Details

Date Time League Season
9 July 2021 5:45 pm LOI Men's Premier Division 2021

Match Report

Waterford beat Harps in Ballybofey

Waterford secured three vital points at Finn Park, as they ran out 1-0 winners to boost their survival bid and reduce the gap between the two sides to just four points.

Debutant Quitirna Junior Armando sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot just before half time, before the hosts squandered their opportunity from the spot as Barry McNamee’s poor penalty was saved.

Waterford goalscorer Armando had only signed for the club earlier that day, alongside new arrivals Eddie Nolan, Jeremie Milambo and Anthony Wordsworth.

Finn Harps were the better side in the opening period and created a good chance for striker Sean Boyd, but his audacious overhead kick sailed over the crossbar.

The home side’s top goal scorer Adam Foley played a neat one-two with Boyd, with Foley going through one on one but Waterford goalkeeper Matthew Connor was quick to react.

Connor continued to struggle with Barry McNamee’s corners and required the help of his teammates heading the ball off the line, to keep the scores level.

On the stroke of half time, Waterford went in front, slightly against the run of play but Jordan Mustoe was judged to have handled the ball in the box and the referee pointed to the spot.

Debutant Armando stepped up to take the penalty and coolly dispatched it sending Mark McGinley in the Finn Harps goal the wrong way.

At the start of the second half, the home side were awarded the perfect opportunity to level the scores as Sean Boyd was judged to have been fouled by Eddie Nolan in the penalty area.

Playmaker McNamee stepped up to take the spot kick but his effort was poor and was well saved by Connor.

Finn Harps failed to create any meaningful clear-cut chances in the second half and Waterford held on for a huge victory.

The win takes the visitors up to 16 points, but the Blues remain in ninth place and in the relegation play-off position, four points behind their opponents who remain in eighth.

Finn Harps

1Mark McGinley Goalkeeper
3Jordan Mustoe 40 Defender
5Dave Webster 22 Defender
7Karl O’Sullivan Forward
8Johnny Dunleavy Defender
9Sean Boyd 45 Forward
11Barry McNamee Midfielder 58'
14Mark Coyle 6 Midfielder
19Adam Foley Forward
24Ethan Boyle Defender 62'
28Will Seymore Midfielder
Luke Rudden Forward
6Ryan Connolly 14 Midfielder 92'
20Conor Barry 22 Midfielder
20Niall Logue Defender
21Stephen Doherty Midfielder
22Ryan Rainey 20 Midfielder
23Joel Bradley-Walsh Defender
45Babatunde Owolabi 9 Forward 91'
40Gerard Doherty 3 Goalkeeper 78'

Waterford

13Matthew Connor Goalkeeper
2Darragh Power Defender
3Cameron Evans Defender
6Kyle Ferguson Defender
7Shane Griffin Midfielder
8Adam O’Reilly Midfielder
12John Martin Forward
14Niall O’Keeffe Midfielder
11Armando Junior Quitirna 10 Midfielder 45'
23Prince Mustwunguma Forward 80'
92'
46Eddie Nolan Defender
5George Forrest Defender
10Cian Kavanagh 11 Forward
16Katlego Mashigo Midfielder
17Max Hutchison Defender
19Jack Stafford Midfielder
21Isaac Tshipamba Mulowayi Midfielder
22Paul Martin Goalkeeper
16Jeremie Milambo Defender
  • 97'

    Full time: Finn Harps 0-1 Waterford

  • 96'

    The free kick comes to nothing and that could be it.

  • 94'

    Adam Foley wins a free kick in a dangerous position. Last chance saloon as Mark McGinley is up.

  • 94'

    Barry McNamee puts a delicious delivery in from the corner but Conor Barry's header flies over the crossbar.

  • 92'

    Prince Mustwunguma recieves a second yellow for a poor lunging challenge. Ryan Connolly has got involved and he has got booked as well.

  • 91'

    Yellow card for Babatunde Owolabi as he lets his frustration get the better of him.

  • 90'

    The fourth official has indicated there will be a minimum of six additional minutes to be played.

  • 87'

    Play resumes, it'll be interesting to find out how many additional minutes will be signalled considering the amount of stoppages in this second half.

  • 86'

    Anthony Wordsworth has gone down with a head injury, this suits Waterford but obviously not the home side.

  • 83'

    Ryan Connolly and Conor Barry replace Mark Coyle and Ryan Rainey for Finn Harps.

  • 80'

    Prince Mustwunguma is booked for simulation on the edge of the Finn Harps box.

  • 79'

    The corner comes to nothing.

  • 79'

    Corner to Waterford, won by Darragh Power.

  • 77'

    Doherty is booked for a foul on Darragh Power.

  • 74'

    Quitirna Junior Armando is replaced by Cian Kavanagh for Waterford.

  • 73'

    Dunleavy is okay to continue and play resumes.

  • 70'

    A break in play as Johnny Dunleavy is down receiving treatment.

  • 68'

    Mustoe is replaced by Doherty and Boyd is replaced by Babatunde Owolabi for Finn Harps

  • 62'

    Ethan Boyle is yellow carded for a foul on Eddie Nolan.

