FINN HARPS.........1
CORK CITY...........1

JONATHAN MINNOCK struck a wonder goal at a wet and blustery Finn Park on Saturday night to earn Finn Harps a well deserved point from this meeting with high flying Cork City.The Finn Harps defender popped up twelve minutes from time to score his first goal of the season, a left foot shot which arrowed into the top corner from 25 yards.

Despite enjoying the greater share of possession Harps trailed 1-0 at the break but their efforts were rewarded when Fergal Harkin's clever flick was clinically dispatched by Minnock on 78 minutes.After winning their first league match in two months against Waterford a week earlier it was a confident Harps team which went into last weekend's match.

The new 3-5-2 system, which worked well against Waterford, was less effective against Cork's more orthodox 4-4-2 formation and it wasn't until substitute Johnny Kenny was introduced early in the second half that the home side looked a better balanced outfit.

Brian McKenna did well to divert Ollie Cahill's acrobatic overhead kick wide on 15 minutes but within sixty seconds the visitors had opened the scoring. Pat Morley's pass split the Harps defence and John Caulfield raced through unchallenged to slot a left foot shot into the net from 15 yards.

The goal spurred the Harps team into action and Dom Tierney should have done better when put clear by Patrick McGrenaghan on 23 minutes but the former Bray player's touch was unsure allowing Phil Harrington to narrow the angle and make the save.

Mike Turner, making just his second appearance for Harps, put Harkin in behind the Cork defence on 24 minutes but Harrington was alert to the danger, diving bravely at his feet.The veteran Cork netminder, who was giving a master class in defending his penalty area, made another vital block to deny Turner on 29 minutes.Seven minutes before the interval Morley and Caulfield combined to release Cahill at the other end of the field but the winger blazed his shot high and wide.

Apparently content to sit back on their slender advantage Cork adopted a more cautious approach after the interval.With Fergal Harkin leading by example Harps duly brought the game to the visitors and despite the incessant rainfall and worsening underfoot conditions the home team players relished the challenge.

Turner flicked a right foot shot wide at the near post while Harrington smothered a James Mulligan shot as Harps increased the tempo.The home side did manage to net a 'goal' on 73 minutes but Turner's effort was ruled out for an earlier offside infringement.Angered by the decision, the Harps faithful vented their frustration by roaring their team into even greater efforts and within five minutes the players responded with an equalising goal.

Patrick McGrenaghan picked up possession wide on the left. He played the ball inside to Harkin and his intelligent back flick was brilliantly dispatched beyond Harrington off Minnock's left boot.It was a wonderful strike and brought the home team a deserved share of the points.With fellow strugglers Drogheda United, Waterford United and Galway United also picking up a valuable point each last weekend Finn Harps remain anchored in the relegation zone.

The only good result for Harps last weekend was Sligo's 0-1 defeat at home to UCD.With league matches against Shamrock Rovers (a), St Patrick's Athletic (a) and Shelbourne (h) to come it doesn't get any easier for Gavin Dykes and his players although they have shown enough commitment in recent weeks to indicate that they are ready for the battles that lie ahead.

The players once again received a standing ovation from their supporters as they left the field on Saturday night in acknowledgement of their efforts. Similar displays over the remaining ten matches should help steer them on the road to Premier Division survival but there remains a lot of football to be played between now and Saturday, April 22 when they entertain Waterford United in their final league game of the season.

FINN HARPS: Brian McKenna, John Paul Boyle, Jonathan Minnock, Declan Boyle, Gavin Dykes, Dom Tierney, Tom Mohan, Patrick McGrenaghan, James Mulligan, Mike Turner, Fergal Harkin. Sub Johnny Kenny for JP Boyle (56 mins).

CORK CITY: Phil Harrington, Greg O'Halloran, Gareth Cronin, Stephen Napier, Derek Coughlan, Liam O'Brien, Ollie Cahill, Kelvin Flanagan, Mark Herrick, Pat Morley, John Caulfield. Subs Colin O'Brien and Gerald Dobbs for O'Brien and Morley (83 mins).
REFEREE: Mr John Stacey (Athlone).