Finn Harps 3
St Patrick’s Athletic 1
Chris McNulty reports from Finn Park
FINN HARPS STOPPED the rot in style with a much-needed win over St Patrick’s Athletic.
Without a win in their last five league outings, Ollie Horgan’s side put a poor Pat’s to the sword in a scintillating first half, with Danny Morrissey scoring twice.
Harps took the lead in the ninth minute as Morrissey headed home from Michael Funston’s floated cross. The former Cork City man doubled the lead in the 28th minute as he capitalised on a poor backpass from Gavin Peers, nipping in ahead of ‘keeper Conor O’Malley to roll home.
It got even better for Harps on 42 minutes as Packie Mailey — playing for the first time since sustaining a head injury in the EA Sports Cup defeat to Sligo Rovers on Easter Monday — headed home from a Jonny Bonner free-kick.
Earlier, Kurtis Byrne fired over and Ian Birmingham’s free kick flew into the side-netting, but it was Harps who were in command once Morrissey headed them into the lead.
As Pat’s sought to climb the mountain, Christy Fagan’s attempt from the edge of the box deflected wide and Harps skipper Ciaran Coll cleared off the line from a Peers header.
Harps weren’t keen to rest and it took a fine intervention by Michael Barker to thwart the advances of Sean Houston just when the Harps midfielder looked to have latched onto a through ball.
Fagan fired in an 82nd-minute consolation, wonderfully steering home from a Conan Byrne cross.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Damien McNulty, Packie Mailey, Ciaran Coll, Gareth Harkin, Michael Funston, Ethan Boyle, Jonny Bonner (Barry Molloy, 88), Caolan McAleer; Sean Houston; Danny Morrissey (Simon McGlynn, 84).
St Patrick’s Athletic: Conor O’Malley; Michael Barker, Gavin Peers, Rory Feely, Ian Birmingham; Conan Byrne, Graham Kelly (JJ Lunney, HT), Darragh Markey, Lee Desmond (Alex O’Hanlon, 75), Kurtis Byrne (Josh O’Hanlon, HT); Christy Fagan.
Referee: John McLaughlin.