FAI CUP: FINN HARPS - 2 SHELBOURNE - 1:A fantastic second-half comeback by first division Finn Harps saw them round off a miserable week for Shelbourne as they were dumped from the Carlsberg FAI Cup on Saturday.
At one stage the game had been in doubt as Shelbourne threatened to withdraw from the competition in protest at the decision to give St Patrick's their nine league points, and the off-the-pitch events seemed to have taken their toll as Harps dominated the game throughout. Indeed, the home side might have scored twice in the opening 10 minutes through Niall Cooke who was making his first start of the season for Harps.
He was denied in the seventh minute by a fine goal-line clearance from Peter Hutton, while three minutes later he shot inches wide from close range.
Kevin McHugh also came close for Harps in the 21st minute with a shot that flew over the bar before Shelbourne's first strike of the game from John Burns fourminutes forced a good save from John Connolly.
Ten minutes later Connolly made another terrific save to tip a David Byrne shot over the bar, but from the resulting corner former Harps star Jonathan Minnock scored directly from the corner to give Shelbourne the lead.
Harps, however, were not giving up without a fight and were back in the game in the 55th minute.
Steve Williams made two excellent saves to deny Paddy McGrenaghan and then McHugh, but he could only watch in horror as the rebound fell to Cooke who slotted the ball home from close range.
John Burns should have made more of his chance in the 68th minute that was easily saved by Connolly and Shelbourne were made to pay four minutes later when Harps took the lead in spectacular fashion.
Kevin McHugh picked up a pass from Paddy McGrenaghan and skipped past Tony McCarthy before unleashing a powerful shot from 25 yards past the helpless Shelbourne goalkeeper to score his 21st goal of the season for Harps.
The visitors responded with a siege on the Harps goal, but Connolly saved the best chance they could muster with his feet in the 84th minute and Harps somehow managed to hack the loose ball away for a corner.
Despite that scare, though, the home side looked more likely to find the net again in the closing minutes with McHugh's pace causing problems as Shelbourne pushed forward in search of an equaliser. And McHugh almost capped Harps fine victory with another goal in stoppage time, but this time Williams was equal to the strike.
FINN HARPS: Connolly, R Kenny, Sweeney, Fitzhenry, Boyle, Mohan, J Kenny, McGrenaghan, Cooke, McHugh, Bradley. Sub: Devenney for J Kenny (83 mins).
SHELBOURNE: Williams, Heary, Doherty, McCarthy, Hutton, Crawford, Burns, Fenlon, D Byrne, Gritton, Minnock. Subs: Geoghegan for Burns (76 mins); B Byrne for Minnock (76 mins); Houlihan for Gritton (83 mins).
Referee: P McKeon (Dublin)
Finn Harps ... 2
Shelbourne ... 1
