Bonagee United 0 – 5 Finn Harps

February 28, 2010

Walsh (70,88), McLaughlin (72), Forker (83), McHugh (84)                          

By Sam Hegarty

Five goals in the final twenty minutes helped Finn Harps continue their unbeaten pre-season campaign with a comprehensive 5 nil victory over Ulster Senior League side Bonagee United.

Finn Harps started the game the brightest and almost capitalized on the early dominance in the 8 th minute when Stephen McLaughlin's low cross found Kevin McHugh unmarked in the penalty area but the Killea native saw his effort hit the underside of the crossbar and come out.

McHugh came close once again from a McLaughlin cross after 15 minutes, this time keeper Lloyd Duffy denying McHugh his first goal for Harps since his return from Linfield. Duffy once again denied McHugh on 36 minutes this time Johnny Lafferty supplying the lively striker.

After a goalless first 45 minutes, which saw the hosts defend admirably, Bonagee began the second period much better.

On 65 minutes Bonagee managed to give Harps netminder Liam Mailey his first test of the game following good work by Aodhan Cannon. The youngster making a surging run down the left then squared the ball for Taylor Russell and his well struck effort was safely dealt with by Mailey.

From that moment on it was one way traffic, Stephen McLaughlin broke away down the right hand side, the Clonmany man cut inside onto his favoured left foot and his vicious strike was superbly saved by Duffy for a Harps corner.

The men in blue continued to put the Bonagee side under pressure and after 70 minutes Harps finally got their breakthrough.  A fine through ball from Lafferty fell to Davitt Walsh and the striker coolly finished for his 3 rd goal in 4 pre-season friendly games.

Harps quickly added to their lead with an acrobatic overhead kick from McLaughlin after McHugh's initial effort was saved.

McLaughlin and Walsh combined again in the 83 rd minute to play in Mark Forker to make it 3 nil. It was soon 4 when Marc Brolly done well to win the ball back from the advancing JP Doran his pass was met by McHugh who duly obliged by finding the net,  opening his Harps pre-season account.

The scoring was complete after 88 minutes when Davitt Walsh's solo effort found the net to make it 5 and to cap off a fine run out for James Gallagher's men who now have Longford Town up next in the opening game of the season.

Whilst the final score line shows the superiority of the Harps men, the hosts were in no way disgraced by their performance. For 70 minutes they defended superbly with Russell, McGinley and Darren Ashmore showing well.

Referee – Terence Moyne

Assistants – Stephen Toner and Con McLaughlin.

Line ups –

Bonagee United – Lloyd Duffy, JP Doran, Taylor Russell, Darren Ashmore, Sean McGinley, Dariusz Franco, Mark Harkin (Rory Harvey 84'), Eoin Sheridan, Aidan McLaughlin, Noel O'Donnell (Jason Ashmore 66'), Aodhan Cannon (Thomas Sheridan 66')

Finn Harps – Liam Mailey, Matthew Crossan, Johnny Minnock, James Doherty, Gary Crossan (Gary Whoriskey 67'), Marc Brolly (Fintan Bonner 85'), Johnny Lafferty (Chris McBride 85'), Mark Forker, Stephen McLaughlin, Kevin McHugh, Davitt Walsh

Subs – Shane O'Gara, Mark Moran, Oisin McMenimen, Michael Coyle

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