Finn Harps go down by a single goal to newly crowned champions Galway United 

Life after Dave Rogers began for Finn Harps away to newly crowned champions Galway United on Monday night - a game that John Caulfield’s team edged by a single goal. 

Galway United 1 Finn Harps 0

Rogers stepped down from his role as manager after a 5-1 drubbing by Cobh on Friday night with Darren Murphy, his assistant this term, taking temporary charge of things at Eamonn Deacy Park.

Galway, who made five changes from the side that clinched the First Division title in Kerry on Friday night, could and possibly should have had another goal or two with the hosts passing up on numerous chances throughout. 

With ex-Harps boss Ollie Horgan in the opposite dugout, Galway almost took the lead on 11 minutes when Robert Manley’s driven cross was almost turned in by Stephen Walsh from close range. 

Soon after Francely Lomboto was inches away from finding the net as the hosts continued to pile the pressure on. On 18 minutes BJ Banda gets on the end of a Ryan Flood corner but his effort went wide of the target. 

David Hurley’s freekick was then deflected into the path of Manley but just as he was about to pull the trigger it was nicked off his toe by Jamie Watson. 

On 21 minutes Manley really should have made the breakthrough but he blazed over from close range. With the tempo dipping it wasn’t until five minutes out from the break that we had the next meaningful action. 

Unfortunately, from a Harps point of view at least, that passage resulted in the hosts taking the lead when substitute Wassim Aouachria’s low ball across the area seemed to be turned into his own net by Watson. 

The Harps man seemed to suggest that he was pushed in the back by Walsh but all those remonstrations earned him was a booking.

Six minutes into the new half and it took a fine save by Antonio Tutu to deny Hurley doubling the hosts’ lead. From the resulting corner, Walsh smacked a post as Harps survived. On 56 minutes McCarthy danced through to roll an effort agonisingly wide of the foot of the post. 

Robert Slevin was next to pass up on a gilt-edged chance for Galway when he nodded over from close range. That was as exciting as it got between then and the remainder as matters drifted towards full time. 

With four games left to play, next up for Harps is a home encounter with basement outfit Kerry in Ballybofey on Friday night. 

Galway United: Brendan Clarke; Conor O’Keeffe, Killian Brouder, Robert Slevin, Regan Donelson (David Tarmey, 68); Stephen Walsh, Edward McCarthy, Francely Lomboto (Wassim Aouachria, 30), Aodh Dervin (Evan O’Connor, 68); David Hurley (Vincent Borden, 56), Robert Manley (Oisin O’Reilly, 68). 

Finn Harps: Antonio Tuta; Stephen Doherty (Daniel Stokoe, 73), Jamie Watson, Matthew Mackinson, Seamus Keogh; Kevin Jordan, Ryan Rainey (Max Hutchison, 73), Tony McNamee, Ryan Flood; Patrick Ferry (Aaron McLaughlin, 62), BJ Banda.

Referee: Adriano Reale.