For Ollie Horgan’s Harps it’s back to the drawing board. They battled valiantly in the second half but just didn’t provide enough quality to share the spoils.

The game began as expected on paper with the visitors in control and poised in possession. They almost opened the scoring after just two minutes when Matty Smith connected with Kavanagh’s cross but struck wide.

Kavanagh was a constant threat linking up brilliantly with the likes of Jamie McGonigle and Danny Lafferty. Derry targeted a dangerous overload down the left constantly but the hosts just about marshalled it.

The Brandywell outfit went close again in 16 minutes through a Lafferty header that went just over. None the less it was an aerial threat that prevailed when McJannett bagged a fantastic header from Kavangh’s corner after 22 minutes.

The first period was dominated by the visitors and Finn Harps had one or two half chances at most from Dave Webster and Eric McWoods.

The second half looked to be the same story, Derry once again methodically relaxed and continuing to threaten as McEleney went close with another header 52 minutes in.

However Harps boosted the crowd in Ballybofey by shifting the momentum around the hour mark. They forced the Candystripes to sit deep for a brief spell and closed in with a series of dangerous long throws.

On 71 minutes Webster went agonisingly close to the leveller, heading onto the bar from a deep Barry McNamee delivery.

It was Webster involved again but for the wrong reasons when he fouled on the edge of the area 87 minutes in and Patching scored the resulting free kick spectacularly with what seemed to be a comfortable end to the game for Higgins.

The hosts provided a late scare though when Ciaran Coll fouled Mihaljevic in the box and he converted the penalty. This was nothing more than a consolation however and Derry held on to renew a six point gap at the summit.

Finn Harps

1Mark McGinley Goalkeeper
2Conor Tourish Defender 46'
4Rob Slevin Defender
5Dave Webster Defender 86'
8Eric McWoods 10 Forward
9Yoyo Mahdy 12 Forward
11Barry McNamee Midfielder
17Elie-Gael N’Zeyi Midfielder 15'
21Bastien Hery 33 Midfielder
22Ryan Rainey Midfielder
24Ethan Boyle Defender
Gavin Mulreany Goalkeeper
26Erol Erdal Alkan Defender
19Regan Donelon Defender
10Mark Timlin 8 Midfielder
15Jose Carrillo Defender
12Luke Rudden 9 Forward
Nathan Logue Midfielder
33Filip Mihaljevic 21 Forward 91'
20Dylan Woods Midfielder

Derry City

1Brian Maher Goalkeeper
2Ronan Boyce Defender
6Eoin Toal Defender
9Jamie McGonigle 11 Forward
12Matty Smith Forward
14Will Patching Midfielder 87'
16Shane McEleney Defender
17Cameron McJannet Defender 22'
20Brandon Kavanagh 8 Midfielder
23Cameron Dummigan Midfielder
24Danny Lafferty Defender
1Nathan Gartside Goalkeeper
3Ciaran Coll Defender
8Joe Thomson 20 Midfielder
11James Akintunde 9 Forward
17Gerard Storey Midfielder
11Patrick McEleney Midfielder
25Evan McLaughlin Defender
29Jack Malone Midfielder
37Daithi McCallion Defender
  • That penalty proves to be nothing more than a consolation and it finishes Finn Harps 1-2 Derry City

  • 91'

    2-1 ! Mihaljevic converts a penalty after a Ciaran Coll foul and we could be in for a dramatic finish

  • 87'

    Patching converts the resulting free kick in some style. 2-0

  • 80'

    Mark Timlin replaces McWoods for the Donegal side

  • 76'

    Double sub from Higgins as James Akintunde and Joe Thomson replace McGonigle and Kavanagh

  • 71'

    Huge opportunity for Finn Harps. Barry McNamee clipped a ball in from deep and Webster's header loops over Maher but only on to the bar

  • 67'

    Luke Rudden replaces Yoho Mahdy as Horgan chases the equaliser

  • 65'

    Just past the hour mark and Derry appear to be taking the sting out of the game but the one goal difference keeps the Harps in it

  • 56'

    Filip Mihaljevic replaces Hery for the Balleybofey outfit

  • 54'

    Ruaidhri Higgins' team catch Finn Harps with the press launching an attack but the eventual shot from Smith was saved easily by McGinley

  • 52'

    Kavanagh's delivery's proving difficult again for Horgan's side again. This time McEleney connecting with it at the front post but his glancing header went wide

  • 46'

    Conor Tourish booked for Finn Harps after a collision with Maher in the Derry goal who tried to collect a deep free kick

  • The Candystripes remain 1 nil up as the half-time whistle blows

  • 42'

    A lovely sequence from Derry. A quick combination saw Kavanagh find Dummigan who laid it off for Jamie McGonigle but his effort curled wide of the post

  • 39'

    The visitors almost make good of a set piece for a second time. Kavanagh's ball found Lafferty this time who poked the dropping ball just wide

  • 34'

    Chance for Harps. Webster with a dangerous volley that trimmed the turf but drifted wide

  • 32'

    The Donegal side having a brighter patch now but struggling none the less to really get at the red and white defence

  • 25'

    This one has really livened up now. The home side almost responded immediately through a Yousef Mahdy shot that went just over and then Patching struck just wide from range at the other end of the pitch

  • 22'

    Goal from the resulting corner. Cameron McJannett with a brilliant header into the top corner from Kavanagh's delivery

  • 21'

    Cameron Dummigan with a rasping effort from the edge that had to be tipped over by McGinley

  • 16'

    A decent chance for Daniel Lafferty who headed just over from Shane McEleney cross

  • 15'

    Booking for Elie-Gael N'Zeyi following a strong challenge on Kavanagh

  • 10'

    Half-chance for Ollie Horgan\'s Harps as Ethan Boyle\'s cross finds the head of Eric McWoods but his header goes straight to Maher

  • 7'

    The visitors enjoying some calm early possession in the first 10 but no further chances of yet

  • 2'

    First big chance goes the way of the Candystripes. Brandon Kavanagh whips in a vicious ball but Matty Smith hits just wide

  • Derry team news: Michael Duffy and Ciaron Harkin remain out. Brian Maher and Will Patching start

  • Finn Harps team news: David Webster, Mark McGinley and Bastien Hery return to the starting 11. Ryan Connolly is out injured

  • 9th place Harps will look to appease the home crowd with an upset victory over their rivals Derry who sit at the summit of the division

  • Con Sheehan here reporting the North-West derby for FinalWhistle as Finn-Harps take on Derry in a moments time

Past Meetings

(Series 34)
1 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps v Derry City

(Series 27)
2 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium

Derry City v Finn Harps

(Round 2)
1 - 0
FAI Cup
Finn Park

Finn Harps v Derry City

(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

21 year old sports journalist from Drogheda. Student at Dublin City University. Drogheda United Correspondent for FinalWhistle.ie