St Pat's top the table after beating Finn Harps

St. Patrick's Athletic 5 Finn Harps 1

St. Patrick's came from behind to crush Finn Harps at Richmond Park with their biggest win of the season to move a point clear at the top of the Premier Division table.

A brilliantly entertaining game saw a goal after six minutes when Harps stunned the home crowd to take the lead.

The St. Pat's marking was poor from skipper Shaun Holmes' free-kick in from the left and central defender Stuart Malcolm looped a header past Barry Ryan.

St. Pat's levelled on 21 minutes when Glen Fitzpatrick got a flick to Des Byrne's long throw to set-up Alan Kirby to volley home from 16 yards.

Poor defending greatly contributed to St. Pat's taking the lead on 33 minutes. No Harps player attacked Keith Fahey's cross into their area and Stephen Paisley shot home from very close range.

Quigley made it 3-1 within two minutes of the second half when rounding Cullen to finish off a superb move involving Kirby and Fahey for his seventh goal in the last four league games.

The fourth goal arrived within a further two minutes when Fitzpatrick had a simple tap-in after Cullen could only parry a shot from Ryan Guy.

Paisley added the fifth on 75 minutes with another close range finish from Fitzpatrick's pull back.