Another miserable defeat for Finn Harps in Cobh  

Finn Harps were stuffed 5-1 away to Cobh Ramblers on Friday night with doubles from Mikie Rowe and Jack Doherty helping pile even more misery on Dave Rogers’ struggling side. 

Cobh Ramblers 5-1 Finn Harps 

The visitors had arrived in Cork second from bottom and without a win in their last six. Cobh, third in the First Division standings, were coming into the game off the back of a 2-0 win away in Waterford last time out. 

But Harps produced their best performance of the season last Friday night in Ballybofey when they just came up short, 2-1, in the FAI Cup, as Premier Division outfit St Patrick’s Athletic had to rely on a controversial late winner to stumble through to the last four. 

To be fair to Harps, having taken the lead through Patrick Ferry just 12 minutes in, they comfortably dealt with most of what the hosts were offering for the majority of the first-half. But a lapse in concentration just before the interval allowed Rowe in to square it. 

But a poor decision on a handball call nine minutes after the restart gifted the hosts the chance to go in front from the spot through Doherty. 

And with Harps going down to ten soon after following the sending off of O’Donnell, Cobh would take full advantage.

The first real shot at goal didn’t arrive until the 11th minute when Doherty’s ambitious free-kick effort from distance went a foot wide of Anthony Tuta’s right-hand post. 

But less than a minute later Harps, from their first attack, took the lead when super progress down the right from O’Donnell seen the Cardonagh teen pick out Ferry in the middle. 

To be fair to the Gweedore man, he did brilliantly to control the squared pass and in the same motion, strike to the far stanchion of the home net. 

On 19 minutes, Rowe’s dangerous corner had to be punched away from under his own crossbar by Tuta. Harps though continued to deal comfortably with whatever Cobh were mustering. 

Passing the half-hour mark, Michael McCarthy got down the right and while his low delivery into the area was good Matthew Makinson was on hand to divert the danger. 

Harps then earned a freekick with plenty of potential, left of centre, but certainly within the range of either Tony McNamee or Ryan Flood. But with the latter deciding to try to bend a cross around the corner the delivery was easily cut out. 

Nine minutes out from the break, a poor clearance from Tuta, allowed McCarthy to put Rowe in. But a heavy touch from the Cobh attacker allowed the relieved Harps stopper the chance to smother at his feet. 

To be fair to Tuta, he did very well to deny Matthew McKevitt an equaliser four minutes out from half-time. 

But terrible defending soon after, where Doherty was allowed to twist and turn without any real press or harry, seen the Cobh playmaker chip a ball inside to Rowe and his first-time strike inside Tuta’s near post eventually sent the teams in level at the break. 

Eight minutes into the new half and Harps, for the second week in succession, looked to be undone by a questionable refereeing decision. Doherty went across the area and tried to unleash an effort at goal. 

The strike looked like it came off the shoulder or upper part of Makinson’s arm. You certainly couldn’t have said he was stretching or that his arm was in an unnatural position but the man in charge still pointed to the spot. 

And even though Tuta guessed right and got a hand to Doherty’s spot kick, the power of the strike made sure it still hit the net. 

On the hour mark Harps’ night went from bad to worse as O’Donnell was dished successive yellow cards and, ultimately, a red when he tangled with Cian Browne.

With Harps tiring and a man down, they soon fell two behind when McKevitt finished well to the bottom corner of the net.  With the white flag going up from the visitors, Doherty teed up Rowe for his second of the night as Cobh went 4-1 up. 

With Harps capitulating completely at this stage, Dohery also nabbed a double 17 minutes out from the end. Harps did have a chance to pull one back from the spot but a miserable evening got even worse when McNamee’s tame penalty was easily dealt with by Steacy. 

So it’s a seventh straight defeat for the Ballybofey side and a long journey back towards the northwest empty-handed. 

Cobh Ramblers: Lee Steacy; Michael McCarthy (James O’Leary, 84), Brendan Frahill, Charlie Lyons, Cian Browne; Mikie Rowe, Justin Eguaibor, Jason Abbott, Alec Byrne (Dale Holland, 65; Jack Doherty, Matthew McKevitt (Luke Desmond, 84).  

Finn Harps: Anthony Tuta; Stephen Doherty, Jamie Watson, Matthew Makinson, Seamus Keogh; Sean O’Donnell, Tony McNamee, Max Hutchison, Ryan Flood; Patrick Ferry (Max Johnston, 67); BJ Banda (Aaron McLaughlin, 67). 

Referee: Oliver Moran.