Thursday 8th March 2007, 10:11 pm
8th March 2007
Dundalk 3
Shaun Williams 67
Phillip Hughes 82
John Flanagan 90 +1
Finn Harps 2
Conor Gethins 6
Stephen Parkhouse 86
Oriel Park
John Flanagan struck in injury time to give Dundalk a dramatic 3-2 win over Finn Harps in the opening game of the 2007 eircom League of Ireland season.
Harps had led earlier in the game through a Conor Gethins goal and looked to be heading for a draw after Stephen Parkhouse's late equaliser.
However, Flanagan headed home from Dave Crawley's free kick in added time to snatch an opening win for the County Louth side.
Gethins had pounced on some confusion in the Dundalk defence to nip in and head home from Jonathan Minnock's long throw-in after just six minutes.
Harps forced the hosts onto the back foot for the remainder of the half but the shape of the game changed just five minutes into the second period when Harps' Barry Curran picked up a second yellow card of the night, leaving the visitors to battle for forty or so minutes a man light.
Shaun Williams, on loan from Drogheda for the year, hit a stunning equalised on 67 minutes, firing home from 25 yards out. The game remained level until the closing ten minutes.
Phillip Hughes, scorer of 21 league goals last season, got his first in 2007 as he ran onto Crawley's long through ball before slotting home on 82 minutes.
Just as it looked that Dundalk had taken control, Harps rallied and Parkhouse forced the ball home after an 86th minute corner kick.
Flanagan struck in stoppage time though to give Dundalk an opening win.
Dundalk : Bennion, Flanagan, Whelehan, Lynch, Crawley, K Dunne, O'Connor (Smyth 64), Marney, Williams (R Dunne 84), Vaughan (Flood 57), Hughes.
Finn Harps : Gallagher, Asokuh, Boyle, Simms, Minnock, Curran, O'Loughlin, Shields, Breen (Brolly 73), Gethins (Funston, 64), Parkhouse (Browne 86).