Cork happy with draw

A week after kicking off their defence of the FAI Cup in thick fog and ice at Monagahan, Cork City came that bit farther north in the hope of advancing their league ambitions at Ballybofey on Saturday.

The challenge was to beat Finn Harps in a blizzard and on a pitch that, had it been wrung out might well have had a noticeable impact on water levels in the nearby Atlantic.

Bad as the conditions were it was understandable that the City players were keen enough not to have to simply turn for home after making the long trek north.

Harps, however, having already lost a couple of games up here to the elements and with FAI and North West cup matches lined up for the next 10 days, had reasons of their own for wanting the game out of the way and you got the feeling they would have come out in scuba gear or skis had either been required.

While City have St Patrick's breathing down their necks at the top of the table, the Donegalmen have a posse of Dublin clubs looking to beat them out of third spot. The latter looked to be the greater motivator early on as the hosts made the brighter start.

Both Ollie Cahill and Colin O'Brien were having problems but it was Pascal Vaudequin and Tom Mohan on Cahill that looked the home side's most promising route forward in the opening 10 minutes. After Gareth Cronin got his side out of difficulty more than once with timely interventions, Cork City manager Dave Barry reverted to the more tried and tested flat back four.

John Gerard McGettigan and Jonathan Speak threatened but rarely was the final cross good enough.

The home side's best chances of the half came from long range - Fergal Harkin hit a shot which almost prompted an error from Noel Mooney. Harkin would have done well to have followed the example set by Pat Morley at the other end a few minutes earlier.

Fifteen years ago up in Ballybofey Morley scored on his National League debut and all of 20 months ago he scored his last league goal against them too. His strike, a wonderful left-footed shot, must surely have been amongst the best of the 144 he has scored in his career - it certainly looked good enough to be a match winner.

His team rarely did, though. Through most of the second period they were forced deep inside their own half. With the strong wind at their backs, it was Charlie McGeever's side that struck: Speak sent in the best cross of the night and Mohan headed low past Mooney.

"The result sets everything up nicely for next weekend's [televised] game against St Patrick's and we'll work hard with that game in mind," said Morley afterwards.

Finn Harps: McKenna; Vaudequin, Boyle, Dykes, Minnock; Mohan, O'Brien, Harkin, McGettigan; Mulligan, Speak. Subs: Kavanagh for Speak (83 mins), Bradley for Harkin (61 mins). CORK CITY: Mooney; Coughlan, Cronin, Daly; O'Brien, Flanagan, Freyne, Herrick, Cahill; Caulfield, Morley. Subs: Barry-Murphy for Herrick (68 mins), Dobbs for Morley (71 mins).

Referee: G Perry (Dublin).