Training routine pays off for Finn Harps as Darren Murphy seeks set play improvement

Practice made perfect for Darren Murphy and Finn Harps on Friday night.

A 3-2 win over Longford Town, sealed via Success Edogun's 85^th minute match winner, maintains Harps' challenge with the First Division's play-off hopefuls.

The win was Harps' seventh of the season and, so far, Murphy's men have bagged seven wins in 2024.

Having identified some deficiencies in the attacking third during a recent dip in form, Harps were put through a series of crossing and finishing drills during the week – and the manager believes it worked a treat.

“We spent 35 minutes on Wednesday evening just doing crossing and finishing,” Murphy said.

“Nothing else. I was disappointed that we kept getting into good areas, but weren't picking people out. Tonight, we were able to do that.

“All round, we were very good in lots of things. We had a lot of crossing and finishing drills this week – and that has paid off.

“At half-time, we asked them to respond. There have been a few people who have, unfairly I might add, given them knocks. They kept going.”

Teenager Max Johnston's first goal for Harps and a cracker by Tony McNamee put Harps 2-0 up after only 12 minutes, but a Jordan Adeyemo penalty and Dean O'Shea's goal had Longford level by half-time. It remained on an even keel until Edogun popped up.

Murphy feels Harps have to be better at set pieces. Bar a Tony McNamee goal straight from a free kick, Harps haven't scored from a set piece this season and Murphy cut a frustrated figure as he recalled O'Shea's equaliser.

He said: “The thing that frustrates me is that the man was free inside the six-yard box when the ball went in from the free.

“They're having a go at the referee for giving the free kick, but I want them to have a go at each other. It's a second phase of play, the free is given and it's done and dusted. We should have defended the ball in the box rather than looking at a decision that won't be overturned.

“We need to show more aggression in both boxes. We need to show more aggression in the attacking third to score goals and we need to show more aggression when we're trying to clear set pieces.

“I was always taught to attack the ball with that much force that you nearly take yourself into the net. I find at times that we are standing there and we sort of have a naivety in us. We have to learn, but we will learn.

“Our deliveries from set pieces are exceptional and we have to start scoring.”

The return of Conor Tourish after a month out of action certainly arrived as a timely boost for Harps, albeit in something of a cameo role in the closing stages.

The Letterkenny man stepped in with one vital block and his comeback from injury could be telling for the Donegal side.

Murphy said: “Conor was only on for six minutes, but he made a fantastic block. He got himself into the area he needed to be to make the block. Conor has the experience of playing at a higher level and it's great to have him back.

“We'll take our time with Conor. The medical team has worked extremely hard to get him back. Conor is a threat in both boxes and we have missed that.

“He has scored a lot of goals in the past and we'll definitely be working on that.”

Murphy had no qualms about the decision to award the penalty from which Adeyemo kick-started the Longford comeback.

Jamie Watson was adjudged to have fouled Ross Fay and there were shouts of protest from Harps.

Murphy said: “Now, in the modern game, I think it was a penalty. He gave the ref' a decision. Nine times out of ten, the referee will take the easy option – and the easy option was to give it.”