Flood doubles up in the rain as Finn Harps reach FAI Cup quarter-finals

Ryan Flood scored a stunning double as Finn Harps breezed into the quarter-finals of the FAI Senior Cup.

Finn Harps 5 Skerries Town 0

The American netted twice from distance in dreadful conditions to book Harps a spot in Tuesday’s draw.

Max Hutchison, Patrick Ferry and Sean O’Donnell were all on target to see Dave Rogers’ Harps safely through with what was their first win in five outings.

After a day of weather alerts and on a night when one Cup clash (Cork City v Waterford) was postponed and another (UCD v Galway United) was abandoned due to the conditions, Flood hit the headlines in Ballybofey.

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In the 15th minute, Max Hutchison, who had opened the scoring in the third minute, drew a foul 25 yards from goal. Flood stepped up to curl brilliantly beyond Liam Woodcock for the Arizona man’s tenth goal of the season.

Harps burst from their blocks in the second half and already had goals from Ferry and O’Donnell when Flood cracked his second in the 58th minute.

The 24-year-old cut in from the left and gave Woodcock no chance with a powerful effort to the Town End net.

Harps broke the deadlock with only 128 seconds played. The first sheets of Storm Betty’s rainfall were lashing Finn Park when BJ Banda squared invitingly from the left-hand side. Flood’s initial effort was blocked, but Hutchison smashed to the roof of the net past a helpless Woodcock.

It was Hutchison who scored the only goal of the game a month earlier when Harps defeated the 2022-23 Leinster Senior League champions Kilbarrack.

Since then, Rogers’ team hadn't won in four and slipped to bottom-bar-one in the First Division. That sequence and the weather warning contributed to a much-reduced crowd.

Skerries, who yet to begin their season, were fourth in the LSL last term and defeated Portlaoise 3-0 in the last round. Captain Robert McKenna, who scored a brace in that victory, found himself with a sight of goal just a minute in, but Harps ‘keeper Rory Kelly was out to thwart the danger after a decent probe by the visitors.

Any notions that might’ve given the Dubliners were knocked back when Hutchison thumped in the opening goal a minute later.

When Flood hit a superb second, it already felt like curtains, even though just a quarter-of-an-hour had gone.

Hutchison and Ferry were restored to the Harps XI from the team that began last week’s disappointing 1-0 defeat by Treaty United with Sean O’Donnell and Caoimhin Porter left out.

When Harps were presented with another free-kick in similar territory, captain Ryan Rainey fed Stephen Doherty but the full-back shot at Woodcock.

Doherty whizzed just wide from distance in the 35th minute as Harps continued to pile on the pressure and Banda curled wide from another set piece.

Harps struck twice in the opening ten minutes of the second half to put the game, firmly, to rest. Ferry spun on a sixpence and slammed home with only 70 seconds played in part two.

O’Donnell, barely two minutes after replacing Ferry, added a fourth in the 54th minute, speeding clear before coolly finishing.

Soon, Flood was wheeling away a second time and Harps are eyeing up the last eight.

Finn Harps: Rory Kelly; Scott Wara, Daithi McCallion, Matthew Makinson (Sean O’Kane 65), Stephen Doherty (Ellis Farrar 59); Ryan Rainey; Ryan Flood (Aaron McLaughlin 59), Max Hutchison, Tony McNamee (Caoimhin Porter 65), BJ Banda; Patrick Ferry (Sean O’Donnell 52).

Skerries Town: Liam Woodcock; Emmet Mullen (Josh Mullin 59), Joshua Carron (Matthew Flynn 61), Oisin Kimmage, Paul O’Carroll; James Kimmage, Chris Polis, Karl Young, Daniel Doherty (Shane Kiely 81), Alan Leonard; Robert McKenna.

Referee: Damien McGraith.