Finn Harps move closer to play-offs with a win against Athlone Town

Finn Harps moved four points from the First Division play-offs with a 2-1 win over bottom club Athlone Town in Finn Park.

Conor Tourish opened the scoring just before the half an hour mark as he headed in from a Gavin McAteer corner, and Hans Mpongo doubled their lead on 69 minutes after a swift counterattack.

But substitute Dean Williams did well to reduce the deficit eight minutes later and set up a tense final quarter.

The Harps were unchanged from the 3-1 win over Bray Wanderers in the FAI Cup last 16 from seven days previous, as they looked to continue a run of just one defeat in six games.

Their opponents, on the other hand, were winless in 14 games, dating back to a win in Finn Park on May 9.

Ben Feeney and Gideon Tetteh both scored that night in a 2-0 win and were starting again, but they made four changes from their 6-1 defeat to league leaders Dundalk two weeks previous, with former Harps man Noe Baba coming back in.

And the game got off to a frantic start, a Feeney cross causing problems while Oran Brogan had to slide in to stop Gideon Tetteh as he was 1-on-1 with Lorenzo Piaia.

There were chances then at the other end, Gavin McAteer taking a shot that bounced in front of Lee Axworthy, who could only parry it to Hans Mpongo, but Reece Webb made a brilliant sliding tackle to block the shot for a corner.

Josh Cullen had a headed effort, but he didn’t connect well, while Billy Gilmore fired wide at the other end for an action-packed opening ten minutes.

The Harps grew into the game further after this and after a brilliant McAteer flick, a Gradi Lomboto cross was dangerous but Mpongo just couldn’t get to it, while a McAteer corner was glanced wide by Max Hutchison.

Derin Adewale did well to get Ben Feeney in for a 1-on-1 on the left of the box, but Piaia made the save and as the ball was cleared, it played Mpongo in 1-on-1 at the other end but Axworthy was equal to it.

But just before the half-hour mark, the opener came as McAteer’s corner found Conor Tourish at the back post, and the Letterkenny man headed in towards the near corner, Axworthy unable to keep it out.

Further chances fell to the home side as they pushed for a second, McAteer forcing another save from Axworthy who had to deal with another awkward bounce, while Joel Bradley Walsh’s free was headed goalwards by Hutchison but a deflection took the power out of the effort.

Lomboto did well to chase down a long ball ahead of a retreating Axworthy and as he played it back to McNamee at the corner of the box, he tried to bend it into the far corner, but he couldn’t get enough curl on the ball as it stayed 1-0 at the break, the last action as Kelende Thiam picking up a yellow late on for a poor challenge on Oran Brogan.

The second half didn’t have as fast a star, but the Harps would have been disappointed not to get a goal on 55 minutes after a couple of huge chances.

Firstly, McNamee played a pass to Hutchison at the edge of the box and his deft flick gave Mpongo a huge chance from 15 yards, but Axworthy made a brilliant foot save, with Lomboto’s rebound blocked by Kelende Thiam for a corner.

A near carbon copy of the opening goal followed as McAteer’s corner to the back post found Tourish, but this time he headed just wide.

The 1-0 lead wasn’t comfortable and Athlone, despite few chances, were beginning to press, and a corner ended with pinball in the box but the Harps countered and got their second.

It was two of the new men combining again as Idir Zerrouk picked up possession and played a through ball to Mpongo, who cut in and beat Kyle O’Connor to get the ball on his left foot in the box and he curled into the near left corner.

They almost had a third five minutes later as Mpongo again did well to get into the box and play in McAteer who laid it off to Oran Brogan, firing low from 25 yards, but his shot deflected off Dylan Hand and then Axworthy just got a touch to prevent the goal.

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And the deficit was halved two minutes later as substitute Dean Williams played a quick 1-2 with Feeney, Feeney flicking the ball into Williams who flicked the ball past Piaia and into the corner.

But while they pressed up, they were handed a setback as Kelende Thiam picked up a second yellow for a sliding challenge on Oran Brogan once again, having to play the final five minutes and an additional seven with ten men.

But the Harps controlled the game well in the final moments and held on to secure another win and move four points from the play-offs.

Treaty United, who occupy the final play-off spot, are up in Finn Park next Friday in what will be a huge game.

Finn Harps: Lorenzo Piaia; Josh Cullen, Conor Tourish, Joel Bradley Walsh, Idir Zerrouk; Max Hutchison, Oran Brogan, Tony McNamee; Gavin McAteer (Seaghan McCormick 87), Gradi Lomboto (Shaunie Bradley 87), Hans Mpongo (Ibrahima Bangoura 87).

Athlone Town: Lee Axworthy; Noe Baba (Stanislav Hulidov 87), Reece Webb, Dylan Hand, Kyle O’Connor (William Smith 76); Derin Adewale, Kelende Thiam, Billy Gilmore (Martin Scally 76), Gideon Tetteh (Dean Williams 65), Jason Oyenuga, Ben Feeney.

Referee: Glen Geraghty.