Dundalk 0 Finn Harps 0
Dundalk might be flying high in Europe right now but they dropped a big two points in their battle to get back there next season after being held to a scoreless draw by Finn Harps at Oriel Park last night.
For the second Sunday in succession, Filippo Giovagnoli made 10 changes to the side which had played in the Europa League three days earlier with Brian Gartland the sole survivor from the team that beat KÍ Klaksvik at the Aviva Stadium to ensure group stage football for the Louth men.
The changes failed to pay off, however, as they struggled to break down a stubborn Harps side who held out for what could be a huge point in their battle to avoid the drop.
The result means Dundalk remain in sixth place in the table, albeit with two games in hand on Waterford FC who currently sit in third place in the table.
The Lilywhites had the best of the chances throughout with David McMillan turning an early effort wide from a Jordan Flores cross before Nathan Oduwa was twice denied by Mark McGinley in the lead-up to half-time.
Oduwa was also denied what looked a stone wall penalty when he went down in the box under a Shane McEleney challenge just before the break.
Dundalk struggled to break down Ollie Horgan’s men in the second half with their best chance coming on 72 minutes when Patrick McEleney almost caught McGinley off his line with a free kick from just inside the Harps half.
Dundalk: McCarey; Mountney, Gartland, Boyle, Dummigan; Shields, Flores (Sloggett 55); Kelly (Duffy 55), Patching (McEleney 55), Oduwa (Colovic 63); McMillan.
Subs not used: Rogers, Cleary, Gatt.
Finn Harps: McGinley; Webster, Sadiki, McEleney, Folan, Russell; O'Sullivan (Foley 75), Harkin (Connolly 75), Donnellan (T McNamee 94); B McNamee; Kogler (Coyle 67).
Subs not used: Cretaro, Todd, McGarvey.
Referee: P McLaughlin (Monaghan).
