Galway United began life after Tommy Dunne with a win, but not before being made sweat by Finn Harps.
Early goals by Vinny Faherty and Enda Curran sent the Tribesmen on their way to a second Premier Division win in eight games.
Just 38 seconds into the second half, Colm Horgan headed home the killer third, but Harps hit back.
Ruairi Keating scored Harps’ first goal in nine games and when Adam Hanlon tucked home another, Galway were clinging on by the tips of their fingers.
The home side flew from the traps and led after six minutes.
Harps ‘keeper Ciaran Gallagher saved superbly when Faherty flicked a Ryan Connolly free goalward, but Faherty reached to slot home.
Four minutes later Curran wonderfully smashed to the bottom corner from distance after finding time and space to have a go.
Gallagher saved well from Faherty after Curran had a third strike chalked off after he strayed offside.
It was game, set and match when Horgan’s looping header evaded Gallagher for the third.
Harps pulled one back in the 58th minute when Keating, who started this season as a Galway player, slipped past Kevin Horgan after Sean Houston found an opening.
Hanlon brought hope to Harps, but the Donegal men fell to a ninth defeat in a row while Galway finished with ten men as Marc Ludden saw red deep into added time.
Galway United: Kevin Horgan; Colm Horgan, Armin Aganovic, Stephen Folan, Stephen Walsh; Gary Shanahan, Paul Sinnott (Alex Byrne 63), Ryan Connolly, Marc Ludden; Vinny Faherty, Enda Curran (Padraic Cunningham 53).
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Ethan Boyle, Keith Cowan, Thomas McMonagle (Dave Scully 75); Tony McNamee (Michael Funston 52), Damien McNulty Gareth Harkin, Ciaran Coll; BJ Banda (Adam Hanlon 52), Ruairi Keating.
Referee: Tomás Connolly (Dublin).
