FULL TIME: Despite plenty of early pressure from Finn Harps, a Stephen Bradley inspired Dundalk FC ran out worthy winners in Oriel Park in a game that could have been a lot different had the away side made their ample early possession count. In the end, Ollie Horgan’s men had simply had no answer for the Hibernian loanee as he grabbed his third and fourth goals in three games for the Lilywhites.

Stephen Bradley is named man of the match by Dundalk FC

Ryan Rainey is replaced by Luke Rudden

Ryan Rainey had been booked for dissent.

This game has lost a bit of pace to it but Dundalk is in cruise control now holding onto possession and continuing to attack in waves.

Bradley heads wide from Kelly's cross but there'll be no further chance of a hat-trick. He makes way to a standing ovation for John Martin who is on for his home debut and his 100th career appearance

Bastien Hery comes on for Ryan Connolly

Tonight's attendance: 2,676

GOAL! Stephen Bradley with the second of the night, a breakaway from a Finn Harps attack and Hoban's shot is blocked and Bradley collects the loose ball and hits a fantastic strike into the top corner.

Keith Ward is on for Joe Adams in what is his 75th appearance for the club.

Three changes for Finn HarpsL: Jesse Devers for Timlin, Eric McWoods for McNamee, Yoyo Mahdy for Mihaljevic.

It looks as if Keith Ward is next to come into the game, he will be Dundalk's fourth change of the night.

McGinley pulls off a fantastic save to deny Stephen Bradley his second goal of the night. The resulting corner is cleared.

CHANCE: N'Zeyi with a snap shot on the edge of the area that just whistles over the bar.

GOAL: Only 44 seconds into the second half and Dundalk have doubled their lead with Sam Bone squeezing a left-foot shot past McGinley at his near post.

Half Time subs for Dundalk: Patrick Hoban is on for McMillan and Greg Sloggett is on for Doyle.

HALF TIME: Dundalk may have been under pressure for most of that half but are a goal to the good thanks to Stephen Bradley.

Doyle has gone down injured but looks set to be ok to continue.

Two added minutes here at Oriel Park, Dundalk have been under the cosh for most of this game but have come up with the goods.

GOAL! He has done it again!! Stephen Bradley steals the ball and then cuts onto this left foot, and well you know what happens next...it flies into the bottom right-hand corner.

Joe Adams's cross is cut out for a corner, he will take it and it falls to Paul Doyle whose effort blazes over the bar and wide.

Dan Williams is booked.

Mihaljevic goes down under a heavy challenge which sparks a heavy conversation from the Finn Harps bench, the fourth official has to have a word to calm things down.

CHANCE! A poor passback is met by Mihaljevic but his high effort cannons off the crossbar and over!

Lewis Macari, who looks to be holding his groin, makes way for Daniel Kelly. Looks like Robbie Benson is going to left back.

CHANCE: A corner for Finn Harps and Sheppard punched it clear and somehow he went into the net but the ball didn't!

Daniel Kelly looks like he's about to come in here with just 23 minutes gone

SAVE: Nathan Sheppard has done excellently to get down and save to deny Ryan Connolly of Finn Harps, Dundalk is under serious pressure here.

CHANCE: Another big run from Mihaljevic who crossed it into the area to McNamee but his header goes wide of the post.

ABSOLUTELY STUNNING! Lewis Macari lost the ball and the ball was fed to Mihaljevic who rounded Sheppard but his shot was cleared off the line by Macari who ran all the way back to make up for the lost ball he gave away. Brilliant stuff.

A lot of high pressing movement from Dundalk but no breakthrough for the home side as of yet.

Back in the action already is Gartland with a big challenge on Barry McNamee, he isn't taking his time getting back into the swing of things.

KICK OFF: We are underway at Oriel Park with Robbie Benson getting the home side underway.

Here we go! The teams are out on the pitch for tonight's match, a special moment for Brian Gartland who returns after his ACL tear last year.

Game no 70 in management tonight for Stephen O’Donnell. His first win in management came against Finn Harps in September 2019 when his St Pat's side overcame the setback of falling behind to a Nathan Boyle goal at Finn Park to win 2-1 with goals from Darragh Markey & Rhys McCabe.

Game no 70 in management tonight for Stephen O’Donnell. His first win in management came against Finn Harps in September 2019 when his St Pat's side overcame the setback of falling behind to a Nathan Boyle goal at Finn Park to win 2-1 with goals from Darragh Markey & Rhys McCabe.

Game no 70 in management tonight for Stephen O’Donnell. His first win in management came against Finn Harps in September 2019 when his St Pat's side overcame the setback of falling behind to a Nathan Boyle goal at Finn Park to win 2-1 with goals from Darragh Markey & Rhys McCabe.

David McMillan is another starting his first game of the season tonight. He scored the only goal the last time these sides met in the league at Oriel Park last July. Dundalk were 1-0 winners on the day. That remains his last league goal.

Gartland, recently re-installed as club captain, hasn’t played competitively in 332 days since suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in the opening 30 seconds of the 2-1 defeat to Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on April 2nd last.

Team news from Oriel Park: It’s a comeback for Brian Gartland tonight. He’s one of four changes to the Dundalk side from Friday’s 2-2 draw with Bohs in Dalymount with Paul Doyle, Joe Adams and David McMillan coming in as Connolly, Sloggett, Kelly and Hoban drop to the bench.

Good Evening from Oriel Park, it's cool but not as cold as this place can usually get! Ciaran Callan here to take you through the action as Dundalk FC host Finn Harps.