Keena brace helps Sligo to comfortable derby win over Harps

Striker grabs his eighth and ninth of the season either side of Karl O'Sullivan's second to give new boss John Russell a positive home victory

Up and running: Sligo Rovers' Aidan Keena celebrates his early opening goal at the Showgrounds. Pic:INPHO/Evan Logan

Sligo Rovers 3 Finn Harps 0 

Goals from Aidan Keena and Karl O'Sullivan inside the opening seven minutes of this north-west derby set Sligo Rovers on their way to a comfortable 3-0 defeat of Finn Harps at The Showgrounds.

Striker Keena netted again in the closing stages - his ninth goal for the Bit O'Red - to give John Russell his first win since being appointed as Liam Buckley replacement.

Visitors Harps, second from bottom in the standings, already lost twice to Sligo this season.

Sligo started impressively and Keena notched his eighth goal of the season after three minutes with a smart shot from the edge of the area. The home side doubled their lead four minutes later. O'Sullivan latched onto Shane Blaney's long ball, took possession around Harps goalkeeper Mark McGinley and finished from close-range.

Harps almost halved the deficit from a slick move but Yoyo Mahdy's effort was superbly kept out by Ed McGinty.

There were further chances for both teams during the end-to-end exchanges - Harps went close through Filip Mihaljevic and Sligo had shots by Lewis Banks, Will Fitzgerald and David Cawley, whose long-range stinger was tipped over by McGinley.

The second-half was decidedly scrappy. Sligo, comfortable, were unable to add to their lead and Harps huffed and puffed without looking like changing the scoreline.

First-half goalscorer Keena dinked wide after being put through by Max Mata's pass with 68 minutes played. At the other end, McGinty did well to parry an Eric McWoods effort.

Sligo wrapped up the result in the 85th minute when Keena nodded home from Fitzgerald's fine cross.

Sligo Rovers: McGinty; Banks, Blaney, Buckley (Pijnaker 46), Kirk; Morahan, Cawley (Barlow 81); O'Sullivan, Keena, Fitzgerald; Mata (Keogh 68) 

Finn Harps: McGinley; Boyle, Tourish, Carrillo, Slevin, Donelon (Timlin 79); McWoods, Rainey, McNamee; Mahdy (Duncan 46), Mihaljevic (Rudden 82) 

Referee: Damien MacGraith