Boyle quietly confident Harps will be lining out for a Junior Cup semi-final

BENNY Boyle remains quietly confident that Strathroy Harps will be lining out for a fonaCAB Irish Junior Cup semi-final in early April.

Saturday’s quarter-final clash against Enniskillen Town United ended in controversy with referee Terry Foley abandoning the game in the final minute amid claims he had been assaulted.

The match official was surrounded by Town players and some supporters from their side of the pitch after he disallowed the visitors what would have been a last-gasp equaliser for offside.

Some minutes earlier the referee also sent off three players – Darren Teague from Strathroy Harps and the Town pair of Callum Jones and Brendan Lilley – for their part in a mass brawl.

Given the tie was abandoned, it will be up to the authorities to decide on the outcome and any punishment that will be meted out.

As for the game itself goals by Boyle and Tommy Murphy had Harps 2-0 up at the break.

An Eoin Beacom strike gave Town real hope but home keeper Dermot Donnelly pulled off a number of top class saves before the visitors had that late effort by Cathal Beacom chalked off.

Boyle is hopeful the result will stand, and should that be the case is relishing the latter stages of the competition.

“Bring any of them on now, if the tie stands,” he said. “I asked the players to show me character, and I’m telling you every one of them stood up.

“I knew we were going to have to defend in the second half. We have defended against Rangers, against Dergview and against Kesh and I knew we had that in us.”