Rory Gaffney goal ensures Shamrock Rovers edge out Finn Harps

A Rory Gaffney daisycutter right before half-time proved to be the only goal as Shamrock Rovers squeezed past Finn Harps in Ballybofey.

The home side were doing their best to frustrate the Premier Division leaders and looked to have made the break at least.

Just as fourth official Neil Doyle signalled for one minute of additional time, Gaffney found himself in a pocket of space and drilled a precise shot, which was straight as a die, into the bottom corner.

Rovers, with three wins on the bounce, can now focus their attention on Malta's Hibernians, who visit Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday for the first leg of the first qualifying round of the Champion’s League.

Harps lined out with the most deliberate 5-4-1 you could imagine, with Eric McWoods the loneliest man in the Twin Towns, almost operating within a different Eir Code. His shift was commendable, in a match – particularly in the first half – that resembled a training shift of defenders against forwards.

Rovers had to work to create anything and managed to construct a handful of half-chances in the first half.

The best of those fell to Dylan Watts on 22 minutes, with a rare opening which led to a shot which was easily gathered by Gavin Mulreany.

That came three minutes after Gaffney did well to cut in from left, shoot off the right and Conor Tourish’s block averted the danger for the hosts.

Watts, on 27 minutes, reacted to a Mulreany punch to lift the ball over the Harps goalkeeper but onto the roof of the net.

Although the tone of things was plain to see, Barry McNamee rasped an effort which Alan Mannus had to be sharp to stop after Roberto Lopes had not got full purchase on a clearance.

However, Ollie Horgan’s best laid plans had to be rethought at the interval, following the