Miserable end to the season for Finn Harps away in Drogheda
Already downed Harps fell to goals from Darragh Markey and Dayle Rooney in each half as the Ballybofey side's four-year tenure in the top-flight came to a miserable end
Already relegated Finn Harps fell to a 2-0 loss away to Drogheda United on Sunday as a miserable curtain came down on their Premier Division season.
Drogheda United 2
Finn Harps 0
Darragh Markey and Dayle Rooney were the men grabbing the goals for the hosts. The breakthrough arrived after just five minutes while they netted their second, in added time, at the very end of matters.
Ollie Horgan made four changes in personnel to the XI that lost out to UCD, a game that sealed Harps’ First Division fate.
Harry Nicolson, Ryan Rainey, Mark Timlin and Luke Rudden all came into the fray with Regan Donelon, Ryan Connolly, Rob Jones and Jaime Siaj the ones to make way.
However, matters had barely settled when the hosts opened the scoring as Markey prodded home Darragh Noone’s well weighted cross.
The visitors’ first real sight of goal came on the quarter hour mark when Gary Boylan’s deep corner sourced Ryan Rainey. He nodded back towards Ethan Boyle but his volley was cleared off the Drogheda line.
Drogheda remained on top and they could easily have added a second had it not been for the intervention of Filip Mihaljević when he cleared a Keith Cowan effort off the line.
Harps did have their moments in the second period with the likes of Rainey, Boyle and Luke Rudden all gaining decent sights of goal.
Markey hit a post at the other end while Nugent also smacked the woodwork. But, late on, Drogheda did finally net their second as Rooney beat James McKeown.
With just four wins from 36 outings, Harps go down for the first time in four seasons. Drogheda finished the campaign in eighth, 12 points clear of UCD who will now take on Waterford United in the promotion/play-off decider.
Drogheda United: Lee Steacy (Fiachra Pagel 74); Keith Cowan (Callum Ralph 90+2), Andrew Quinn, Dane Massey; Gary Deegan, Darragh Nugent, Dayle Rooney, Darragh Noone, Dylan Grimes (Emre Topcu, 33); Darragh Markey, Ryan Brennan (Dylan Molloy 90+2).
Finn Harps: James McKeown; Ethan Boyle, Conor Tourish, Rob Slevin, Harry Nicolson, Gary Boylan (Dylan Duncan 83); Ryan Rainey, Barry McNamee (Damien Duffy 88), Mark Timlin (Jaime Siaj 83); Filip Mihaljević, Luke Rudden (Sean O’Donnell 71).