Finn Harps left to settle for a point as disputed penalty earns Cork City a share

It said a lot that the big Finn Park attendance left disappointed with a share of the spoils here.

A hotly-disputed penalty, converted by Cork City ace Jack Doherty, 20 minutes from the end, saw Finn Harps settle for a point.

The home followers in the 2,010 crowd were aggrieved as they filtered out into the cool Ballybofey night after Success Edogun broke the deadlock.

Harps were good value for the lead until that moment when Doherty struck the dagger.

Harps took the lead in the 17^th minute when Edogun reacted quickest when Sean Murray sliced an attempted back-pass to his goalkeeper, Bradley Wade.

Edogun, a closed-season signing from Treaty United, won the race and coolly finished to the River End net from 35 yards, his second goal in as many games.

Cork levelled 20 minutes from the end when Jack Doherty hammered home a penalty.

Marc Lynch, the referee, drew the ire from the big home crowd – and Harps coach Kevin McHugh, who got booked for his trouble – when he pointed to the spot. Falling defender Matty Makinson was adjudged to have handled and Doherty firmly dispatched from 12 yards.

In a first half where chances counted as low as the temperature, following the breakthrough goal, Tony McNamee was over the top with an attempt that was always rising.

Patrick Ferry also cleared the Cork crossbar before the hosts had to absorb some pressure as Cork – who brought a good visiting support the length of the country – began to grow into the game.

A Harry Nevin shot from distance, routinely dealt with by Harps 'keeper Tim Hiemer, was as close as they came in the opening 45 minutes.

Harps came from 2-0 down to defeat Longford Town in their season opener six nights previously when Mark Mbuli bagged a dramatic stoppage time winner.

Max Hutchison came in for the injured Aaron McLaughlin in the only enforced change made by Harps boss Darren Murphy with Makinson given the nod to play having been rated as doubtful in the build-up.

Edogun might well have doubled the lead eleven minutes into the second half but, having connected with McNamee's chipped pass, but his effort was much too high to trouble Wade.

In the 65^th minute, Edogun, this time threaded in by Ferry, shot wide in a position from which he would've expected to hit the target.

Tim Clancy has been embarking on something of a rebuild in the winter months following Cork's relegation in November, but they arrived in the north west buoyed by a Jack Doherty double in a 2-0 win in front of 5,603 at Turner's Cross.

Cork showed three alterations to their XI with John O'Donovan, Niall Brookwell and Barry Coffey all in from the off.

Derry native Evan McLaughlin tried some acrobatics just before the hour, but his overhead kick flew wide.

Harps captain McNamee had a free kick beaten away for a corner by Wade at one end while Doherty curled over with a free at the other as both went in search of sneaking a win.

In the final minute, a Makinson's header was miraculously kept out and there was to be no repeat of the last-gasp heroics from Bishopsgate.

Finn Harps: Tim Hiemer; Jamie Watson, Noe Baba, Matty Makinson. Shane McMonagle; Patrick Ferry (Mark Mbuli 68), Max Hutchison, David Cawley, Tony McNamee, Stephen Doherty (Darragh Coyle 83); Success Edogun.

Cork City: Bradley Wade; Niall Brookwell (Cathal O'Sullivan h-t), Cian Coleman, Charlie Lyons; Harry Nevin, Barry Coffey, Jack Doherty, Sean Murray, Evan McLaughlin (Jaden Umeh 76), John O'Donovan; Nathan Wood.

Referee: Marc Lynch.