Scott opens Pat's account in away win over Finn Harps

A goal from Jack Scott from all of six inches followed by an own goal from Mark Anthony McGinley proved the difference between Finn Harps and St Patrick's Athletic in Ballybofey.

When Scott scored on 66 minutes, it looked like a serious case of smash-and-grab, only for the second to put the stamp on it when Eoin Doyle's header came back off the post and in off the unfortunate Harps goalkeeper.

The win moves St Pat’s to nine points, level at the top with Shamrock Rovers and only behind on goals scored.

Until that first goal, the hosts had been the side pressing before McGinley, who was slightly wrong-footed, got a weak hand on an Ian Bermingham shot as he tried to regain his stance and move to the other side. The ball struck the inside of the post and rolled across the line with Scott, on loan from Wolves, on hand to gleefully slam home.

Harps continued to have chances. Not taking them was always going to leave susceptibility though, and 12 minutes from the end, a straightforward Chris Forrester free-kick into the area ended up in the net.

Tim Clancy’s Drogheda United were the only top-flight side Harps failed to beat last season, although their 3-1 success over St Pat’s last August came courtesy of a Tunde Owolabi hat-trick. The Belgian was back in Ballybofey, crammed onto the visitors’ bench.

Yoyo Mahdy headed a fifth-minute Ryan Connolly header over the crossbar with the only real half-chance of the opening quarter.

Ollie Horgan might’ve cobbled a squad together from here, there and everywhere over the course of the close season. The same level of commitment, even with so many new faces, remains from their predecessors, a dozen of which left for pastures new over the winter.

Then, on 31 minutes, Dave Webster struck the base of