Ten-man Finn Harps fell to a slender home defeat tonight as Longford Town finally took their scalp this season, in-form forward, Cristian Magerusan, the matchwinner.

Coming into this one, Harps had just progressed to the FAI Cup quarterfinals but were without manager Dave Rogers in the dugout, absent due to a family bereavement.

Longford travelled north fresh from a fortnight’s rest, looking to atone for their helter-skelter loss to Athlone Town two weeks ago.

It was an end-to-end start as within four minutes, Matty Makinson had whisked a volley over the bar for Harps, Longford denied the opener by the offside flag after dangerman, Cristian Magerusan set up captain, Shane Elworthy at the back post.

Scott Wara showcased his strength in winning the ball back brilliantly out right, his cross-finding Patrick Ferry whose header found the gloves of Longford goalkeeper, Jack Brady.

Eighteen minutes in though and De Town took the lead with a goal of real quality, Beineon O’Brien Whitmarsh driving purposefully down the right, he alertly spotted the unmarked Magerusan, the forward continuing his fine form with a clinical finish into the corner, his fifth goal in four games.

Magerusan nearly made it two moments later, the dangerous duo again combining as Whitmarsh crossed but, on the stretch, the striker sent his header wide of the post with Rory Kelly stranded.

With Finn Harps not showing the finesse required to break a disciplined defence, Magerusan went close once more, forced into hurrying a shot wide after Kelly unwisely palmed a cross into his path.

Daithi McCallion had Harps’best chance of the half, the defender heading straight at Brady, to leave the majority of Finn Park disgruntled at the interval.

The young Derry defender was then withdrawn early, sadly stretchered off after landing awkwardly, we wish McCallion a speedy recovery.

Five minutes after the break, home captain Tony McNamee split the Longford defence open as Ferry scampered only to shoot straight at Brady.

The skipper whistled a long-ranger just off target as the hosts were once again confronted with the conundrum of how to break down a deep-lying, disciplined defence.

Disaster then struck for the Donegal side as Makinson unwisely nibbled at Magerusan, seeing his second yellow card in ten minutes leaving Harps without either of their starting centre backs.

A triple substitution immediately by Stephen Henderson indicated that the Longford manager wanted his side to kill the game despite Harps’ introducing pacy young forwards, Aaron McLaughlin, and Sean O’Donnell.

They made an impact, hassling and harrying every Longford defender until the last, so despite their numerical advantage, the visitors didn’t really get out, O’Donnell testing Brady late on.

De Town brought out the dark arts late on with four players collecting bookings for cynical, niggly fouls to disrupt any Harps momentum, a second goal far from their minds.

Seeing it out, this result is a big blow to Harps’ fast-fading playoff push, the win propelling Longford right back into contention for one of the precious four berths.

Next on the agenda for Harps is a trip to Ferrycarig Park to face Wexford on Friday night (7:45pm KO), Longford have the formidable task of hosting runaway, league leaders, Galway United the evening after at Bishopsgate (7:45pm KO).