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Six goal Harps keep promotion in sight

Friday 7th September 2007, 11:58 pm

Finn Harps looked to be making hard work of their home game against the League of Ireland's bottom side Kilkenny City tonight, before Harps eventually ran out 6-0 winners - with six different goal-scorers.

Declan Boyle opened the scoring midway through the first half as he finished off Marc Brolly's cross.

Harps struggled to kill off the Kilkenny challenge and the Cats should have levelled inside ten minutes of the second half. After Michael Comerford had been fouled in the box by Shaun McGowan, McGowan himself stepped up to take the resulting kick.

However, goalkeeper James Gallagher saved the spot kick with his legs and it was the beginning of the end for the visitors who conceded their second of the night just minutes later.

Brolly fired home to make it 2-0 on 57 minutes before Kilkenny were reduced to ten men on 71 minutes when Padraig Fogarty was sent off for a foul on Conor Gethins, punished for being the last man. Gethins fired home the resulting free kick from the edge of the box to double the visitors' punishment.

Harps added three more goals in the closing eight minutes as Tony Shields, McGowan and Stephen Parkhouse all got themselves on the score-sheet.

The win moves Harps up to second in the First Division with both third placed Dundalk and leaders Cobh Ramblers in action on Saturday.

Finn Harps : Gallagher, Roddy (McLaughlin 63), Boyle, Asokuh, Holmes, Funston (Lloyd 89), McGowan, Shields, Brolly, Gethins, Brown (Parkhouse 46).
Kilkenny City : Walker, Fogarty, Tyrell, A Ryan, Lyons (Quinn 87), Bargary, Grant, Comerford (O'Grady 60), McNicholas (Dermody 29), Kiely, B Ryan.