Finn Harps Under-19s still on course despite being denied by Blake and Derry

AN 85^th MINUTE GOAL by Convoy man Jack Blake earned Derry City a share of the spoils in this League of Ireland Under-19 clash at The Finn Valley Centre this evening. 

Finn Harps Under-19s 1 Derry City Under-19s 1

Harps led through Declan Sharkey’s 26^th minute penalty, but John Quigg’s young Candystripes made the home side pay dearly for not putting the game beyond their reach.

Stephen Mills was superbly denied at close-range by Harps goalkeeper Anthony O’Hagan only for Blake – who was up from defence to attack a set piece – turned home from the rebound.

Joe Boyle’s Harps will have left the chilly Stranorlar venue thinking they could and should have won it.

Indeed they could, but City netminder Dylan Doherty scooped up Sam Murphy’s late chance to keep his side on level terms.

Darragh Black flicked goalward from a corner and, with City failing to clear, Murphy hacked at the loose ball only for Doherty to thwart his advances.

Harps have been in excellent form throughout the season, a 3-1 loss at Sligo aside, and they remain perfectly poised to advance to the knockout phase as the winners of Section 3.

Harps have two games remaining and are top of the table, five points ahead of Dundalk, who take on Sligo Rovers tomorrow.

The opening was a somewhat scrappy picture with Cathal Farren denied by O’Hagan after the Derry striker got away with a shove on the Harps centre-back Daire Ó Baoill on his way through.

Starkey (pictured above) fashioned a decent opening at the other end, but a powerful shot was blocked by a defender.

However, Sharkey did break the deadlock soon after. Sharkey had his heels clipped by Doherty after he’d been fed by Black and referee Packie Coll pointed to the spot.

Sharkey assumed responsibility and smashed the penalty low to Doherty’s right-hand corner.

Mills and Derry cried foul when the City attacker went to ground, but those appeals fell on deaf ears while the away ‘keeper had to scramble away after Liam Doherty tried his luck from distance with an enterprising left-footed effort.

Simon McGlynn flicked over from Luke Nelis’s teasing cross while Keelan McDermott fired wide just after the start of the second half.

Derry began to grow into the game and Mills was off target after connecting with a through ball, but the Foylesiders evened it up when Blake pounced.

Finn Harps Under-19s: Anthony O’Hagan; Liam Doherty, Ciaran Kelly, Daire Ó Baoill, Luke Nelis; Simon McGlynn (Sam Murphy ’80), Keelan McDermott, Mark Coyle, Declan Sharkey (Eoin Slevin ’80); Darragh Black, Oisin Hassett.

Derry City Under-19s: Dylan Doherty; Paul Doherty (Matty Doherty ’49), Jack Blake, Sam Todd (Dean Power ’46), Lee McColgan (Sean Toland ’71); Adrian Delap, Gareth McFadden, Rory Holden, Ben Doherty; Cathal Farren (Stephen Duffy ’56), Stephen Mills.

Referee: Packie Coll.