Finn Harps 3-0 Sligo Rovers
Finn Harps claimed bragging rights in the north west as they recorded a deserved 3-0 win over a poor Sligo Rovers at Finn Park in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.
Sean Houston netted in each half, either side of Ryan Curran's 48th-minute strike in what was the 60th meeting between the two sides at the Ballybofey venue.
The win sees the home side move nine points clear of bottom sides Bray and Longford going into the summer break.
Both sides came into this game on the back of positive results with Harps earning a valuable point in Tallaght last weekend, while Rovers picked up three points with a 2-1 win over Galway.
Kieran Sadlier, who netted a brace at Eamonn Deacy Park, was the first to fire a warning shot but saw his bending effort from the edge of the Harps area sail over Richard Brush's crossbar early.
But it was Harps who took the lead with 14 minutes played as Sligo lost their shape.
Gareth Harkin released Houston down the left and with Sligo right back Tobi Adebayo-Rowling marked absent, Houston was left with ample time and space to neatly place the ball past Micheál Schlingermann, the midfielder's second of the season.
Brush was alert to palm Jimmy Keohane's drive from 20 yards over his crossbar three minutes later, the former Sligo net minder keeping his former employers at bay.
The home side, playing with five at the back, frustrated Rovers for lengthy spells as Dave Robertson's team struggled to find holes in a stout Harps rearguard.
Keith Cowan could have doubled Harps' lead against the run of play on 32. The defender, however, miss-timed his jump as he met Dave Scully's hanging cross from the right, instead, heading the ball over Schlingermann's goal.
Brush threw his hat on John Russell's low shot from the edge of the box three minutes into the second period as an under-par Sligo continued to labour in their attempts to find a way back into the tie.
This, moments before Ollie Horgan's charges extended their lead.
Scully and Ciaran Coll combined on the left before the latter played the ball into the path of Curran.
The 22-year-old lashing the ball past Schlingermann from inside the area, as the Donegal man netted his sixth of the campaign.
The Showgrounds side continued to press but to no avail, while Harps worked from counters. Scully's neat pass picked out Houston inside the Sligo area on 66 during one such attack.
The former Derry man in turn feeding Curran, who was thwarted by a smart save from the agile Schlingermann.
Houston grabbed his second and his team's third on 73. Schlingermann was left red-faced in his attempts to claim Coll's set piece from the left, dropping the ball at the feet of Houston who fired into an empty net.
The closest a lacklustre Sligo came to breaching the Harps defence came seven minutes from time when Sadlier slipped Keohane through one-on-one. Brush was relieved to see the ball fizz past his far post.
Finn Harps: Richard Brush; Ethan Boyle, Keith Cowan, Packie Mailey, Thomas McMonagle, Ciaran Coll; Adam Hanlon (Michael Funston 88), Gareth Harkin (Josh Mailey 82), Sean Houston; Ryan Curran, Dave Scully (Kevin McHugh 75).
Sligo Rovers: Micheál Schlingermann; Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, Mick Leahy, Gary Boylan, Regan Donelon; Kieran Sadlier (Jaanai Gordon 87), John Russell (Jordan Richards 65), Craig Roddan, Jimmy Keohane; Liam Martin, Raffaele Cretaro (Phil Roberts 87).
