Three first half goals ease Cobh Ramblers to victory at Finn Harps

A powerful first half display paved the way for Cobh Ramblers to get the better of bottom of the table Finn Harps in Ballybofey. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile.

Finn Harps 1 Cobh Ramblers 3

A powerful first half display paved the way for Cobh Ramblers to get the better of bottom of the table Finn Harps in Ballybofey as they continued their recent revival in a bid to secure a promotion play-off berth.

In what was the proverbial game of two halves, Cobh were vastly superior before the break by which time the points were effectively in the bag. But credit goes to Harps for a spirited second half which will have pleased prospective Filipino millionaire investor Freddy Gonzalez who was in the Finn Park crowd.

Fran Rockett’s charges were ahead after just four minutes when Dara McCormick drilled the ball home after Harps failed to clear a corner.

And they doubled their advantage in the ninth minute when Rhys Gourdie, in space, curled the ball in from just outside the box to silence the Finn Park faithful in what was one of the smallest attendances of the season.

Cobh then made it 3-0 on the half-hour with Anthony Adenopo firing in from an acute angle as the young and inexperienced Harps side continued to struggle.

Having conceded 13 goals in their three previous games, Harps interim head coach Patrick McEleney must have been a concerned man trooping off at the interval, and may have feared the worst. But the half-time team-talk seemed to inspire his side.

The Donegal side got a boost in the 49th minute when Shaunie Bradley was fouled by goalkeeper Timothy Martin as he ventured into the box, and he duly despatched the spot-kick.

This really lifted Harps who enjoyed far more possession and carved out a number of chances, including a goal-bound Bradley header that was blocked.

But the result was never in doubt and Cobh move up to fourth spot while for Harps it was ultimately a sixth league defeat on the trot.

Finn Harps: Sheridan; Cullen, Brogan, Preston-Holder (J. McAteer, 68 min), Coyle; McLaughlin (McDaid, 83 mins), McKenlay (Doherty, 73 mins), Harkin, Monteiro (McNamee, h-t); G. McAteer; Bradley (Priosti, 71 mins).

Cobh Ramblers: Martin; Honohan, Coleman, Curtin (Zbiriwski, 58 mins), Le Bervet; Griffin, McCormick (Crowe, 83 mins); Adeyemi, Gourdie, Adenopo (O’Neill, 83 mins); Stjernberg (Kelly-Noon, 66 mins) 

Referee: D. MacGraith