Shamrock Rovers 1
Finn Harps 0
Dave Donnelly reports from Tallaght Stadium
FINN HARPS WILL need to overcome either Cabinteely or Drogheda United to ensure Premier Division survival following a 1-0 defeat to Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium.
Greg Bolger’s spectacular strike 12 minutes from time proved the difference as Ollie Horgan’s side edged closer to the Premier Division trap-door.
The midfielder scored a stunning winner when the sides met in Ballybofey in March and he repeated the trick to earn a narrow win for the Hoops in a poor game.
Dylan Watts and Graham Burke had been denied in quick succession by the excellent Mark McGinley but the keeper could do nothing about the Wexford man’s stunning strike.
Harps had set up to frustrate the home side with five men across the back, with Colm Deasy and Josh Smith returning to the side.
Rovers were missing Roberto Lopes and Jack Byrne, on international duty with Cape Verde and Ireland respectively, and gave a first Hoops appearance to winger Neil Farrugia.
The Ireland under-21 cap set up Brandon Kavanagh for an audacious overhead kick attempt 12 minutes before the break but the midfielder couldn’t keep his effort down.
McGinley was in fine form a minute before half-time to tip Watts’ powerful strike over the bar as the visitors went in at half time the happier.
Rovers emerged for the second half with more bite and could have led before the hour but McGinley again did brilliantly to touch Ronan Finn’s shot onto the post.
He was in fine form late on to deny Watts’ long-range strike before bouncing up to tip Graham Burke’s close-range rebound around the post.
There was nothing the outstanding keeper could do about Bolger’s strike from the resulting corner, however, and Harps will have to win a play-off for the second successive season.
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Danny Lafferty, Lee Grace, Sean Kavanagh; Ronan Finn, Brandon Kavanagh (Aaron McEneff 72), Greg Bolger, Dylan Watts, Neil Farrugia (Eric Abulu 76); Graham Burke, Aaron Greene (Graham Cummins 86).
Finn Harps: Mark McGinley; Colm Deasy, Harry Ascroft, Josh Smith, Sam Todd, Mark Russell; Tony McNamee, Ruairi Harkin, Gareth Harkin, Mark Timlin (Daniel O’Reilly 69); Nathan Boyle (Mikey Place 86).
Referee: Derek Tomney (Dublin).
Andy Dunne and Murray Kinsella join Gavan Casey to preview Ireland-Samoa, and discuss the utter farce of the World Cup falling foul of Typhoon Hagibis.
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