Finn Harps stun Drogheda 3-0 to record much-needed win

HOLDING HIS NERVE: Finn Harps' Filip Mihaljevic made no mistake from the spot to open the scoring for the hosts against Drogheda. File pic: INPHO/Evan Logan

Finn Harps 3 Mihaljevic 22 (pen) McWoods 44, 58 Drogheda United 0 

Relegation-threatened Finn Harps notched up a much-needed win as they decisively beat Drogheda United to move off the foot of the Premier Division table and back above UCD.

Two goals from man-of-the-match Eric Woods and a penalty from Filip Mihaljevic paved the way for what was only a third win of the campaign for the Donegal club.

Indeed, this was a first success in 13 league and cup games for Harps and was a vastly improved performance against a Drogheda side who failed to reproduce the heights of some recent decent displays.

Both sides had chances in a lively opening 20 minutes with Drogheda going closest to scoring when Darragh Nugent hit the post.

Harps opened the scoring two minutes later courtesy of a disputed penalty. The lively McWoods went down under pressure in the box from Dane Massey and Andrew Quinn and from the resulting spot-kick Mihaljevic fired in his fourth goal of the campaign.

Harps doubled their tally a minute before the break.

Conor Tourish did well to keep the ball in play on the touch line and found Gary Boylan whose ball onto Mihaljevic was deftly touched on into the path of the McWoods who fired past Colin McCabe with aplomb.

Harps wrapped it up on 58 minutes when Regan Donelon sent in a cross from the left and McWoods rose to head home at the far post.

Finn Harps: McKeown; Boylan, Tourish, Slevin; Boyle (Carrillo, 88 mins), N’zeyi, Connolly, Donelon; McNamee (Timlin, 90 mins); Mihaljevic (Rainey, 70 mins), McWoods.

Drogheda United: McCabe; Poynton; Quinn, Massey, Weir; Foley (Williams, 60 mins), Deegan, Nugent (Brennan, h-t), Rooney; Markey (Grimes, 64 mins), Lyons (Arong, 75 mins).

Referee: D. McGraith (Mayo).