Soccer

Seventh heaven for Dundalk as champions thrash Finn Harps

Stephen Kenny’s side harshly expose the gulf between two sides with rout at Finn Park

Stephen Kenny’s Dundalk put seven past Finn Harps. Photograph: Inpho
Fri May 13 2016 - 22:16

Finn Harps 0 Dundalk 7

Catch us if you can - that’s the cry from champions Dundalk as they turned on the style to crush Finn Harps in convincing fashion at Finn Park.

This was the Donegal club’s biggest ever defeat in the Premier Division.

Stephen Kenny’s merry men were too hot for Harps to handle in the evening sunshine as the gulf between the country’s top side and a newly promoted part-time team was starkly exposed.

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Dundalk raced into an early lead when Sean Gannon whipped in a cross from the right and Robbie Benson, nicking in between two defenders, rose to head firmly past the despairing Ciaran Gallagher.

Delightful Dundalk then doubled their tally on 20 minutes with the ever-lively Daryl Horgan crossing from the left for John Mountney to set up Benson who crashed the ball into the net with real conviction.

With Ronan Finn, Benson and Horgan full of inventiveness, nervous Harps were frequently under pressure.

Harps’ first real threat did not materialise until the half-hour mark when Sean Houston was almost through on goal only to be thwarted by an important tackle from Andy Boyle.

But Dundalk effectively wrapped up the game on 35 minutes as Horgan, in space, took a quick glance up, and unleashed a superb curling effort into the top corner from outside the box.

There was even worse to come for Harps before the break as Ciaran Coll had the misfortune to score an own goal in the 44th minute as he tried to clear Finn’s scuffed shot after a super raid down the left flank by Horgan.

David McMillan then cracked in number five on 57 minutes from 20 yards as struggling Harps faced total collapse.

Houston then headed wide from a good position for Harps on 67 minutes but it was really damaged limitation stuff for the home side in the second half.

Defender Andy Boyle headed in number six on 71 minutes after more poor defending by Harps and substitute Paddy Barrett completed the rout on the stroke of full time.

Dundalk haven’t lost an away game in the league since they were beaten by St. Patrick’s Athletic back in in September 2014. Not surprisingly, Harps were 12/1 with some bookmakers to beat the Lilywhites before this game.

Finn Harps: Gallagher; McNulty, Mailey, Cowan, Coll; Scully (Boyle, 45), Harkin, Molloy (McHugh, 64 mins), Houston, Hanlon; Curran (Flatley, 75).

Dundalk: Rogers; Gannon, Gartland, Boyle, Massey; Shields (Poynton, 73); Mountney, Finn (Meenan, 64), Benson, Horgan; McMillan (Barrett, 58 mins).

Referee: T. Connolly (Dublin).