Harps win A league battle

The Bit O’Red’s A team were on the wrong end of a two one defeat at the hands of Finn Harps on Sunday afternoon in The Showgrounds, ending their chances of advancing in the Shield competition.
Sligo Rovers went in to this game with three players who have played for the first team this season-Jamie McKenzie, Gary Curran and Keith Foy-in the starting eleven. The A team’s last outing was a 3-1 defeat at home to Derry City so they will have wanted to get a win here.

They got off to the best possible start when Ciaran Greene was fouled just outside the area after seven minutes and won a free-kick. Keith Foy stepped up and the old reliable struck the ball home, low and hard to the keeper’s right. The lead was only short-lived though as a few minutes later Harps got their equaliser after a mistake by ‘stand in’ goalkeeper Ian Colburn, dropping the ball in the area.

The first chance of the 2nd half fell to Keith Foy when Ciaran Greene crossed a lovely ball into the Harps area but Foy headed it straight into the keeper’s arms. Rovers were going well and looked like the more likely to score out of both teams in the 2nd half. Ciaran Greene had a chance of his own a few minutes later but hit his shot straight at the Harps keeper.

Harps were on the back foot with Rovers increasing the pressure, in the 65th minute Gavin O’Dwyer swung the ball in from the wing and it fell to Lee Kennedy but the strikers shot was cleared off the line. The next chance came to Ross McLoughlin who made a solo run from midfield but his shot went narrowly wide of the Harps post. It proved to be a vital miss as Harps took the lead soon after with a low shot past Colburn.

2-1 to the Donegal men was how it finished and Sligo Rovers will be disappointed they took nothing from the game. Rovers had plenty of chances to win the game and bossed the 2nd half but failed to make their chances count and paid the price in the end.

Sligo Rovers final group game comes next Sunday with a trip over the border to play Derry City and Rovers will no doubt want to get some revenge over the Northerners for their defeat a couple of weeks ago.

Sligo Rovers:

Ian Colburn, James Keaney, David Rooney, Jamie McKenzie, Niall Costello, Gary Curran, Gavin O’Dwyer, Ross McLoughlin, Keith Foy, Lee Kennedy, Ciaran Greene.

Bookings: None

Referee: Paul Deering.

Report by Michael Lynott