Gaffney's goal sees Shamrock Rovers squeeze past Finn Harps

A Rory Gaffney daisycutter right before half-time proved to be the only goal as Shamrock Rovers squeezed past Finn Harps in Ballybofey.

Finn Harps 0
Shamrock Rovers 1

The home side were doing their best to frustrate the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division leaders and looked to have made the break at least.

Just as fourth official Neil Doyle signalled for one minute of additional time, Gaffney found himself in a pocket of space and drilled a precise shot, which was straight as a die into the bottom corner. It was to prove the only differential.

Rovers, with three wins on the bounce, can now focus their attention on Malta’s Hibernians, who visit Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday for the first leg of the first qualifying round of the Champion’s League.

Harps lined out with the most deliberate 5-4-1 you could imagine, with Eric McWoods the loneliest man in the Twin Towns, almost operating within a different Eir Code. His shift was commendable, in a match - particularly in the first half - that resembled a training shift of defenders against forwards.

Rovers had to work to create anything and managed to construct a handful of half-chances in the first half. The best of those fell to Dylan Watts on 22 minutes, with a rare opening which led to a shot which was easily gathered by Gavin Mulreany.

That came three minutes after Gaffney did well to cut in from left, shoot off the right and Conor Tourish’s block averted the danger for the hosts. Watts, on 27 minutes, reacted to a Mulreany punch to lift the ball over the Harps goalkeeper but onto the roof of the net.

Although the tone of things was plain to see, when Barry McNamee rasped an effort which Alan Mannus had to be sharp to stop after Roberto Lopes had not got full purchase on a clearance.

However, Ollie Horgan’s best laid plans had to be rethought at the interval, following the Gaffney goal.

Mulreany’s one-handed save from another Watts effort on 49 minutes kept Harps within touching distance. With McWoods running himself into the ground, Luke Rudden was thrown on to lead the line by Horgan.

Understandably, by then the game had opened up to a degree, with more adventure in Harps’ play which correlated to Rovers being more dangerous with more room to play in.

Gaffney put in the most inviting of crosses and, within a minute of his introduction, Richie Towell hooked an improvised volley back across the Harps goal and not far off target.

Aidomo Emakhu was only on a matter of second too when he was about to break into space with Harp caught upfield. Élie N'Zeyi, at full stretch, made an excellent covering tackle in 11 to play.

Horgan’s team somehow scrambled a 2-2 draw from the visit of St Patrick’s Athletic seven nights’ beforehand, having trailed 2-0 down on 88 minutes. However, that didn’t mask the fact they’ve won just twice this season - twice against Shelbourne.

The comeback last week wasn’t lost on folk, whatever their persuasion, late on and although Rob Slevin drove well over at the Town End following a Tourish throw-in, it gave the crowd some voice.

But the closest either team came to a second goal was when Emakhu broke clear 90 seconds from time and Mulreany saved at the substitute’s feet.

Finn Harps: Gavin Mulreany; José Carrillo (Yoyo Mahdy 87), Conor Tourish, Élie N'Zeyi, Rob Slevin, Regan Donelon (Dylan Duncan 77); Filip Mihaljević, Bastien Héry, Ryan Connolly, Barry McNamee (Mark Timlin 87); Eric McWoods (Luke Rudden 66).

Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Sean Gannon (Sean Hoare 85) Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace; Ronan Finn (Barry Cotter 77),Chris McCann (Richie Towell 73), Gary O’Neill, Sean Kavanagh; Aaron Greene (Aidomo Emakhu 77), Rory Gaffney, Dylan Watts.

Referee: Oliver Moran