Lethal Dundalk put five past Finn Harps at Oriel Park

SSE Airtricity League Premier Division

Dundalk FC 5-0 Finn Harps

Daniel Kelly provided the cure as Dundalk FC avoided a European hangover with, in the end, a comfortable 5-0 win over Finn Harps in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division at Oriel Park on Friday night.

The league leaders were out of sorts in the first half, but the game swung their way past the half-hour.

Having struck the crossbar through Patrick McEleney, Dundalk broke the deadlock in the 36th minute when Daniel Kelly seized on Harry Ascroft’s terrible pass to nip in and score, in what proved to be the turning point.

Harps were reduced to 10 men before the break when Mark Russell picked up a second yellow card, and, after that, there was no way back for Ollie Horgan’s relegation-threatened side.

Their goalkeeper Mark McGinley was in inspired form and he made a number of good saves early in the second half, but another defensive mistake allowed Georgie Kelly in for a second on the hour-mark.

Patrick McEleney added a third soon after, and he then turned creator for substitute Jamie McGrath to make it 4-0. McEleney lifted a fifth to the net late on as the champions returned to their league duties with a bang.

Dundalk head coach Vinny Perth had made six changes to the team following their exit from Europe on Tuesday night.

Captain Brian Gartland, Cameron Dummigan, Seán Hoare, Daniel Kelly, Georgie Kelly and McEleney came into the starting XI, with Andy Boyle, Daniel Cleary, Seán Gannon, John Mountney, Patrick Hoban and McGrath all dropping to the bench.

Harps came into the game with three straight 1-0 wins in the Premier Division, and had only lost by a single goal to Shamrock Rovers in the Extra.ie FAI Cup last weekend.

They set about frustrating Dundalk, and it worked in the opening 30 minutes, where the hosts were as poor as they have been all season.

The home support was subdued, with a lower crowd in attendance. McEleney almost provided a moment of magic to light up the night when he skipped away from Jacob Borg and fired a dipping 20-yard strike which crashed off the crossbar.

Harps have been much improved defensively in recent weeks but they handed Dundalk the lead in the 36th minute when Ascroft played a backwards pass which Daniel Kelly latched onto and lifted over McGinley.

The visitors – having gone close to an immediate equaliser through Ascroft – were reduced to 10 men in the 40th minute when Russell was dismissed after picking up a second yellow card for a foul on Daniel Kelly.

From Seán Murray’s resulting free-kick, Seán Hoare’s header was smartly turned behind by McGinley.

At the beginning of the second half, Georgie Kelly drove a shot which was well pushed away by McGinley.

McEleney then struck a left-footed effort from 25-yards which was stopped well by the ‘keeper, who then blocked Murray’s powerful effort after a pull-back from Michael Duffy.

However, Harps again gifted Dundalk a present on the hour when Smith got in a muddle and played a back-pass for Georgie Kelly who fired past McGinley.

It was 3-0 on 64 minutes when Dummigan’s cross found its way through to McEleney who netted from close range.

It was a case of damage limitation for Harps, but they conceded another in the 74th minute when McEleney crossed for McGrath who took his goal well.

An impressive second-half performance from the title favourites, and McEleney in particular, was capped in the 89th minute when the Derryman lifted the ball over McGinley after a through-ball from McGrath.

Dundalk FC: Gary Rogers; Cameron Dummigan, Seán Hoare, Brian Gartland, Dane Massey; Chris Shields (John Mountney 73), Seán Murray; Daniel Kelly, Patrick McEleney, Michael Duffy (Jamie McGrath 65); Georgie Kelly (Patrick Hoban 71)

Subs not used: Aaron McCarey (gk), Seán Gannon, Daniel Cleary, Andy Boyle

Finn Harps: Mark Anthony McGinley; Jacob Borg, Daniel O’Reilly, Keith Cowan, Sam Todd, Mark Russell; Harry Ascroft (Raffaele Cretaro 78), Ruairí Harkin (Tony McNamee 66), Gareth Harkin; Mikey Place (Joshua Smith HT); Nathan Boyle

Subs not used: Peter Burke (gk), Colm Deasy, Shaun Doherty, Liam Walsh.

Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork)

Attendance: 2,217 (official)