Keena bags a brilliant treble as Sligo Rovers outshine Harps

Finn Harps were given another harsh lesson as to the quality of this season’s SSE Airtricity League Premier Division when a masterclass in finishing from hat-trick hero Aidan Keena won the north-west derby.

Sligo Rovers 3-1 Finn Harps

Although there was very little between the teams in terms of chance creation, the difference on the scoreboard at the end showed a gulf and that was down to the class of Keena. Luke Rudden did pull one back for Harps two minutes from time but Ollie Horgan’s side were beaten for the third time in five outings this term. The Harps manager picked up his first yellow card of the campaign for voicing his complaints in the second half.

A 13th minute goal from Keena broke the deadlock, with the Irish U-21 international coming onto a flick from Will Fitzgerald after Eric McWoods have given it away and struck a fantastic piercing shot past Mark Anthony McGinley in the Harps goal.

The same player doubled Rovers’ advantage three minutes prior to the interval with an excellent close control making for a quick turn and shot across McGinley, with Karl O’Sullivan having crossed from the right. Again, Harps had chances to clear.

It was three in the 48th minute when a long clearance from Niall Morahan set Keena away and having won the race against José Carrillo, let the ball bounce and then dipped a superb half-volley into the bottom corner.

Goals win matches, as the saying goes, and for all the endeavour, Harps’ headaches in front of goal continued, so at least they mustered some sort of consolation when Rudden drove through the crowd with 88 minutes played when Sligo didn’t get Bastien Héry’s corner away.

Until that opening goal, it was a positive start by the visitors, who won 1-0 with Kosovar Sadiki scoring on their last visit to the Yeats County, which was their first top flight success at their neighbours since 1998.

Ryan Rainey curled an early free-kick over the crossbar and then Ryan Connolly’s shot from the edge of the penalty area. However, as has been the trend of late, dispute Harps having opportunities, they tend to get punished for not making the most of them.

The visitors continued to play reasonably well, although their former goalkeeper Richard Brush in the Sligo goal might’ve been tested more. Connolly had another pop from outside the box, which was blocked by Shane Blaney, the Letterkenny native making his first start of the season at Rovers. Eric McWoods then floated a cross from the right that had Brush backpedalling and he’d have been relieved to see it fall over the crossbar and not under it.

Sligo are still unbeaten this season and there was a buzz from the home crowd any time they did put something together going forward and they were brought to their feet with Keena’s second goal and 2-0 half-time lead.

From the restart, a half-cleared corner fell to captain Dave Webster, whose technique was good to steer a half volley back only to see it easily gathered by Brush.

With Keena having made it 3-0, Harps were rattled and from a routine Ethan Boyle backpass, McGinley had a complete airshot and was blessed to see the ball trickle just wide of the post. From the corner from O’Sullivan that followed, McGinley scrambled a punch away from under his own crossbar.

Keena almost made it four on 59 minutes, although for once his touch deserted him as he couldn’t get sufficient purchase on a cross from the right by O’Sullivan again and Élie Gael N'zeyi was there to clear.

Harps did call Brush into action more at three down, although not at full stretch, with substitute Yoyo Mahdy trying to daisy-cutting free-kick and then Filip Mihaljević cutting in from the left and drawing a save. By then, it was all but over, with Sligo manager Liam Buckley withdrawing his hat-trick hero on 74 minutes and the home support proving a rousing send-off.

McGinley made a great stop to prevent a lightning Sligo break making it four when he saved from Jordan Hamlton and a follow-up from the same player. Harps chipped away and at least managed the late Rudden goal but it was Keena’s night.

Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Colm Horgan, Shane Blaney, Nando Pijnaker, Robbie McCourt; Niall Morahan, Adam McDonnell; Karl O’Sullivan (Paddy Kirk 78), Will Fitzgerald (Mark Byrne 74); Jordan Hamilton (Seamus Keogh 88), Aidan Keena (Max Mata 74).

Finn Harps: Mark Anthony McGinley; Conor Tourish, Ethan Boyle, Dave Webster, José Carrillo (Erol Erdal Alkan 62); Élie Gael N'zeyi, Ryan Connolly (Bastien Héry 62); Barry McNamee (Luke Rudden 78), Ryan Rainey (Yoyo Mahdy 62), Eric McWoods; Filip Mihaljević.

Referee: Ben Connolly.