Derry City see off Finn Harps to make it six wins in a row

over 3 years in The Irish Times

Finn Harps 1 Derry City 2
Table toppers Derry City notched up a sixth win in a row as they restored their six point lead at the summit with victory in the big north-west derby in Ballybofey.
A first half Cameron McJannet goal paved the way for City who were never in any real danger of losing to their neighbours.
They got their second goal through a Will Patching free-kick on 87 minutes before Harps pulled one back with a Filip Mihaljevic penalty on 90 minutes.
Admittedly it set up an exciting stoppage time finish as Harps got a late corner, but in truth City were good value for their success.
After a few chances at both ends, City took the lead in the 22nd minute with McJannet rising above the Harps defence to head home a Brandon Kavanagh corner.
Daniel Lafferty could have extended the Candystripes’ lead on 40 minutes when he met a Kavanagh corner at the back post but could only put the ball wide from close range.
The league leaders began the second half on a positive note with former Harps man Shane McEleney seeing a header flash across the face of goal following a Kavanagh free-kick.
Matty Smith then had a couple of shots saved as City continued to have the better of things although Dave Webster saw a header clip the crossbar at the other end.
Former City favourite Barry McNamee had a chance on 84 minutes for Harps but his well drilled shot was blocked in a crowded goalmouth.
Try as they did, Harps were unable to stop City’s march and Patching struck with his fifth goal of the season to make it 2-0 with three minutes remaining. Webster picked up a yellow card for a foul on substitute James Akintunde and from the resulting free Patching did the business.
Substitute Mahaljevic pulled one back for Harps from the penalty spot after he was taken down by substitute Ciaran Coll but it was too little, too late for a Harps side that is still searching for a first win of the season.
Finn Harps: McGinley; Boyle, Tourist, Webster, Slevin; Hery (Mihaljevic 56 mins), N’Zeyi, McNamee, Rainey; McWoods (Tinlin 79 mins), Mahdy (Rudden 67 mins).
Derry City: Maher; Boyce, McEleney, Toal, McJannet; Dummigan, Kavanagh (Thomson 76 mins), Patching, Lafferty (McLaughlin 89 mins); Smith (Coll 89 mins), McGonigle (Akintunde 75 mins).
Referee: J McLoughlin.

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