Report: Finn Harps 0 - 1 Sligo Rovers

Sligo Rovers are now five games unbeaten after a first-half header from defender Mauro Almeida proved the only separator between Paul Cook's men and North West rivals Finn Harps in Ballybofey tonight.

The Yeats County men kept their fourth clean sheet in that spell against a Harps side that has now gone over 500 minutes of football without finding the net, since Shaun Williams scored their last goal in the 1-0 win over UCD on March 21.

Almeida's goal on 25 minutes consigned the Donegal outfit to their fifth successive defeat and overall Sligo were fully deserving of the win against a Harps side that lacked any great conviction on the attack.

Both sides showed a pair of changes from their previous games for the first of the North West derby fixtures between the clubs this season. For the visitors, Fahrudin Kudozovic and Rafael Cretaro replaced Alan Moore and Lee Feeney as reward for hitting the net after being introduced against Galway last week.

Paul Hegarty, serving the first of a four-match suspension and forced to watch on from the TV gantry, was forced into once more altering his defence with the place of the injured Marc Mukendi taken by Sean Roddy while James Gallagher returned in goal.

After a tame opening, the breakthrough was forced by the Bit O'Red on 24 minutes when centre back Mauro Almeida met a Kudozovic corner from the left and directed his powerful header perfectly into the net after Shaun Holmes was forced to divert Boco's goal-bound effort around the post.

Kudozovic himself came within a whisker of adding his name to the scoresheet seven minutes later, but his curling free was just off target after Harps defender Aaron Labonte fouled Cretaro. The Donegal side had failed to find the net in 425 minutes of football heading into tonight's game and striker Conor Gethins should have ended the famine when he was presented with an opening on the edge of the box. After fine industry by Marc Brolly, Gethins watched his shot curl just over.

On the stroke of half-time, Harps had a let-off when assistant referee Terence Moyne called a halt to the Sligo celebrations after Danny Ventre prodded home from close range when Gallagher spilled a Cretaro effort from distance. The goal was disallowed as the Sligo midfielder had unfairly impeded the Harps netminder.

The home side altered the tactics at the break with Gerry Gill and Chris Breen introduced to the play as Harps went for the more offensive approach in part two.

After surviving a couple of early scares in the new half, Harps came close to levelling, but Shaun Williams' inswinging corner clipped the bar before Conor Gethins was muscled out of picking up the pieces. Sligo continued to press, not content with the one-goal lead and Ventre came close after racing through the middle, but he saw the ball trickle wide after getting the better of the goalkeeper.

Four minutes from time, the crossbar prevented the visitors from putting a seal on proceedings; sub Matthew Judge seeing his header crash off the woodwork after he latched onto an inch-perfect cross from Alan Moore.

Harps huffed and puffed in search of the elusive equaliser, but Almeida proved to be their undoing again as he rose highest to head Shaun Roddy's cross to safety.

Finn Harps: James Gallagher; Sean Roddy, Aaron Labonte, Stuart Malcolm, Shaun Holmes; Conor Gethins, Declan Boyle (Gerry Gill 46), Shaun McGowan (Michael Funston 81), Shaun Williams, Marc Brolly; Kevin Ramsey (Chris Breen 46).
Subs not used: Johnny Havlin, Gavin Cullen.

Booked: Brolly (22)

Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Seamus Coleman, Gavin Peers, Mauro Almeida, Chris Butler; Rafael Cretaro, Conor O'Grady, Danny Ventre, Brian Cash (Anto Murphy 64); Romauld Boco (Matthew Judge 62), Fahrudin Kudozovic (Alan Moore 77).
Subs not used: Pat Jennings, Jamie McKenzie.

Booked: Peers (39)

Referee: Richie Winter (Dublin).
Attendance: 3,000 (estimate)