Derry City 2-1 Finn Harps
(Derry win 2-1 on aggregate)
Derry City hung on to their premier league status in a dramatic play-off final win over Finn Harps at the Brandwell last night.
Derry, who have never been relegated from the top flight, led 1-0 as the match entered stoppage time and were already celebrating their survival when Kevin McHugh equalised for the Donegal side to send the tie into extra-time.
However, while the momentum seemed to have swung in Harps favour, a controversial Liam Coyle strike four minutes into extra-time proved decisive.
Finn Harps protested furiously that a free kick leading to the goal was taken from the wrong place and the resulting ill-feeling spilled over into the second period of extra-time in which Finn Harps had both Shane Bradley and Kevin McHugh sent off.