Details

Date Time League Season
5 November 2021 8:00 pm LOI Men's Premier Division 2021

Match Report

Late goals in North West Stalemate

The North West derby, finished all square at Finn Park, a 1-1 stalemate between Finn Harps and Derry City, the result sees Harps climb out of the relegation zone, as Waterford suffered a defeat at home.

A game of few chances on a typical wet Donegal night, the game kicked into action in the last five minutes, both teams found the net as Ethan Boyle sent a header into the net, while Jamie McGonigle put home a penalty, to snatch a point for the Candystripes.

It was a game with very few chances, but the final few minutes were entertaining and the atmosphere, inside the ground was electric as both sides pushed for the late winner, but that never came for both teams.

Harps started stronger with two chances in the opening 10 minutes, Tunde Owolabi broke through down the right, but fired into the side netting in the second minute, while Ethan Boyle let fly with a rocket, from outside the box but Nathan Gartside saved well, on the nine minute mark.

It remained with the Donegal outfit on top by the 15th minute, another half chance for Harps, Will Seymore played along ball to find Owolabi, whose shot takes a deflection and was gathered by Gartside, it remained deadlocked for the finish of the half, as Ollie Horgan's men looked dangerous.

The intensity levels rose in the second half, the tackles started to fly in and the cards were being shown, as neither side were giving an inch in a frantic opening few minutes, but both failed to create a chance in front of goal.

It took until the 84th minute for the deadlock to be broken, a free kick just outside the Derry area by Ryan Connolly, was floated into the danger zone, and Ethan Boyle ascended into the heavens, to fire a header into the back of the net.

Just as it looked like the Ballybofey men would park the bus, the referee pointed to the penalty spot for a handball, much to the dismay of the home players and supporters, substitute Jamie McGonigle stepped up and sent Mark McGinley the wrong way, to rescue a point in the 86th minute. 

Finn Harps

1Mark McGinley Goalkeeper
3Jordan Mustoe Defender 72'
4Kosovar Sadiki Defender
5Dave Webster Defender
6Ryan Connolly Midfielder
11Barry McNamee 19 Midfielder
14Mark Coyle Midfielder
22Ryan Rainey Midfielder
24Ethan Boyle Defender 84'
28Will Seymore Midfielder
45Babatunde Owolabi 12 Forward
40Gerard Doherty Goalkeeper
7Karl O’Sullivan Forward
8Johnny Dunleavy Defender
10Mark Timlin Midfielder
12Luke Rudden 45 Forward
16Shane McEleney Defender
17Dan Hawkins Forward
19Adam Foley 11 Forward
21Stephen Doherty Midfielder

Derry City

1Nathan Gartside Goalkeeper
3Ciaran Coll Defender
6Eoin Toal Defender 76'
8Joe Thomson Midfielder
10James Akintunde Forward
11Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe Forward
21Cameron McJannet 11 Defender 39'
23Bastien Hery 10 Midfielder
24Danny Lafferty Defender
29Jack Malone Midfielder
33Aaron Harkin Midfielder
30Jack Lemoignan Goalkeeper
7Will Fitzgerald Midfielder
10Jamie McGonigle 23 Forward 88'
11Ronan Boyce 21 Defender
17Gerard Storey Midfielder
20Darren Cole Defender
24Mark McChrystal Defender
25Evan McLaughlin Defender
31Patrick Ferry Forward
  • 90'

    Full Time in Donegal, a 1-1 draw in a frantic final few minutes, a valuable point for the Donegal outfit takes them out of the relegation zone

  • 92'

    Luke Rudden in for Tunde late on

  • 88'

    Jamie McGonigle slots home the penalty

  • 86'

    PENALTY DERRY

  • 84'

    FINN HARPS GET THE BREAKTHROUGH, ETHAN BOYLE HEAING HOME FROM A SET PIECE

  • 76'

    Both teams make a change, Adam Foley comes in for Barry McNamee, while Ronan Boyce is in for Cameron McJannett

  • 76'

    Both teams make a change, Adam Foley comes in for Barry McNamee, while Ronan Boyce is in for Cameron McJannett

  • 76'

    Eoin Toal is booked for Derry, he gets his name signed into the book

  • 72'

    Jordan Mustoe picks up a yellow card

  • 72'

    Sub for Derry as Jamie McGonigle comes in for Bastien Hery

  • 67'

    While it remains 0-0 here, Shamrock Rovers are 2-1 up on Waterford a result that interests Harps, while Sligo are 2-0 up at St Pats

  • 56'

    Ryan Rainey goes into the book for a rough tackle

  • 45'

    Half time at Ballybofey, 0-0 as neither side can be separated, 1-0 to Waterford at the RSC is not ideal for Harps

  • 39'

    First yellow card of the evening goes to McJannett after he hacks down Tunde

  • 9'

    Ethan Boyle unleashes a rocket of a strike, but Gartside does well to save

  • 2'

    Early chance for Tunde, he gets in behind but hits the side netting

  • Expect plenty of fireworks in what expects to be a frantic night of football in Donegal

  • Derry chase a European spot, and are six points behind Sligo Rovers, they also need the points to maintain their ambitions for next season, a squad with plenty of hunger, boyd by manager Ruaidhri Higgins at the helm

  • With two more weeks left in the league, victory for Harps tonight, sees them climb out of the relegation zone, should Waterford lose at home tonight, it is a valuable three points for the Donegal outfit

  • You are very welcome to Finn Park, for tonights SSE Airtricity League meeting between Finn Harps and Derry City, a game with major implications at both ends of the table, my name is Diarmuid Kearney and I will bring you live updates of tonight's meeting

  • You are very welcome to Finn Park, for tonights SSE Airtricity League meeting between Finn Harps and Derry City, a game with major implications at both ends of the table, my name is Diarmuid Kearney and I will bring you live updates of tonight's meeting

Past Meetings

(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

Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.