Shamrock Rovers vs Finn Harps

SHAMROCK ROVERS reasserted their domestic dominance ahead of another European expedition.Beaten by Bohemians last time out in the league, the Hoops bo.

Byrne backheeled to Lyons whose shot was well saved by James McKeown. Harps were unable to capitalise, though, with no player on hand to get on the end of a rebound when Mannus dived to his right to get his fingertips to a McWoods shot. First of all, in the 40th minute, Farrugia burst down the right, passed to Gaffney who squared it to Lyons whose first-time finish claimed his ninth goal of the season. With Farrugia scoring twice - his first goals in almost two years - Gaffney converting a penalty, Byrne helping himself to a second-half goal having had a role in two in the first half, the shuffling of the deck hardly weakened them. Gary Boylan was well placed to clear up after the parry but allowed Farrugia to nip in ahead of him and score his first goal in two years. Rory Gaffney, Andy Lyons and Jack Byrne were also on the scoresheet as they extended their lead over Derry City - whose boss Ruaidhri Higgins was one of the 2,859 in attendance - to four points with a game in hand.

Ollie Horgan made three changes from the 2-1 loss to St. Patrick's Athletic nine days ago, as Ryan Rainey and Ryan Connolly returned from suspension, ...

The ball fell to Byrne however and in space, he was able to fire the rebound home with ease. Gaffney stepped up and fired into the bottom left corner, with McKeown inches from getting a touch. Greene and Byrne were involved, with the latters back heel finding Lyons who shot. Ollie Horgan made three changes from the 2-1 loss to St. Five minutes later it was three as Farrugia played in Gaffney who moved into the box, laying off Lyons who fired into the top corner from the edge of the box. James McKeown parried only to Farrugia who beat Boylan to the ball and fired in from close range.

Neil Farrugia bagged a brace - his first goals in two years - while Andy Lyons, Rory Gaffney and Jack Byrne also weighed in as Rovers moved four clear with a ...

And that was the game. Finn Harps have a knack of putting it up to Rovers in Ballybofey, but not here in Dublin as it was 2008 when they last beat the Hoops in the capital. And they have never won here in Tallaght Stadium - a statistic that wasn’t going to change on this occasion after being blown out of the water so early and so often. Harps might have had a sliver of hope to cling to had they gone in 2-0 down at the break, but they shipped two more in the final four minutes of the half. Harps may have been down and out but their start to the second-half was impressive and they could have halved the deficit within 15 minutes The floodgates opened early and Farrugia opened his account for the season, a day shy of two years since his last goal for the club.

Result and performance just the tonic for Hoops ahead of trip to Gent in Europa Conference League.

Rovers extended their lead further in the 40th minute. Farrugia nicked the loose ball off the toe of a sluggish Gary Boylan to blast to the roof of the net. Dominating from the start, Rovers were ahead after eight minutes.