Report: Drogheda United 1 - 0 Finn Harps

Drogheda United chalked up their second win in succession tonight as the champions recorded a routine 1-0 win over struggling Finn Harps at United Park. Midfielder Adam Hughes netted his first goal in Drogheda colours two minutes before half-time and his was the only strike on a night where the difference in class was all to evident.

At the end, the home side could and should have had more than Hughes' cool strike to their tally against a Harps side that is now a staggering six games without so much as a goal to their credit. The Ballybofey team have gone more than 600 minutes without netting, and tonight's defeat was their sixth on the spin. For the home side, tonight's was a deserved win obtained with relative ease without being sparkling.

Harps boss Paul Hegarty was forced into making one change to his starting eleven, as Shaun Williams was not permitted to play due to a condition of the loan deal that has him at Finn Park from the Drogs. His place in the centre of the park was filled by Michael Funston, who came in for his first start of the season.

The champions, meanwhile, made two switches from the side that impressively won 2-0 in Cork last week with Stuart Byrne and Eamon Zayed coming in for Tony Grant and Brian Shelley. Ten minutes in, Aidan O'Keeffe met Shane Robinson's corner from the right, but his effort was taken from the goal-line by Sean Roddy while the follow-up from Jason Gavin flashed narrowly wide. Just after the quarter-of-an-hour mark, goalkeeper James Gallagher came to the rescue of the visitors after Ollie Cahill cut open the defence, slipping in Eamon Zayed, but the striker was denied by a fine one-handed save from the 'keeper.

The Drogs enjoyed the bulk of the early play and continued to press, with Adam Hughes heading dangerously across goal from a teasing set piece by Joe Kendrick, whose left-flank crosses were posing no end of queries upon the visiting rearguard.

Two minutes from the break, Hughes would not be prevented from opening the scoring, just when it seemed as if Harps might hold out to half-time. Aidan O'Keeffe's mazy dribble took him deep into opposition territory. He rolled the ball perfectly onto the boot of the in-rushing Hughes, who made no mistake in lethally drilling home from just outside the box.

The best the visitors could muster up in the first period was a 20-yard effort from Marc Brolly that rolled tamely wide of the target.

On the resumption, Conor Gethins had a similar story when he volleyed wide after Shaun Holmes' corner was only partially cleared. While Harps began more positively for the new half, the chances were still being carved at the other end. Jason Gavin worked a chance on the edge of the box, but he saw his effort deflected over before a mix-up in communications almost saw former-Drog Stuart Malcolm put through his own goal. The defender slid to meet a cross by O'Keeffe, but thankfully for the Donegal side his intervention took the ball out for a corner.

United came close to doubling the tally when Aidan O'Keeffe found himself in possession at the back-post after Harps failed to deal with a diagonal ball by Kendrick, but Gallagher was on hand again with a fine double-save.

Seven minutes from the end, Gavin flashed a header just wide from a Robinson corner for what was the final chance of the contest that handed the home team another much-needed three points that keeps them in the top four.

For Harps, though, they face a League Cup tie in Derry on Monday night before travelling to bottom club Galway next Friday for a game that will most certainly have the 'must-win' billings placed upon it in the North West.

Drogheda United (4-4-2): Jamie Ewings; Stuart Byrne, Jason Gavin, Graham Gartland, Joe Kendrick; Richie Baker (Paul Keegan 81), Adam Hughes, Shane Robinson, Ollie Cahill; Eamon Zayed (Declan O'Brien 66), Aidan O'Keeffe.
Subs not used: Mikko Vilmunen, Shane Barett, Ibrahima Iyane Thiam.

Booked: None.

Finn Harps (4-5-1): James Gallagher; Sean Roddy, Stuart Malcolm, Aaron Labonte, Shaun Holmes; Conor Gethins, Declan Boyle, Shaun McGowan, Michael Funston (Con Gallagher 87), Marc Brolly (Tony Shields 83); Kevin Ramsey (Gerry Gill 64).
Subs not used: Gavin Cullen, Marc Mukendi.

Booked: Funston (43), Roddy (48).

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).
Attendance: 2,000 (estimate)