Finn Harps

Champions Shamrock Rovers returned to winning ways in Ballybofey as Andy Lyons' double and a late Graham Burke penalty bagged the victory for Hoops, ...

After outmuscling Lee Grace, McWoods rolled inches wide of the far post. It wasn’t all one-way traffic and Harps - who last September recorded a first win over the Hoops in 13 years - went closest of either side before Lyons’ opener. Two minutes into added time at the end of the first half, Lyons wriggled free of the attention of the Harps defence at the near post head home from Jack Byrne’s corner.

Despite a positive performance, Finn Harps ended the game with 10 men and a 3-0 loss to reigning champions Shamrock Rovers. An Andy Lyons opener just before ...

Despite shouts for a red card from the home fans, referee Rob Harvey looked to make the correct call by brandishing the yellow card. He faked to shoot and cut back onto his left foot and smashed the ball over McGinley into the top corner. Minutes later it was Burkes turn again to test McGinley as with a free-kick from 25 yards he tried to beat the Harps keeper at his side but McGinley made a great save to keep it out. The opener came with one of the last passages of play in the first half as Rovers won a corner. Harps lost Rainey to injury as Yoyo Mahdy came in while Gaffney did well to keep the ball in play but his shot went across goal. Meanwhile, Eric McWoods came in to the side after scoring the third goal in the last game in Dublin as Yoyo Mahdy drops to the bench.

It was a damaging defeat in the end for Harps, who saw Mark Anthony McGinley sent off four minutes from the end.

Alan Mannus, the Rovers goalkeeper, seemed to get caught unawares when Elie N’Zeyi let fly from 20 yards. Jack Byrne, the Irish International who was restored to the Rovers XI, delivered the corner from the left and Lyons headed home. Harps were close again in the 67th minute when the determined Eric McWoods got the better of Lee Grace, but saw his effort trickle to the wrong side of the post.

Ollie Horgan's side welcome the SSE Aitricity League Premier League champions to Finn Park tonight before visits of Drogheda United and Derry City next ...

“We didn’t go looking for any friendlies (last weekend) on the risk of picking up more injuries because we already had a few,” he said. “The panel they have itself is savage,” he said. So we’ve gone and probably put a lot of our eggs into that basket to try and get a performance and see if we can get a result, although it will take a hell of a lot going for us.

Derry City's last-gasp win over Bohemians at Dalymount Park saw them extend their lead at the top, while UCD were soundly beaten by Dundalk at Oriel Park.

RugbyIreland fall to second Six Nations defeat as France prove too powerful in ToulouseThe French had the bonus point wrapped up by half time and added two more in the second half as they made light work of a positive but error-prone Irish side. And UCD continue to search for their first win of the season as they fell to 2-0 defeat at Dundalk thanks to goals in either half from Daniel Kelly and Patrick Hoban. Bohs were left crestfallen at the final whistle as James Akintunde nodded home deep in injury time to complete a turnaround for league leaders Derry. Liam Burt had fired Bohs in front as he finished off a fine first-half passing move, but Ronan Boyce levelled after the break before Akintunde struck at the death.

Mark Anthony McGinley sent off late on as it all goes wrong in the end.

While his shot was well struck, there was no way through the bunch of players and again the danger was averted. Bur Rovers had a  massive scare in the 11th minute. Rovers then had another chance with the industrious Rory Gaffney doing well to create an opening on the right side of the box but his shot failed to match the initial skill while at the other end Eric McWoods was full of running for the home side and had to be closely marshalled on a couple of occasions. With Ronan Finn, Richie Towell and Jack Byrne all back in action for the visitors, they held the ascendancy early on. And back in 2020, Rovers were 2-0 down in an FAI Cup quarter-final match, but bounced back to win 3-2 in a thriller that saw three penalties in five minutes. Rovers, who came from behind to take a point in a 2-2 draw with Sligo Rovers last time out, came to the north-west knowing they could ill-afford a slip up against a side expected to be in the relegation quagmire come the end of the campaign.

An Andy Lyons brace and a Graham Burke penalty was enough to give Stephen Bradley's side all three points. After the game Harps boss Ollie Horgan told Diarmaid ...

Rovers started strong as Graham Burke's early shot was well saved by Harps keeper Mark McGinley. The Hoops were piling on the pressure on Harps in the ...