Finn Harps 1 – 0 Longford Town
By Stuart Connolly at Finn Park
For the first time this season, Finn Harps registered three wins on the bounce.
After victories against Cobh Ramblers and Athlone Town, a Success Edogun penalty very early in the second half helped them to another three points in their quest for a play-off spot.
That final place is well within reach, as Harps now sit just one point behind Bray Wanderers, although they do have a game in hand.
Fresh off the back of a confidence booster against Athlone Town, Darren Murphy named the same starting eleven.
Wayne Groves implemented two changes to his Longford Town side that emerged victorious against Bray Wanderers last week as Dean O’Shea earned a spot from the word go, while former Harps midfielder Bastien Hery, whose every touch was greeted with a chorus of boos, also started.
Harps began on the front foot, but it was a moment of hesitation from the visitors that created the first opportunity. Harry Halwax delayed his clearance, and that allowed Max Johnston to pounce, but the netminder was able to smother the attempted shot after five minutes.
At the other end, Viktor Serdeniuk tested his luck from a distance; it looked harmless, but a slight deflection ensured Oisin Cooney had to scramble to force it wide.
Beyond that chance, Harps were the ones getting into the dangerous positions, but a clear sight at goal evaded them. Patrick Ferry was able to find Johnston with a precise cross from the right, but under pressure from Jamie Egan, his effort was off target.
Jamie Watson was the next to have an obstructed sight at goal, and he did manage to get a shot off, but it was cleared away from danger by Egan.
With ten minutes left in the half, Success Edogun sliced an effort wide, while Longford squandered a gilt-edged chance with the halftime whistle moments away. Hery split the home defence with his pass, and it sent Daniel Norris on a path to meet Cooney, but from less than 15 yards out, he placed his shot wide of the mark.
Success Edogun slotting away his penalty against Longford for his 10th goal of the season for Harps. Image: Northwest NewsPix
Less than 30 seconds into the second half, Finn Harps were awarded a spot kick after Hutchison was fouled by Viktor Serdeniuk.
Edogun stepped up and calmly converted to take his tally for the season into double digits.
The chances kept happening at regular intervals after the opening goal, but Halwax’s exploits thwarted Harps from finding a second.
Tony McNamee blasted a thunderous volley just wide of the goal prior to the hour, while a shot from David Cawley met the gloves of the Longford goalkeeper.
Edogun also had an opportunity to make it a brace in successive games, but the body of Halwax got in the way.
Norris was also on the hunt for a goal in back-to-back games, but a late speculative effort floated wide of the target.
Harps kept Longford at bay in the latter stages of the match to pick up their second clean sheet in the last three.
Finn Harps: Oisin Cooney; Jamie Watson, Noe Baba, Matthew Makinson, Kevin Jordan; David Cawley, Tony McNamee, Max Hutchison; Patrick Ferry, Max Johnston(Aaron McLaughlin ht, Sean Patton 76), Success Edogun.
Longford Town: Harry Halwax; Kyle O’Connor, Eric Yoro, Jamie Egan, Dean O’Shea; Emre Topcu, Karl Chambers (Chris Lotefa 76), Bastien Hery(Emmanuel James 76), Viktor Serdeniuk, Daniel Norris; Francis Campbell (Jordan Adeyemo 76).
Referee: Oliver Moran