Early second half penalty gives Finn Harps the edge over Longford Town

Finn Harps . . . 1 Longford Town . . . 0

Longford Town are still a couple of points adrift of Kerry FC at the foot of the First Division table with a penalty converted by Success Edogun in the early stages of the second half yielding the vital only goal for Finn Harps in Ballybofey on Friday night. 

With five league games remaining the Town can still avoid the anguish of a bottom place finish but it is a different story for the Donegal side who are strongly in contention to reach the promotion play-offs, just a point behind Bray Wanderers in fifth position in the fierce battle for a return to the Premier Division. 

It was third successive win for Harps, much to the sheer delight of their enthusiastic supporters among the official attendance of 1,014 at Finn Harps. Edogun blasted home a 47th minute spot kick to clinch all three valuable points for the home side. 

Max Hutchison – fed by half-time replacement Aaron McLaughlin - was taken down just inside the penalty area. Referee Oliver Moran pointed to the spot and Edogun made no mistake.

The goal, the 23-year-old's 10th of the season, lifted a timid affair considerably and captain Tony McNamee powered wide from the edge of the box moments later.

On the back of a 4-1 win over Athlone Town the previous week – their biggest win so far in 2024 - Darren Murphy kept an unchanged line-up on an emotional night for the Harps boss. The game was preceded by a minute's silence in memory of his father Bertie, who was laid to rest on Wednesday.

Harps might have nicked an early lead when an error by Harry Halwax, the Town  goalkeeper, presented Max Johnston with a chance. Johnston, though, couldn't convert.

Edogun, who scored twice in the big win at Athlone, found himself with a sight of goal soon after but the striker was unable to hit the target.

Longford had won just once in their previous eight games and that came six days earlier  when a Daniel Norris goal secured a badly needed 1-0 win over Bray last weekend.

Former Harps player Bastien Hery and Dean O'Shea came into the Longford starting team with Shane Elworthy and Ross Fay dropping out.

Longford fired a timely warning in the 14th minute. Ukrainian midfielder Viktor Serdeniuk saw his effort from 25 yards deflect past the reach of Harps keeper Oisin Cooney but out for a corner.

At the other end, Ferry and Johnston combined to good effect with the latter seeing a teasing first-time cross hacked away at the front post.

Longford should have led at the break but Daniel Norris, having beaten the offside trap, prodded inches wide with only Cooney to beat. The collective exhale around Finn Park was enough to explain the moment.

Harps had the perfect start to the second half thanks to Edogun's penalty and not long past the hour mark David Cawley drilled into the hands of Halwax from a long range strike. 

With 12 minutes to go, Edogun forced Halwax into action with a thumping attempt.

Serdeniuk wasn't far away again to send a blast of nervous energy through Finn Park in the 81st minute but Harps had done enough to come out on top and Longford manager Wayne Groves must now lift his players for a crunch clash against Wexford FC at Bishopsgate on Saturday September 21, kick-off 7.30pm. 

FINN HARPS: Oisin Cooney; Matthew Makinson, Noe Baba, Kevin Jordan; Jamie Watson, David Cawley, Max Hutchison, Max Johnston (Aaron McLaughlin h-t (Sean Patton 76); Tony McNamee; Patrick Ferry, Success Edogun.

LONGFORD TOWN: Harry Halwax; Dean O'Shea, Karl Chambers (Emmanuel James 76), Jamie Egan, Kyle O'Connor; Eric Yoro, Emre Topcu, Viktor Serdeniuk, Daniel Norris; Bastien Hery (Jordan Adeyemo 76), Francis Campbell (Chris Lotefa 76).

Referee: Oliver Moran.