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Details

Date Time League Season
17 April 2021 6:00 pm LOI Men's Premier Division 2021

Match Report

Kenny kills Harps unbeaten run

An early second half goal from Johnny Kenny delivered Sligo Rovers their third win, as Finn Harps suffered their first defeat of the campaign at the Showgrounds.

17-year old Kenny made an impact as a half-time substitute for the Bit O'Red, as he cheekily closed down Harps keeper Mark Anthony McGinley to deliver his first Senior goal; and the only goal of this North West Derby.

This game started slowly, with both sides struggling to maintain any sustained amount of possession in the first 20 minutes. From then on Sligo slowly took control of the game as the midfield of Niall Morahan, Jordan Gibson and Walter Figueira took the reins and slowly broke down the Harps defence.

The first half was a fairly uneventful affair until the 36th minute when a 70-yard delivery from Greg Bolger found Romeo Parkes at the edge of the Harps area, whose deft touch took him past the defender. He then tried to lob McGinley in the Harps goal. However, a slight touch was enough to see the ball go out for a Sligo corner. 

Sligo continued to gain full control of the game only to find the Harps defensive set up too much to break down in the first half. 

Kenny came on for Ryan DeVries at the break. The latter making little impact on the game in the first period. Full of energy and confidence Kenny made his presence known early on as he put pressure on the Harps defence.  

Sligo made the breakthrough when Kenny forced a back pass from McEleney to McGinley in the Harps goal. The Harps custodian instantly knew his mistake, as he took too much time to clear any danger when a tenacious Kenny used his pace to quickly close down the keeper; dispossess and tap the ball into the empty net. 

The hosts confidence grew as both Gibson and Figueira were extremely lively on either side of the midfield peppering the Harps end with shots and crosses from either side and through the middle. 

Harps in-form striker Foley, who was an injury doubt going into the game; was unable to find his form and the Donegal side struggled to offer anything to worry the strong defensive pairing of Mahon and Buckley; or the confident McGinty in the Sligo goal. 

In the closing stages of normal time Harps came closest to equalising, when substitute Sean Boyd almost latched onto a cross from the left only for a last-ditch effort by Robbie McCourt to deny the man from Swords his first goal of the season.  

Sligo Rovers

1Ed McGinty Goalkeeper
3Colm Horgan Defender
5Robbie McCourt Defender 23'
6Greg Bolger Midfielder
7Jordan Gibson Forward
8Niall Morahan Midfielder 46'
9Ryan DeVries 24 Forward
10Walter Figueira Forward
21John Mahon Defender
26Garry Buckley Midfielder
27Romeo Parkes 22 Forward
30Richard Brush Goalkeeper
2Lewis Banks Defender
12Mark Byrne Midfielder
19Regan Donelon Defender
20Darren Collins Forward
22David Cawley 27 Midfielder
23Scott Lynch Defender
33Peter Maguire Defender
24Johnny Kenny 9 Forward 50'

Finn Harps

1Mark McGinley Goalkeeper
4Kosovar Sadiki Defender
5Dave Webster Defender 51'
7Karl O’Sullivan 9 Forward 9'
11Barry McNamee Midfielder
14Mark Coyle Midfielder
14Will Seymore 57 Midfielder
16Shane McEleney Defender
17Mark Russell 29 Defender
19Adam Foley 45 Forward
24Ethan Boyle 21 Defender
25Patrick McGarvey Goalkeeper
9Sean Boyd 7 Forward
18Niall McGinley Midfielder
21Stephen Doherty 24 Midfielder
22Ryan Rainey Midfielder
26Tony McNamee Midfielder
29Ryan Shanley 17 Forward
45Babatunde Owolabi 19 Forward
57Stephen Folan 14 Defender
  • Sligo Rovers see off a tough Finn Harps with the only goal coming from teenage substitute Johnny Kenny Jr.

