Finn Harps Under 13’s hold on to beat Sligo Rovers

Finn Harps   3    V    2   Sligo Rovers .                                                                         Harps started well and should have gone ahead in the 12th minute when Aaron McLaughlin was taken down in the box after a strong run but Shaun Patton blasted the resulting penalty over the bar. Five minutes later they did take the lead when another strong run by McLaughlin and a good advantage played by Referee Marty McGarrigle when the winger was fouled allowed Patton to tap the ball home from six yards out.                                                                                          Sligo looked dangerous on the break but Shane Ellison was impressive at the heart of the Harps defense and keeper Shane Adair looked secure when tested. In the 28th minute Harps went 2-0 ahead , Joel Gibson did well on the edge of the visitors box but his shot wasn’t going to trouble keeper Finn Conway until it struck Shaun Patton and flew past the keeper, a slice of luck but it left Harps in command.                                                                                                                              In the 34th minute young Patton showed he had put his penalty miss behind him with a super hat-trick goal, chasing down a long ball from James Ateer the striker produced an excellent finish into the corner of Conway’s net , 3-0 to Harps.                                                                                                                                                                       To their credit Sligo produced an excellent second-half performance and goals by Owen Elding , a super finish after Conor Gorman sent him through in the 56th minute and Cian Carthy’s header from Daire Patton’s cross in the 62nd minute made it a nervous last quarter for Kevin Mc Hugh’s team but they held on to open their campaign with a win .                                                                             FINN HARPS; Shane Adair, Ciaran Cassidy , Martin Coyle , Shane Ellison , James McAteer , Deicel Long , Aaron McLaughlin , Tiernan McGinty , Shaun Patton , Joel Gibson , Darragh Coyle, Ciaran O Kane ,SHaunie Bradley, Adam McDaid , Mark Doherty , Darragh O Doherty , Conor Kelly, Killian Hogan.                         SLIGO ROVERS; Finn Conway ,Jim Molloy Kyle McDonagh, Eli Rooney, Conor Walsh, Daire Patton , Owen Elding , Dara Mostyn , Sean Stenson , Paul Flynn, Niall Kenny , Eamonn O Mahoney , Conor Gorman, Cian Carthy , Daniel Carroll, Jack Naylor , Lee Curran . REFEREE; Marty McGarrigle.