Two goal Lyons the hero for the Hoops as Finn Harps lose out

Finn Harps are still searching for a first home win of the season after losing out 3-0 against champions Shamrock Rovers at Finn Park.

Harps were very much in the game until just before half-time when Andy Lyons headed the visitors ahead.

He added a second after the break while Graham Burke scored a late penalty to put a gloss on the scoreline as  Rovers moved up to second spot in the table behind Derry City.

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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.

Harps have certainly troubled Rovers in recent times at the Ballybofey venue, and they made it hard for the visitors again.

In the sides’ most recent meeting last September, the Donegal outfit secured a 2-1 victory thanks to an 85th minute winner from Belgian striker Tunde Owolabi.

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.

And Ollie Horgan’s men once again upped their game for the visit of the champions, at least in the first half.

The Hoops conjured up the first opening with a stinging long range drive that spun off Mark Anthony McGinley but there was nobody in close proximity to the Harps custodian to capitalise.

With Ronan Finn, Richie Towell and Jack Byrne all back in action for the visitors, they held the ascendancy early on.

Bur Rovers had a  massive scare in the 11th minute. Byrne lost possession midway inside his own half and Elie N'Zeyi let fly with a thundering drive that smacked off the post and then came off a stunned Alan Mannus before being cleared.

The move really lifted the home support on a damp night and injected some zest into Harps’ play and they won a corner shortly afterwards, following some trickery from Barry McNamee.

The latter’s planned, low ball in from the corner was inch-perfect into the path of Filip Mihaljevic who was in space. While his shot was well struck, there was no way through the bunch of players and again the danger was averted.

As the game ebbed and flowed Rovers then carved out a decent opening on 22 minutes with Lyons finding Burke inside the area and his shot tested McGinley’s reflexes.

At times it was a bit helter-skelter, with the slippery surface not helping matters, but the tempo rarely dropped in what was always an interesting first half.

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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.

But Rovers snatched the lead in the third minute of stoppage time at the end of the half with Lyons (pictured) rising above the home defence to nod home a near post header from a corner.

Second half 

There was some early drama after the resumption when  Conor Tourish ended up on the deck inside the Rovers’ box but Harps’ plea for a penalty were promptly dismissed.

Alan Mannus was largely untroubled although he had to see one Ethan Boyle header clipping the crossbar.

Harps, who  chalked up a first win of the campaign as they comprehensively overcame Damien Duff’s Shelbourne 3-0 in Dublin before the international break, never stopped battling.

McWoods went close with a shot just across the face of goal on 65 minutes.

Graham Burke then forced McGinley into making a fine save from a free to prevent Rovers from doubling their tally.

But Rovers wrapped it up on 78  minutes with Lyons showing some deft touches before firing past McGinley into the top corner.

Lyons is on a real roll at the moment, having been called into the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad, and watching them beat Sweden from the sidelines last week.

For Harps, the second half frustration worsened late on.

McGinley was sent off for hauling down Gaffney in the 84th minute and with all their substitutes having been used Bastien Hery took over the goalkeeping duties.

Burke calmly slotted the resulting penalty home to put a gloss on the scoreline.

Finn Harps: McGinley, Carillo (Timlin, 77 mins), Tourist, Webster, Boyle; Rainey (Mahdy, 34 mins), N’Zeyi, Alkan (Slevin, 45 mins), McNamee (Rudden, 79 mins), McWoods (McWoods, 79 mins), Mihaljevic.

Shamrock Rovers: Mannus; Hoare. Lopes, Grace (Gannon, 67 mins); Finn, O’Neill (Watts, 86 mins), Towell (Greene, 67 mins), Lyons; Burke (Kavanagh, 86 mins), Gaffney (Emakhu, 86 mins), Byrne.

Referee: R. Harvey (Dublin).