  • 90'

    Poor pass back to the keeper by Sadiki sees the ball bobble out for a sligo corner

  • 89'

    Harps counter but McCourt defends strong to keep it at 1 nil entering 4 minutes of additional time

  • 89'

    Gibson strikes from range and McGinley gets down and pushes it around the post,

  • 81'

    Seymore and O'Sullivan leave the field of play with Boyd and Folan replacing them

  • 81'

    Seymore and O'Sullivan leave the field of play with Boyd and Folan replacing them

  • 81'

    Seymore and O'Sullivan leave the field of play with Boyd and Folan replacing them

  • 81'

    Seymore and O'Sullivan leave the field of play with Boyd and Folan replacing them

  • 81'

    Sligo really putting pressure on the Harps defence with Gibson and Figueira attacking from either wing

  • 78'

    David Cawley enters the play in place of Romeo Parkes

  • 78'

    David Cawley enters the play in place of Romeo Parkes

  • 77'

    McGinty confidently commanding in his box claimin a looping Harps cross

  • 70'

    Double sub for Harps as Doherty and Shanley enter the play for Russell and Boyle

  • 70'

    Double sub for Harps as Doherty and Shanley enter the play for Russell and Boyle

  • 70'

    Double sub for Harps as Doherty and Shanley enter the play for Russell and Boyle

  • 70'

    Double sub for Harps as Doherty and Shanley enter the play for Russell and Boyle

  • 64'

    Sligo firmly on top here with Figueira tormenting the Harps defence from the left

  • 62'

    Gibson skips through the midfield and plays the ball wide to Kenny who drives the ball across the box but no Sligo player takes advantage

  • 55'

    Foley leaves the field for Owolabi

  • 55'

    Foley leaves the field for Owolabi

  • 50'

    Webster enters the referees book for something said in the aftermath of the Sligo goal

  • 50'

    Sligo Rovers make the breakthrough as substitute Kenny closes down McGinley in the Harps box and slots it into the empty net

  • 46'

    Kenny enters the play at half time in place of DeVries

  • 46'

    Kenny enters the play at half time in place of DeVries

  • 46'

    Substitute for Sligo Rovers as Kenny enters the play in place of Ryan DeVries as Sligo get the second half underway

  • 45'

    Half time here at The Showgrounds as both teams enter the dressing rooms scoreless

  • 45'

    fourth official indicates one minute of additional time

  • 43'

    Sligo clearly in control here although unable to get into the final third of the pitch

  • 36'

    Long ball by Bolger heads 70 yards to Parkes who takes a deft touch and attempts to lob the keeper who gets a touch and puts it out for a corner, resulting corner taken short and return pass sees an offside

  • 32'

    Sligo forcing it here, pushing Harps back to what looks like two banks of 5 on the edge of the area

  • 25'

    McGinty comes and confidently gathers a Finn Harps cross

  • 23'

    Mid way though this first half and neither goalkeeper has been tested yet

  • 23'

    Sligos first corner taken by Figueira, doesn't beat the first man in Barry McNamee

  • 22'

    Gibson weaves his way into the harps box but is dispossessed by form Sligo player Will Seymore

  • 15'

    Webster down favouring his calf after a strong challenge from Horgan, ref doesn't see a foul and continues play

  • 15'

    First offside of the game as Romeo Parkes comes into play from an offside position

  • 13'

    Neither team taking full control here with Sligo possibly just edging it

  • 9'

    Excellent cross field ball from Mahon to Figuera see a pull from O Sullivan who sees the first yellow card of the game, free from wide of the box eventually cleared

  • 5'

    First corner of the game to harps taken by McNamee claimed calmly by McGinty in the Sligo goal

  • 1'

    Harps get the game underway

Past Meetings

(Series 10)
3 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers v Finn Harps

(Series 1)
1 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps v Sligo Rovers

3 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Finn Harps FC

2 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Sligo Rovers FC

1 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Finn Harps FC

1 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Sligo Rovers FC

1 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Sligo Rovers FC

0 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Finn Harps FC

2 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Sligo Rovers FC

7:45 pm
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Finn Harps FC

3
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Sligo Rovers FC

1 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Finn Harps FC

Ground

The Showgrounds
The Showgrounds - Sligo Rovers F.C., Magheraboy Road, Knappagh Beg, Sligo, Sligo Municipal Borough District, County Sligo, Connacht, F91 P523, Ireland