Finn Harps denied as Akintunde strikes injury time winner for Derry

James Akintunde netted a dramatic 93rd minute winner as Derry City came from behind to deny Finn Harps on Sunday evening.

Finn Harps 1
Derry City 2

Ryan Graydon’s 80th minute strike cancelled out Robert Jones’ first Harps goal, but Akintunde had the decisive say to send Derry back into second spot.

Three minutes into added-on time, Graydon drew a foul from Harry Nicolson and Akintunde arrived at the far post to meet Will Patching’s free and send the Derry crowd in the 1,578 attendance wild.

UCD's 2-0 win at Sligo means Harps are now above the Students only on goal difference.

Derry had drawn level ten minutes from the end. Cameron Dummigan swept the ball forward from the right-back position. Graydon blindsided Ethan Boyle and the deftest of headers went past the advancing Mark Anthony McGinley, trickling into the net.

Graydon’s goal, his first for Derry, levelled after a first-half opener from Robert Jones that looked for long periods like giving Harps only a third win of the season.

An already-raucous Finn Park erupted in the 31st minute when Jones rose to plant Regan Donelon’s corner beyond Brian Maher.

Derry had been in control of things until then, but Jones - making his first appearance at Finn Park - gave Harps the precious advantage.

Ruaidhri Higgins, the Derry manager, rang the changes at half-time with new recruit Sadou Diallo, who arrived last week from Forest Green Rovers, and Brandon Kavanagh sent into combat.

Just before the first-half water break in a boiling Ballybofey, Matty Smith was close to opening the scoring. Will Patching invited the shot from Smith with a delicate touch and the Scottish attacker drilled a powerful attempt wide of the target.

Patching, who has haunted Harps in the last year, fired an early warning across the home brows. In the fourth minute, Dummigan’s excellent diagonal ball found Danny Lafferty on the left-hand side.

Lafferty teed up Patching but, after evading Ethan Boyle, he fired well over the River End goal.

The home nerves jangled just after Jones’ goal when Patching took aim from a free kick on the chalk of the Harps penalty box. Patching’s effort sailed well over and Harps could breathe.

Derry returned to Ireland on Friday morning following their 2-0 Europa Conference League defeat in Riga the previous night. Former Harps captain Ciaran Coll was restored to the Candystripes XI with Matty Smith and Jamie McGonigle also in from the off.

Derry had ownership of the ball for long periods in the first half and the second began in a similar manner.

The visitors almost levelled on the hour, but a downward header from Cameron McJannett, having met a teasing Patching free, flew back up and over the crossbar.

After a couple of weeks on the bench, McGinley returned as the Harps goalkeeper with Conor Tourish and Nicolson given starts by Horgan.

Sixteen minutes from the end, McGinley brilliantly turned over when Patrick McEleney tried his luck from 30 yards. McGinley had to be at his best as he reached up to tip the ball over his bar.

Finn Harps: Mark Anthony McGinley; Harry Nicolson (Luke Rudden 90+4), Conor Tourish, Rob Slevin; Ethan Boyle, Ryan Connolly (Filip Mihaljevic 62), Elie Nzeyi, Barry McNamee (Mark Timlin 62), Regan Donelon (Bastien Hery 62); Ryan Rainey (Sean O’Donnell 90+4); Rob Jones.

Derry City: Brian Maher; Cameron Dummigan, Shane McEleney, Cameron McJannett, Ciaran Coll; Patrick McEleney, Matty Smith (Ryan Graydon 60), Will Patching; Joe Thomson (Sadou Diallo h-t), Jamie McGonigle (James Akintunde 78), Danny Lafferty (Brandon Kavanagh h-t).

Referee: Derek Tomney.