By Chris McNulty in Ballybofey
Finn Harps 1-0 Longford Town
Ryan Curran was the hero of the hour for Finn Harps as his 57th-minute penalty sent Finn Harps on their way to a win over Longford Town in the SSE Airtricity League at Finn Park.
Curran tucked home from the spot after Ethan Boyle’s energetic surge down the right flank took him into the box, where his heels were clipped.
The striker kept his cool to finish for his second goal of the season and earn Harps their second victory of the campaign.
Newly-promoted Harps had made a useful start to life in the top flight with four points from their opening four games, including an opening day win over Derry and last weekend’s draw with Sligo – in a game abandoned after 87 minutes because of partial floodlight failure.
Jamie Mulhall twice came to Longford’s rescue in the opening half after Harps took some time to settle into things.
The defender hacked off the goal line in the 11th minute after Ryan Curran’s slick effort looked to have fired Harps in front. Curran was put through by Tony McNamee and slid beyond goalkeeper Paul Skinner, only for Mulhall to intervene.
Mulhall stepped in again late in the half when he got ahead of Curran to a teasing Adam Hanlon cross from the left. At the back post, Curran was set to nod home, but Mulhall kept the deadlock intact.
Longford, still reeling from their recent 6-0 loss to Cork City, had started the more purposeful, but Philip Gannon flew a shot just inches over the Harps crossbar and Richard Brush got out to deny on-loan striker Josh O’Hanlon.
Harps had a real purpose about them with Curran, Dave Scully and Keith Cowan all going close before Adam Hanlon screwed badly wide when initially doing well to get into a good position.
Just when there was a sense growing that it would be ‘one of those nights’, Curran netted.
Longford should have drawn level when Peter McGlynn squared for Kealon Dillon, but he fired wide from a glorious position on the edge of the Harps box.
Harps lost their way a little after getting in front and the nerves whistled down Navenny Street as the clocked ticked on.
They would soon rest easy as their side clung on for dear life – and a precious three points.
Finn Harps: Richard Brush; Damien McNulty, Packie Mailey, Keith Cowan, Ciaran Coll; Adam Hanlon, Ethan Boyle, Gareth Harkin, Dave Scully (Kevin McHugh 74); Tony McNamee (Raymond Foy 79); Ryan Curran (Michael Funston 86).
Longford Town: Paul Skinner; Mark Hughes, Noel Haverty, Daniel O’Reilly, Jamie Mulhall; Kealon Dillon (John McKeown 82), Philip Gannon, Peter McGlynn (Karl Chambers 69), Kaleem Simon; Josh O’Hanlon, David O’Sullivan.
Referee: Derek Tomney.