  • 59'

    Yellow card for Barry McNamee for a foul on Quitirna Junior Armando who was racing away on the counter attack.

  • 55'

    Shane Griffin has a shot from outside the box that is well held by Finn Harps goalkeeper Mark McGinley.

  • 52'

    Will Seymour does well to play in Adam Foley, and the striker one on one, hits the outside of the post.

  • 50'

    Darragh Power has a shot from distance that narrowly misses the Finn Harps goal and finds the side netting.

  • 47'

    Barry McNamee's penalty is saved brilliantly by Matt Connor but the penalty was poor and wasn't in the corner. Chance wasted by the hosts.

  • 46'

    Penalty to Finn Harps for a challenge on Sean Boyd by Eddie Nolan who went through the back of Boyd.

  • 46'

    We're back underway in the second half.

  • 48'

    Half time: Finn Harps 0-1 Waterford

  • 47'

    GOAL! Debutant Quitirna Junior Armando sends the keeper the wrong way, cooly dispatching the penalty.

  • 46'

    Penalty to Waterford for handball by Jordan Mustoe.

  • 45'

    The fourth official has indicated there will be a minimum of three additional minutes played at the end of the first half.

  • 42'

    Another corner to Finn Harps.

  • 42'

    Prince Mustwunguma works well down the left and gains possession and then puts a good ball into the box, that Darragh Power reaches but heads well wide of the Finn Harps goal.

  • 33'

    The ball is headed off the line as Matthew Connor struggles to deal with the delivery.

  • 32'

    Corner to Finn Harps.

  • 29'

    Prince Mustwunguma looks a threat in behind as Waterford continue to utilise their long ball threat.

  • 27'

    Mustoe produces a poor back pass that was almost caught by Prince Mustwunguma but goalkeeper Mark McGinley was quick to react.

  • 25'

    David Webster is forced to come off through injury and is replaced by Ryan Rainey.

  • 22'

    McNamee's corner is headed away by the Waterford defence.

  • 20'

    Corner to Finn Harps.

  • 19'

    Foley and Boyd exchange a one two and Finn Harps' top goal scorer Adam Foley gets a shot off but it is a comfortable save for Matthew Connor.

  • 15'

    The first chance of the game falls to Boyd, and his overhead kick is over the bar but great build up play by Harps down the right putting the opposing keeper under pressure, as they dominate the opening stages.

  • 12'

    Play resumes.

  • 11'

    It has been a very stop start to the game, as Sean Boyd is now down receiving treatment.

  • 9'

    Play is okay to continue.

  • 9'

    Another break in play as Barry McNammee is down receiving treatment.

  • 8'

    Play resumes as Webster looks okay to continue.

  • 7'

    A break in play as Eddie Nolan catches Dave Webster in the face and the defender is down receiving treatment inside his own penalty area.

  • 4'

    Sean Boyd has a shot from distance that is well wide of the goal.

  • 3'

    Waterford look to go route one in the opening stages of this match, whilst Finn Harps have opted for more attractive build up play.

  • 1'

    We're underway.

  • The weather in Donegal is currently 17 degrees Celsius, with a 12% chance of rain, humidity levels of 79% and winds of 4 mph.

  • The last time the two sides met was back in May, in which Finn Harps ran out 2-1 away winners at the Regional Sports Centre.

  • The visitors are the joint lowest goal scorers in the division with just 13 goals scored all season and to make matters worse they possess the leakiest defence, with a whopping 39 goals conceded. Waterford come into the game off the back of a 2-0 loss away to Derry City, which extended their poor run of just two wins in their last 12 games.

  • Waterford have endured a miserable time of their own, lying in ninth position on just 13 points from 19 games. The Blues occupy the relegation play-off position but are only four points clear of bottom side Longford Town in 10th place – Automatic relegation to the League of Ireland First Division.

  • They are currently seven points clear of their opponents Waterford, who lie in the relegation play-offs spot but know today is a must win game if they are to avoid bringing dragged into a relegation battle. Top goal scorer Adam Foley has found the back of the net eight times in 19 games this season and has been their key man during their campaign.

  • Ollie Horgan’s Harps currently lie in eight place on 20 points from 19 games, and come into the game off the back of a 3-1 loss away to Drogheda United. The home side are going through a poor run of form, only registering one win from their last 10 games and have conceded eight goals in their last three matches.

Past Meetings

(Series 13)
1 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre

Waterford v Finn Harps

(Series 4)
2 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps v Waterford

(Series 18)
1 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps v Waterford

(Series 9)
2 - 3
LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre

Waterford v Finn Harps

1 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Waterford FC

0 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre

Waterford FC v Finn Harps FC

3 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Waterford FC

4 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Regional Sports Centre

Waterford FC v Finn Harps FC

Ground

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

I am a Sports Journalism & PR graduate from Staffordshire University. During my time at Final Whistle, I have covered the LOI National League, international games and the Women’s National League. Outside of Final Whistle, I am a researcher for World Rugby and a writer for The Rugby Paper.