Finn Harps 0
Dundalk 1
Alan Foley reports from Finn Park
DUNDALK WON in the northwest for the second time in just four days with victory over Finn Harps in Ballybofey.
Following a 2-1 success at Derry City on Friday, Daniel Kelly netted for the Louth side to continue their good run of form, which now stands at 16 points from their last six outings.
Ollie Horgan’s Harps, on the other hand, were beaten for the fourth time in succession and travel to the Ryan McBride Stadium on Friday second from bottom having only beaten Shelbourne, twice, this term.
In miserable conditions at Finn Park, Kelly’s goal made an important three points for Stephen O’Donnell’s third-placed Dundalk on a night where the top two, Shamrock Rovers and Derry, were both surprisingly beaten.
The only goal came on 54 minutes when Lewis Macari’s centre from the angle of the penalty area was kept in play by a Keith Ward stretch and Kelly came onto the ball to shoot past Mark Anthony McGinley.
On 67 minutes, Ryan Connolly’s fizzing drive from the edge of the area when the visitors had headed clear a Regan Donelan free-kick drew a full-stretch save from Nathan Shepard in the Dundalk goal.
Filip Mihaljević went down in the area under a challenge from Andy Boyle, which brought optimistic penalty appeals from the scattered home crowd.
10 minutes from time, a Dundalk break involving Ward, substitute Robbie Benson and Joe Adams ended up with the latter taking a shot, only for Conor Tourish to bravely block. Benson then saw a scuffed shot clip Donelan and go wide of the post
Harps’ Eric McWoods passed up on a great chance to level in injury time when he scooped over from inside the area when found in space by Luke Rudden.
90 seconds from the end of five minutes of additional time, Ward tried to chip Mark Anthony McGinley in the Harps goal but it went just over.
Harps went close just before the break, but Yoyo Mahdy’s effort flew just wide after he was picked out by Jesse Devers.
Earlier in the night, Mahdy was unable to connect after Ryan Connolly and Eric McWoods combined.
Finn Harps: Mark Anthony McGinley; Regan Donelon, Ethan Boyle, Rob Slevin, Conor Tourish; Jesse Devers (Luke Rudden 65), Ryan Connolly, Ryan Rainey, Mark Timlin (Filip Mihaljević 60); Yoyo Mahdy, Eric McWoods.
Dundalk: Nathan Shepperd, Lewis Macari, Sam Bone, Andy Boyle, Darragh Leahy; Keith Ward, Greg Sloggett, Paul Doyle (Robbie Benson 64); John Martin (Steven Bradley 73), Daniel Kelly (David McMillan 77), Pat Hoban (Joe Adams 78).
Referee: Rob Hennessy
