Finn Harps 2 Ipswich Town 1

By Chris Ashmore
Roy Keane was the centre of attention as he brought his Ipswich Town side to Ballybofey for a pre-season friendly on Tuesday night – but it was Finn Harps who were celebrating at the final whistle.
Keane actually made his League of Ireland debut at Finn Park almost 20 years ago.
On that occasion, his home-town team, Cobh Ramblers, lost 3-0.
This time around he sampled that losing feeling again as his multi-million euro team succumbed to the Donegal part-timers.
The record books will show that Keane’s first game in charge of the East Anglican club ended in a defeat. But given that they are only just back in training, he won’t have lost any sleep.
But, for Harps, this was unquestionably a big morale booster.
The youthful side played some really decent football and trooped off to rapturous applause from the crowd of around 2,000.
After a dreadful start to the season, Harps really do appear to have turned the corner and the recent performances of the young team augurs well for the future.
While Ipswich may not be in the big boys league, they are giants compared with Harps.
Keane’s first major signing since taking over at the Championship club was to lure former Republic of Ireland player Damien Delaney from Queen’s Park Rangers for a fee of around £700,000 (sterling). That’s almost twice the entire budget for Harps this season.
Six Irish players were in the Ipswich panel – Delaney, Owen Garvan, Jon Walters, Shane Supple, Alex Bruce and Alan Quinn – with all featuring at some stage of the game.
On a typically “soft” Donegal evening with drizzle for much of the game, the new man in the Portman Road hot-seat made his way to the dug-out to the chants of “Keano”.
But as the game wore on it became clear that Harps were not there just to make up the numbers.
They went ahead with striker Shaun Houston heading home following a Michael Funston free on 22 minutes.
But Ipswich, who had one penalty claim turned down, drew level on 56 minutes. Liam Trotter was taken down by Harps’ inspirational goalkeeper Ciaran Gallagher and substitute 16-year-old Conor Wickham scored from the spot.
However, Harps bagged the winner in the 68th minute with a Marc Brolly shot which took a deflection off Alex Bruce.
Both sides had other chances in what was a refreshingly open and entertaining friendly. Ipswich might justifiably feel that they should not have lost; they hit the woodwork and were also denied by the impressive 17-year-old Harps netminder Gallagher several times.
Things are looking up again at Finn Park, and hopefully this will be reflected in bigger attendances at up-coming home games.

Finn Harps: Gallagher, Rossiter, Coll, Sharkey, Mailey, Funston, Conaghan, McGowan, F. Bonner, Houston, Whoriskey. Subs: Moran for Conaghan (22 mins), Brolly for Houston (45 mins), Lafferty for Whoriskey (67 mins), P. Bonner for Rossiter (79 mins).

Ipswich Town: R. Wright, D. Wright. Delaney, McAuley, Smith, Trotter, Norris, Garvan, Stead, Walters, Haynes. Subs: Shumulikoski for D. Wright, Supple for R. Wright, Balkestein for McAuley, Wickham for McAuley, Bruce for Stead, Quinn for Haynes (all 45 mins)

Referee: Mr. T. Moyne (Donegal).