Finn Harps are still searching for their first League win of 2019 as David Parkhouse struck a late brace for Derry City in a fiery north-west derby.
Finn Harps 2 Derry City 3
By Chris McNulty at Finn Park. Pictures by Joe Boland, North West News Pix
Parkhouse headed home from Jamie McDonagh’s cross eight minutes from time to edge the pendulum in the Candystripes’ favour.
Deep into added time, the Strabane man slotted in from an acute angle after getting the better of Ciaran Gallagher in a race for possession.
Mikey Place converted a late spot-kick for the hosts, but the final whistle shrilled and Declan Devine’s side move into third after a hard-fought win over ten-man Harps, who had Colm Deasy sent off.
Nathan Boyle cancelled out the Derry opener, scored by Donegal native Adrian Delap, but Parkhouse sent the Derry fans in the 2,228 Finn Park crowd singing into the night.
Ray native Delap drilled in off the underside of Ciaran Gallagher’s crossbar eight minutes into the second half.
Ciaron Harkin’s quick free fed Delap, who ventured back in after delivering a cross from the right.
Junior Okedi-Uzokwe’s drag-back was a little behind Delap, but the 20-year-old improvised and crashed home.
Eight minutes before half-time, Deasy was sent off after scything down former Harps player Ciaran Coll close to the half-way line.
Deasy’s tackle was reckless, the red card came instantly and, after a lengthy spell of treatment on the side of the pitch, Coll was carted off on a stretcher and Delap was given an earlier-than-anticipated introduction.
Harps were level 16 minutes form the end as Boyle tucked home from close range after Sam Todd helped on John Kavanagh’s delivery.
Re-energised by the goal, Harps went in search of another and Daniel O’Reilly, played around the back of Derry’s wall by the quick-thinking Caolan McAleer, riffled over the top.
Harps were incensed in the 22nd minute when Boyle had the ball in the net only for Neil Doyle, the referee, to chalk it off. Derry goalkeeper Nathan Gartside’s kick out cannoned off the back of Sam Todd and Boyle rolled in.
Derry – and Gartside in particular – were given a fortunate reprieve with Todd booked amid the confusion. An animated Ollie Horgan was livid on the sideline – and replays showed the Harps boss’ ire was justified.
The tone was set in the opening minute when Coll fouled McAleer in front of a baying Town End Terrace, who got an early opportunity to ‘welcome’ their former captain back to Finn Park.
Conor McDermott and McDonagh were restored to the Derry XI in place of Eoghan Stokes and Darren Cole in two switches made by Devine to the side from last week’s win over Sligo Rovers.
Harps had started brightly with McAleer curling over the top after a surging run on the left channel.
Derry came close 14 minutes in when Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe headed over from David Parkhouse’s cross. The Candystripes were closer still when Harkin clipped just over from a Barry McNamee centre.
As Derry turned the screw, Greg Sloggett headed off target from a Parkhouse throw-in before Ciaran Gallagher palmed away from McDonagh after McNamee’s delicious pass invited the shot
Harps showed two changes from the side that lost 4-0 to Waterford United last weekend, with Jacob Borg and Tony McNamee coming in for the suspended Mark Coyle and the injured Raffaele Cretaro.
For McNamee, it was a first League start since his return to the club and it put him in direct combat with older brother Barry, Derry’s captain.
O’Reilly came close to levelling for Harps 20 minutes into the second half. As O’Reilly bent to head in from McAleer’s corner, Gartside did well to block and Derry managed to avert the danger in a claustrophobic six-yard box.
All the goals arrived in an eventful second half and Harps end the night five points from safety and already appearing as if they’re clamouring for their lives.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Niall Logue, Keith Cowan, Sam Todd; Colm Deasy, John Kavanagh, Jacob Borg, Tony McNamee, Daniel O’Reilly; Caolan McAleer; Nathan Boyle (Mikey Place 82).
Derry City: Nathan Gartside; Conor McDermott (Darren Cole 57), Eoin Toal, Ally Gilchrist, Ciaran Coll (Aidy Delap 41 (Eoghan Stokes 85)); Jamie McDonagh, Greg Sloggett, Ciaron Harkin, Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe; Barry McNamee; David Parkhouse.
Referee: Neil Doyle.
