Shamrock Rovers 0-2 Finn Harps

Shamrock Rovers faced Finn Harps on Friday night, knowing that three points would lift them to fifth in the table - at least until Sunday night. Harps, second from bottom, with just four away points all season would no doubt settle for anything they could get from the clash.

In the end they got all three points - taking full advantage of slack Rovers defending for their first, and in the ninety third minute, scoring a break away goal as Rovers keeper Barry Murphy was caught up field after joining in for a corner.

There was no sign of Stephen Rice for the home side, he picked up an injury on Thursday in training. Sean O'Connor was suspended following his dismissal against Bohemians last Tuesday night, and Aidan Price was still recovering. Ger O'Brien continued at centre back, with Simon Madden at right back. Padraig Amond was restored to the starting eleven after being rested last time out.

Harps were still without recent signing Davy Byrne, as well as the suspended Michael Funston. Manager Paul Hegarty was however able to call upon Stephen Parkhouse and Declan Boyle - they had been suspended for the recent Galway game. Aaron Lebonte also returned after a long spell out injured.

Rovers should have perhaps been a goal up in the first minute - but the Harps defence dealt well with a low cross from Owen Doyle. Five minutes later Doyle was again at the centre of things. Rovers moved the ball quickly from left to right, and Doyle found himself in lots of space just inside the oppositions half. he advanced towards goal, but chose to shoot himself from twenty five yards - when Madden had given him a great option to his right. Doyle's shot ended up rolling wide of the far post.

For some reason referee Derek Tomney opted not to book Harps left back Jon Minnock after ten minutes - he had kicked the ball away a couple of seconds after the official had given Rovers a free kick.

Rovers then broke quickly from defence with Madden on the right. The former Leeds trainee picked out Tadgh Purcell with a peach of a pass. Purcell was forced wide, but manged to drill a dangerous cross into the box. Amond was lurking, but James Gallagher bravely claimed it.

Rovers were having plenty of joy on the right wing. Left back Minnock simply didn't have the pace to keep with Madden and Doyle, however in fairness he could have done with a little more assistance.

Harps finally got their game together after fifteen minutes, and added some attacking to their play. Conor Gethins dropped deep and tried to thread a pass through for Parkhouse, but Darragh Maguire was alert and dealt with the danger with a minimum of fuss.

Rovers then hit Harps on the right again. Madden carried the ball out of defence, and played a neat through ball for Amond. The Carlow man turned sharply, his shot was blocked, but he fought for the ball again and earned his side a corner. Declan Boyle went off injured for the visitors, and that put an end to Minnock's nightmare at left back - the veteran moved to centre back.

Midway through the half Purcell broke away on the left for Rovers, but his lack of pace allowed the Harps defence to regroup. Neil McCafferty shot straight at Murphy from outside the box, and then with ten minutes remaining in the half he touched the ball to Chris Breen - but his volley was high and wide.

Amond, with six league goals to his name so far this season, had two decent chances before the break. Doyle found him with an infield pass, the striker feinted to shoot but cut inside his opponent and instead struck a left footed shot at goal, that Gallagher saved well, low down to his right. Right on the stroke of half time Doyle again provided the ammunition, Amond connected with the low cross at the near post, but once once the Harps keeper pulled off a fine save.

Harps seemed to have a little more energy at the beginning of the second half, but they were still struggling to hold off attacks, and were having no luck breaking down what had been a solid Rovers back line. Six minutes in they got a break.

Breen ran at the Rovers midfield and looked for Gethins, who had made a good run. Gethins got a touch on it before O'Brien and looked to beat the defender with his pace. Murphy came rushing from his line and it looked as if he had smothered the ball at the edge of his box - but the ball squirmed away from him, and Gethins was quick to lay it off for the better positioned Aaron Lebonte. Lebonte, looking off balance, hit it first time, and it sailed into the net. A total gift.

Rovers should have evened things up just before the hour mark. Doyle's header from a free kick was blocked a couple of yards shy of goal, the ball fell kindly for Maguire, but, from seven yards, he blasted his effort narrowly wide of the post.

Doyle kept at it, and a minute later he created another opening. Skipping past three challenges of the left, he flicked it through to Amond at the edge of the box. Amond, with a defender at his heels, played a simple ball to Eric McGill, but his ambitious effort cleared the Riverside Stand behind the Harps goal. That was to be Doyle last involvement, as Scully decided after sixty minutes that it was time to give Joey Ndo his Hoops debut.

Midway through the half, with Rovers getting more and more desperate for an equaliser, Harps broke away at pace, and came close to going two ahead. Parkhouse had plenty of time to assess his options, and he picked the right one, slipping Marc Brolly through. Brolly took it around Murphy to the right, but didn't put enough power behind his shot, and Maguire got back in time to clear it off the line.

Rovers were struggling to get Ndo on the ball enough in the right positions, but the former Cameroon international came close with a free kick. Gethins then tried his luck from distance, but his shot whistled over Murphy's crossbar.

At this stage the game was all about Rovers pushing for an equaliser - with Harps defending in numbers, and looking to break whenever allowed. Maguire sent a header from a corner back into the danger area, but Minnock was first to it and cleared the danger. Shortly afterwards, with four minutes of regular time left, Harps broke in numbers, and when Shaun Holmes was sent tumbling in the box by substitute Corey Treacy, referee Tomney pointed to the spot. Gethins took the kick, but failed to hit the target.

Amond had a chance two minutes later, but a last ditch tackle saved Harps. Substitute Mark Leech then had room in the box, but he looked unsure of himself and the chance was gone. Rovers then thought they had finally equalised. Ndo's free kick from twenty five yards was turned into the net by O'Brien. However, a flag from the linesman denied Rovers an equaliser.

Three minutes into added on time, Harps made sure of the win. Rovers keeper Murphy joined the rest of his team mates in the Harps box for a Ndo corner. Harps cleared their lines and Shaun McGowan charged forward before passing for Gethins. Gethins calmly shot at the empty goal from distance, and the ball trickled over the line, into the empty net.

Shamrock Rovers: Barry Murphy; Simon Madden, Ger O'Brien, Darragh Maguire, Pat Flynn; Eoin Doyle (Joseph Ndo 58), Danny O'Connor, Darren Stapleton (Mark Leech 49), Eric McGill (Corie Treacy 76); Padraigh Amond, Tadhg Purcell.
Subs not used: Robert Duggan, Ross Moran.

Booked: Maguire, D O'Connor, Treacy.

Finn Harps: James Gallagher; Aaron Lebonte, Stuart Malcolm, Declan Boyle (Chris Breen 14 (Austin Friel 76)), Jonathan Minnock; Marc Brolly, Shaun McGowan, Neil McCafferty, Shaun Holmes; Stephen Parkhouse, Conor Gethins.
Subs not used: Gavin Cullen, Marc Mukendi, James Doherty.

Booked: None.

Referee: Derek Tomney.

Attendance: 845