Report: Finn Harps 0 - 3 St Patricks Athletic

St. Patrick's Athletic shot back to the top of the Premier Division table tonight following this facile three-nil win over a disappointing Finn Harps on a chilly night in the North West.

Johnny McDonnell's troops were always in control of this game and deservedly took the three points from a one-sided contest in which goals from Keith Fahey, Mark Quigley and Gary O'Neill fired Pat's to the summit. With Bohemians and Derry City both drawing tonight, the win sends the Inchicore residents two clear of their nearest challengers while, for Harps, this was their third defeat on the trot and their first at home this season.

Paul Hegarty's team showed three changes from last week with Gavin Cullen coming in as a late replacement for 'flu victim James Gallagher while Marc Brolly and Stephen Parkhouse came in for Chris Breen and Gerry Gill.  The writing was on the wall for the home side from the off with the visitors coming close on a number of occasions in the opening 20 minutes - indeed on another night, Mark Quigley might have netted an early hat-trick.

Reeling from back-to-back defeats against Derry City, Pat's signalled their intent early and, with the game's first chance on nine minutes they could have broken the deadlock. Ryan Guy's probing ball from the right flank wasn't dealt with by Sean Roddy and the right back's error almost proved fatal, but Quigley saw his effort from six yards come off the underside of the bar. Assistant referee Paul Deering kept his flag by his side and Stuart Malcolm averted the danger.

Six minutes later, Quigley was again the benefactor from another searching ball, this time from the left flank by Dessie Byrne but, unmarked and eight yards out, he unbelievably fired wide. Quigley looked like he had made it a case of third time lucky, but his deft chip - after Malcolm headed into his path - was superbly clawed away by the back-peddling Gavin Cullen. Gary O'Neill headed narrowly over as the onslaught continued before Stephen Parkhouse was guilty of firing too high when should have given Harps the lead against the run of play after taking down a cross from Shields.

On 26 minutes, the inevitable happened when the visitors bagged the lead goal, Keith Fahey feeding Quigley down the right flank and when the ball was fired across the Harps danger-zone Fahey was on hand to steer home. As the interval approached, Conor Gethins came close to levelling with what would have been a masterful effort. However, the Lifford man's speculative effort from all of 35 yards was brilliantly turned over by the action-starved goalkeeper Clarke.

On the stroke of half time, the result was, effectively, put beyond doubt when Quigley nipped in to intercept a sloppy back-pass by Malcolm to eventually get his name on the scoresheet and double the lead. Two became three on 68minutes when, after an intricate move involving Gary Dempsey and Quigley that split the, Gary O'Neill raced through and fired home after rounding the helpless Gavin Cullen.

The closest Harps came to registering after the break was a Conor Gethins free-kick that came off the crossbar fifteen minutes from time, but by that stage the game was long over as a contest as the small, but vocal band of 'Saints' followers were already toasting a return to the top of the pile.

Finn Harps (4-4-2): Gavin Cullen; Sean Roddy, Aaron Labonte, Stuart Malcolm, Shaun Holmes; Marc Brolly (Michael Funston 74), Tony Shields, Shaun McGowan, Shaun Williams; Stephen Parkhouse (Kevin Ramsey 74), Conor Gethins (Gerry Gill 90).
Subs not used: Marc Mukendi, Declan Boyle.

Booked: Williams (33), Funston (84).

St Patrick's Athletic (4-4-2): Brendan Clarke; Damian Lynch, David Partridge, Stephen Paisley, Joe O'Cearuill (Stephen Brennan 83); Ryan Guy, Gary Dempsey, Keith Fahy (Michael Keane 83), Desmond Byrne (Alan Kirby 72); Gary O'Neill, Mark Quigley.

Subs not used: Robert Horgan, Noel Haverty.

Booked: Paisley (36).

Referee: Damien Hancock (Dublin).
Attendance: 1,800 (estimate).