Setback for out of tune Town as Harps claim surprise victory

Tullamore"s attempt to become genuine promotion contenders took a setback last Sunday when Finn Harps came away from Leah Victoria Park with a surprise away victory. The high flying home side were looking to capitalise on their recent good form against second from bottom Harps but, as so often happens in football, things didn"t go according to plan. As expected Tullamore enjoyed the better of the early exchanges with Kevin Duffy and Darren Coleman combining to set up Brian Francis and his fine 20-yard effort was brilliantly tipped around the post by Liam Mailey. With ten minutes gone, Stephen Francis played a lovely ball through to Mark Goodings but Darren McGowen got back to clear the danger, while at the other end Eoghan O"Shea did well to block a 25-yard piledriver from Fintan Bonner. Town nearly made the breakthrough on 20 minutes when Goodings got on the end of a Kevin Duffy free, but his header was well saved by Mailey down low to his left. With O"Shea dominant at the back Harps were unable to create any clear-cut chances and were fortunate when Goodings latched onto a fine ball over the top from Stephen Duffy, but he was ruled to be fractionally offside. With half-time approaching, Coleman was taken down 30 yards out, and again Mailey did well to parry Kevin Duffy"s free kick as the sides remained scoreless at the interval. Tullamore were straight into the attack on the restart and another Duffy free kick created real danger as Brian Francis saw his header flash inches wide of the left hand post. Michael Hoey then played a fine ball over the top to Mark Goodings but he was crowded out, while at the other end Brian Lafferty picked the ball up from a throw-in and fired in a vicious cross shot which O"Shea did well to head out for a corner. The home side"s tendency to bypass midfield by playing long balls forward to Goodings and Hoey was handing possession back to the visitors on a regular basis, and this eventually proved their undoing on 70 minutes. Fintan Bonner picked the ball up wide on the right and his speculative cross eluded both the defence and keeper Joe Mooney and nestled in the far corner of the net for a somewhat fortuitous goal. With new signing Mark Dunne coming on, Town went all out for an equaliser and again went close when Brendan Bracken got on the end of a Darren Coleman corner, but his header went wide and then Kevin Duffy played a great ball through to Mark Goodings at the far post, but he just failed to control it and the chance was lost. Harps were desperately unlucky not to go further ahead when Mark Moran crashed a tremendous free kick off the underside of the crossbar with Gavin McGlanaghey knocking home the rebound only to be flagged offside. But they were not to be denied on 75 minutes, when Patrick Bonner broke clear on the right and cut the ball back for James Doherty to send a rocket into the top left hand corner of the net for a superb goal. With Gary Buckley and Ross Whittaker coming on, the home side tried manfully to get back in the game but the Donegal boys held out for a well deserved victory. Despite this defeat, Tullamore are still in fourth place in the table but following on their recent good form this was a strangely lacklustre performance which manager Mark Dempsey will be hoping to correct before their visit to Castlebar on Saturday week. Tullamore Town: Joe Mooney, Stephen Francis, Eoghan O"Shea, Brendan Bracken, Shane Mannion, Stephen Duffy, Brian Francis, Kevin Duffy, Darren Coleman, Mark Goodings and Michael Hoey. Subs: Mark Dunne, Gary Buckley, Ross Whittaker, Michael Kenaney, Willie Duffy and Mark Clohessy. Sponsor The Finn Harps match was kindly sponsored by Hugh Lynch"s Public House, Kilbride Street, Tullamore. Sympathy Tullamore Town FC would like to extend sincere sympathy to John Minnock and his family on the tragic and untimely death of his seven-year-old grandson Dylan. Youths Training Training for Tullamore Youths will commence next Sunday, 19th July, in Leah Victoria Park at 12.00 noon.