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Harps up to second after win in Kildare

Saturday 25th August 2007, 10:23 pm

Finn Harps moved second in the First Division and to within three points of leaders Cobh Ramblers following a 3-0 win on their visit to face Kildare County in Newbridge tonight.

Paddy McLaughlin opened the scoring just after ten minutes into the game while Declan Boyle scored twice in the closing fifteen minutes to make sure of all three points.

Harps started well and took the lead after only twelve minutes when McLaughlin nipped in on the end of Declan Divin's free kick to head them ahead.

Harps struggled to break down a well organised home side for the remainder of the half. After the break Conor Gethins and Stephen Cooling went close at either end. Gethins narrowly missed the target while Cooling brought a good save from James Gallagher.

Darragh Hanaphy had a great chance to level for the home side but slipped the ball just wide after going around Gallagher.

That let off sparked promotion hopefuls Harps into real action and Boyle grabbed his first of two on 76 minutes - heading home from Gethins' corner kick.

Boyle's second arrived on 83 minutes as another corner kick opened up Kildare with Boyle charging in to head home - this time from Shaun Holmes' set-piece.

Kildare County : O'Neill, Donnell, Malone, P Byrne, Stapleton, Brady, Carew, Cooling, A Byrne (Hanaphy 65), Clancy (McArdle 58), Gorman.
Finn Harps : Gallagher; McLaughlin, Boyle, Minnock, Holmes, O'Loughlin (Lloyd 64), Shields, McGowan, Divin (Funston 80), Parkhouse (Browne 75), Gethins.