Finn Harps stun Cobh Ramblers in seven-goal thriller in Ballybofey

Much like the rain, the goals at Finn Park were non-stop as Finn Harps recorded only their second home win of the campaign in dramatic style, stunning Cobh Ramblers 4-3 in Ballybofey. 

Finn Harps 4 Cobh Ramblers 3

Ryan Flood and Wilson Waweru went toe-to-toe during the first half with the former twice hitting Harps back level to cancel out strikes from the player on loan from Galway United. 

Patrick Ferry's first goal for the club put the hosts in front before the hour  while Mikie Rowe found the back of the net  not long after and Sean O'Donnell popped up with the winner midway through the second-half.

The visitors, who came to Finn Park on the back of a decent run, fashioned the first opportunity of this encounter as Liam Kervick floated an effort narrowly wide with five minutes on the clock. 

Just shy of five minutes later, their next opening resulted in the first goal of an action packed first-half. 

Cian Browne provided the assist with a lofted ball in from the left side and Wilson Waweru grabbed that little bit of space needed to head home at the back post.

Harps would create three big opportunities in the minutes that followed as Patrick Ferry and Tony McNamee had back-to-back strikes parried by Lee Steacy. 

A gilt edged chance fell for Sean O'Donnell with a quarter of an hour gone but the youngster headed wide after a pinpoint cross from McNamee. 

Another period of five minutes had passed and Harps found their leveller with McNamee thinking quickly with a short corner. Ryan Flood was the recipient of the pass and he lashed home from the edge of the area. The game wasn't level for long though as Cobh regained the lead in style.

Dale Holland crossed the ball in low from the right and Waweru with his back to goal produced a neat back heel flick which left Heimer stranded. It was a goal similar to Evan Ferguson's for Brighton & Hove Albion against AFC Bournemouth back in April.

Parity was restored for the home side via a spot kick with less than ten minutes to go in the half as O'Donnell was upended by Brendan Frahill in the area.

Flood stepped up and calmly slotted his shot from 12 yards down the middle for his eighth goal of the campaign. 

From an eighth to a first, Finn Harps took the lead for the first time in the match shortly before hour as Patrick Ferry scored his first goal for the club. McNamee played through O'Donnell and the forwards shot was palmed into the path of Ferry who struck from close range. 

End-to-end would definitely be a term to describe this game of football as both sides had efforts cleared off the goal line in the moments before and after the hour with Waweru and Semi Scott Wara in the right place to help their respective teams.

The end-to-end nature meant another goal was always likely and that proved to be the case as Harps held their lead for only ten minutes. 

O'Donnell had an effort at one end but Cobh cleared as Waweru raced onto it and with his hold up play, he eventually found Mikie Rowe who found the bottom left corner with a strike which went just beyond the grasp of Heimer.

With just under 20 minutes to go, O'Donnell would get another sniff at goal and this one put Harps back in the lead. Max Hutchison drilled in a low cross from the right and with Steacy failing to get a hold of the ball, O'Donnell snatched at the opportunity to prod the ball into the back of the net.

Chances continued to rain down on Finn Park at both ends of the pitch and those final few moments seemed to stretch as Cobh had one final opportunity to bag a fourth with Steacy up for a last minute corner. Thankfully, Harps held on to edge this seven goal thriller. 

Finn Harps: Tim-Oliver Heimer; Daithi McCallion, Matty Makinson, Jamie Watson, Semi Scott Wara; Stephen Doherty, Tony McNamee, Max Hutchison, Ryan Flood; Sean O'Donnell, Patrick Ferry.

Subs: BJ Banda for Ferry (68), Caoimhin Porter for Hutchison (77), Noe Baba for McNamee (90 mins).

Cobh Ramblers: Lee Steacy; Michael McCarthy, Brendan Frahill, Charlie Lyons; Cian Browne, Pierce Phillips, Dale Holland, Dean Larkin, Liam Kervick; Wilson Waweru, Mikie Rowe.

Subs: Luke Casey for Larkin, Alec Byrne for Kervick (both 77), Luke Desmond for Lyons, Matthew McKevitt for Phillips (both 87).

Referee: Alan Patchell.