Posted online: Jun 5th, 2008

UCD 1
Finn Harps 0
Finn Harps find themselves back in the relegation zone after Ronan Finn’s first goal of the season gave UCD victory in the Belfield Bowl on Friday.
The Ballybofey outfit were leap-frogged in the table by their fellow strugglers following the defeat. The only goal of the match came on 56 minutes when Brian King’s shot was deflected off Conor Kenna and into the path of Finn. The midfielder showed good composure to put the ball past Gavin Cullen from 10 yards out.
The poorly-attended match was a fairly dull affair with no goal chances until the 32nd minute. Finn Harps were the first to have a shot when Stephen Parkhouse knocked the ball down to Conor Gethins, who had a shot on the turn. UCD net-minder, Matt Gregg, dived to comfortably save his effort.
This spurred on UCD who finished the first half as the stronger team. Harps were lucky not to concede a goal just before half-time and only some impassioned defending stopped a goal.
Derek Doyle’s header from Sean Harding’s corner was goal-bound but right-back Sean Roddy cleared it off the line with a diving header. Alan McNally’s follow-up header was saved by Cullen and Harps’ fans breathed a sigh of relief going into the break.
Paul Hegarty’s men came out strongly in the second half and were unlucky not to take the lead early on. Parkhouse got on the end of a Gethins free-kick and headed the ball over Gregg but the UCD keeper recovered in time to get back and clear the danger.
The break went UCD’s way when they got the goal following the fortuitous deflection although Harps were unlucky not to equalise six minutes later when Parkhouse’s deflected shot struck the crossbar.
UCD: Gregg, Harding, Bermingham, Kenna, McNally, King, Fitzgerald, Finn, Purcell (Reilly 76), Doyle, McWalter (McMillan 85).
Finn Harps: Cullen, Roddy (Funston 76), Mukendi, Boyle, Malcolm, Shields, Breen (Brolly 45), McGowan (Gill 68), Parkhouse, Gethins, Williams.