Noe Baba’s header just after the hour mark helped seal all three points for Finn Harps as their half time substitute ended a wait of two months for a win in the league.

After a stalemate opening 45 minutes, it looked that for the third time this year a draw would be the outcome. On this occasion it proved not to be after a whirlwind opening quarter of an hour to the second half.

Ryan Kelliher put Kerry ahead minutes into the second stanza, before BJ Banda who netted late to win the tie in Tralee equalised three minutes later with a header from a free kick. Baba netted the second header of the night for the hosts as a trademark Ryan Flood corner was directed to the net.

Kerry did have a penalty to try to take a point from this contest, Seamas Keogh adjudged to have blocked a cross with his hand. Gaxha stepped up but Tuta guessed correctly diving to his left to save the effort.

An eight win of the term for Finn Harps, one they have had to wait two months for, since defeating the same opposition by the same score line in Tralee back in July. Kerry now have two home games in succession to take something from to end the year on a high point. Harps meanwhile despite the much needed result remain second from bottom.

Kerry showed intent in the contest right from the off as Sean McGrath crossed on the right channel to try find Ryan Kelliher in the area, out came Antonio Tuta to pounce on the ball. The Kingdom kept the pressure up as Leo Gaxha played in Daniel Okwute, the former Harps man’s effort however soared over the bar.

Harps started to get into the game with BJ Banda firing wide from an acute angle following a free kick, Patrick Ferry then floated a dangerous cross on his left boot to the back post but Sam Aladesanusi headed the danger away.

On the half hour mark Harps looked to try a speciality set piece with a long throw-in that landed in the Kerry six yard box but Lee Axworthy was off his line to gather the danger. Ryan Flood would later fire a shot wide from range that dragged across the goal.

A last minute chance in the half could have seen Kerry break the deadlock in stoppage time, Kelliher getting onto a loose pass and breaking into the area, trying to lob Tuta from an cute angle, his effort was over, smart goalkeeping by the Harps netminder to keep it square at the break.

It was an exhilarating start to proceedings in the second half, McGrath pinging a ball down the right hand side that Okwute chased and then fizzed a cross that landed inside the six yard box for Kelliher to tap home from close range to make the breakthrough.

Three minutes later Harps were level, Martin Coughlan was penalised for a foul, Tony McNamee floated the resulting free kick into the area and BJ Banda rose highest at the back post to see his glancing header fly past Axworthy to the net.

Okwute looked to find the reply to the Harps goal two minutes later cutting in from the right hand channel, his effort was blocked by the foot of Matthew Makinson for a corner. Noe Baba picked up a yellow card and almost looked to see his marching orders minutes later but the referee chose not to go to the pocket.

That decision worked well for the hosts, just after the hour mark, Baba rose highest inside the area to direct Ryan Flood’s corner from the left hand flank to the back of the net. In a ten minute spell the game was completely turned on its head.

Kerry had a chance on the 70th minute mark to try to pull one back as Gaxha played Okwute down the right wing inside the box, he passed across toward Kennedy Amechi however more smart defending by Harps saw the effort blocked.

With 15 minutes left on the clock, Gaxha stepped up to try to convert a spot kick following Keogh’s adjudged handball, Gaxha went left and so did Tuta, a strong hand by the Croatian netminder kept the Finn men ahead.

As the minutes ticked by Harps defended well, Kerry tried their best but could not break down the Harps rear-guard for a second time. A much needed morale boost for the Donegal outfit with weeks left of the season.