Success Edogun on target as Finn Harps recover from sending off to draw with UCD

Success Edogun's seventh goal of the season earned Finn Harps – who played from the 25^th minute with 10 men – a fine draw with UCD at Finn Park.

Edogun fired back after Jake Doyle's first-half opener for UCD with Sean O'Donnell's sending off lengthening the odds for Harps.

However, Darren Murphy's men secured a point as they head for the mid-season break.

Trailling to Doyle's goal, netted three minutes before half-time, Harps were back on level terms in the 53rd minute. Aaron McLaughlin slipped the ball through for Edogun, who kept his composure and neatly fired past Kian Moore.

Harps had a little momentum now and Tony McNamee's effort was palmed away by Moore, who soon after smothered from Patrick Ferry's attempted centre.

The Thursday night fixture list – owing to the start of the European Championships the following night – resulted in a drop in attendance with 668 making their way to Finn Park. There was plenty for them to digest.

Harps were dealt a major blow just past the midway point in the first half when O'Donnell was sent off. O'Donnell initially went to ground following a challenge by Adam Verdon. A free the other way was given and in retaliation O'Donnell seemed to lead with his head towards Verdon's midriff as he rose.

Referee Alan Patchell reached for his hip pocket and O'Donnell – who was given two red cards last season – was sent for a long walk and early shower.

UCD hit the front in the 42nd minute. Doyle stepped inside Luke O'Brien and fired past Tim Hiemer for his sixth goal of the campaign

Doyle almost repeated the trick 90 seconds later but, this time from 20 yards out, his effort whizzed past the post.

The game was preceded by a minute's silence for Donegal football stalwart Dessie Kelly, the Letterkenny native who passed away on Thursday having given a lifetime of service to the game in the county.

O'Donnell was included as one of three changes made by Murphy to the XI that began the previous week's 2-0 defeat in Cobh.

Aaron McLaughlin and Hiemer were also included with Conor Walsh, Patrick Ferry and David Cawley dropping to a bench that included Kevin Jordan for the first time this season, the Buncrana man returning from an injury sustained in pre-season.

Before his sending off, O'Donnell was involved in a fine Harps move down the left-hand side with his dangerous cross just narrowly missing the in-rushing Tony McNamee.

In the 19^th minute, Edogun went to power his way past both Niall Holohan and Eanna Clancy. He looked to have done exactly that but, just as he shaped to shoot, Clancy came in with a perfectly-timed tackle to halt his gallop.

Unbeaten since early May, UCD came to Ballybofey in decent form, that recent sequence including four draws and one win. Buncrana native William O'Connor, the UCD manager, was without Ciaran Behan and Adam Wells for the voyage to Donegal.

The Students began well with Noe Baba needed to make a brave block from a powerful Danu Kinsella-Bishop effort while Luke O'Regan's low shot was gathered by Hiemer.

The Harps 'keeper produced a big save to deny Kinsella-Bishop in the 63^rd minute, palming away out his right.

As the clock ticked, Harps coach Eamon Curry was sent off as the home bench voiced their displeasure when Hiemer was penalised for handling outside the penalty area. Their anger seemed justified, but the officials believed otherwise. 

UCD's Eanna Clancy, who scored twice in their 2-1 win over Kerry the previous week, almost won it for the visitors, but he shot wide from a good position.

Deep into the six minutes of added time, Hiemer saved from Doyle, preventing any late twist to the tale.

Finn Harps: Tim Hiemer; Jamie Watson, Noe Baba, Matthew Makinson, Luke O'Brien; Success Edogun (David Cawley 90+3), Stephen Doherty (Max Johnston 81), Ryan Rainey, Sean O'Donnell; Tony McNamee; Aaron McLaughlin (Patrick Ferry 61).

UCD: Kian Moore; Alex Dunne, Eanna Clancy, Niall Holohan, Luke O'Regan; Adam Verdon; Michael McCullagh, Ronan Finn (Hugh Parker 14), Jake Doyle; Michael Raggett (Stephen Mohan 81), Danu Kinsella-Bishop (Colin Bolton 81).

Referee: Alan Patchell.