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Harps secure another late winner to beat Shels

Friday 21st September 2007, 10:03 pm

Finn Harps secured another dramatic late winner on a visit to face Shelbourne and claim their fourth win against the Dublin club this season. Shaun McGowan's two goals saw Harps come back from a goal down to beat Shels 2-1 and keep the pressure on First Division leaders Cobh Ramblers - who they play at Finn Park next Friday night.

Alan Keely had put Shels ahead after only nine minutes as he glanced home a header from Mark McCulloch's cross.

Mark Rooney came close to making it 2-0 but goalkeeper Gavin Cullen saved well in a one-on-one duel with the Shels striker.

After a poor start to the game, the in-form Harps rallied and Conor Gethins fired a shot against an upright from long range midway through the first period.

McGowan levelled the game at 1-1 on 53 minutes as he tapped home after great work from Tony Shields saw Shels keeper James Hussey only able to parry the Harps' man's shot. McGowan flicked home the loose ball as Harps' improvement on the night saw them finally level.

McGowan then struck for the winner late on as he headed in from Shaun Holmes' cross. It wasn't quite as late as their previous winner against Shels at Tolka Park but McGowan nipped in to decide the game with his fourth goal of the season in the 90th minute.

Tonight's result cuts Cobh's lead at the top to one point but they are due to play tomorrow night. Irrespective of that result, next week's game in Ballybofey will go a huge way towards deciding the destiny of the First Division title.

Shelbourne : Hussey, Murphy, McCulloch, Keely, Malcolm, Crawford, Chambers, Collins (Haverty 46), Lacey (Reilly 67), Leech, Rooney (Quinn 74).
Finn Harps : Cullen, Asokuh, Minnock, Boyle, Holmes, Shields, Funston (O'Loughlin 76), McGowan, Brolly (Breen 81) (McLaughlin 90), Parkhouse, Gethins.