Soccer

James Akintunde strikes in injury time to seal three points for Derry

Finn Harps’ woes worsened by news UCD are now level on points with Donegal outfit at foot of the table

Derry City's James Akintunde celebrates his goal with Brandon Kavanagh. Photograph: Evan Logan/Inpho
Derry City's James Akintunde celebrates his goal with Brandon Kavanagh. Photograph: Evan Logan/Inpho
Chris Ashmore
Mon Jul 18 2022 - 10:03

Finn Harps 1 Derry City 2

Substitute James Akintunde grabbed an injury-time winner as Derry City came from behind to beat north-west rivals Finn Harps at Finn Park and go second in the table.

City, whose Europa Conference League journey ended at the first hurdle in Latvia on Thursday, were the better team overall and dominated the second half.

But in the first half they struggled to break down a stubborn Harps defence and it was the home side who led at the break through a goal from new arrival Rob Jones.

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Substitute Ryan Graydon got the equaliser on 79 minutes for Derry and Harps finally cracked under the late pressure, and have now gone ten games without a win.

Harps took the lead when Jones, who last played with Clyde FC - rose to powerfully head home the corner taken by Regan Donelon in the 31st minute.

After the break, Harps found themselves increasingly camped in their own half and had a real scare on the hour when a Cameron McJannet effort bounced in front of goal and went over the crossbar.

Out of nothing, Patrick McEleney produced a cracking 30 yard effort that was brilliantly tipped over by McGinley.

Derry finally equalised on 79 minutes when a McJannet ball in was met by Graydon who headed beyond McGinley and into the net for his first goal since joining from Longford Town.

McEleney then fired over as City pushed for the winner, and it duly arrived courtesy of Akintunde who got on the end of a Will Patching free to knock the ball past McGinley.

To add to Harps’ woes, they trooped off to find out that UCD had beaten Sligo Rovers and are now level on points with the Donegal club at the foot of the table, although the students have an inferior goal difference.

Finn Harps: McGinley; Nicolson (Carrillo, 90+3), Tourish, Slevin; Boyle, N’zeyi, Connolly (Mihaljevic, 60), Rainey (Rudden, 90+3), Donelon (Hery, 60); McNamee (Timlin, 60); Jones.

Derry City: Maher; McEleney, McJannet, Coll; Thomson (Diallo, 45), Dummigan, McEleney, Lafferty (Kavanagh, 45); Smith (Graydon, 59), , Patching; McGonigle (Akintunde, 78).

Referee: D. Tomney (Dublin)