BUNCRANA NATIVE MARK TIMLIN scored twice as St Patrick’s Athletic out four past Finn Harps at Richmond Park.
St Patrick’s Athletic 4 Finn Harps 0
Timlin scored the first and last goals of the night in Inchicore as Liam Buckley’s men moved to within a point of Derry City, while Harps fell to a second heavy defeat in five days.
On Friday night, they suffered a record 7-0 loss to Dundalk in Ballybofey and they endured another long evening at the office here.
Timlin, who also netted in Ballybofey last month when St Patrick’s Athletic won 2-1, was the architect in chief of the downfall of his home county men.
[adrotate group=”43″]Timlin opened the scoring on nine minutes and, after Conan Byrne and Billy Dennehy fired past Ciaran Gallagher, the former Derry City winger added the cherry on top three minutes from time.
Ollie Horgan made just two changes to the side which suffered the hammering to the champions, with Ethan Boyle replacing Keith Cowan and Tony McNamee reclaiming his spot at the expense of Gareth Harkin.
Timlin wasted little time in opening the scoring as he turned home from clsoe range after connecting to Byrne’s cross with Harps having been cut open by Dennehy’s pass.
[adrotate group=”50″]Dennehy had an earlier chance that was riffled over the target while Sam Verdon had another attempted blocked.
McNamee forced Brendan Clarke into action just after Timlin’s goal, his 25-yarder turned around by the Pat’s goalkeeper, while Adam Hanlon drove wide after he jinked in.
Pat’s doubled the lead when Lee Desmond played in Byrne, who cut in from the right before finishing, his shot going in off Gallagher’s leg.
[adrotate group=”38″]Gallagher did well to deny Michael Barker on the hour while Clarke gathered with little trouble from another shot by McNamee, but Harps were three down with 20 minutes remaining.
Timlin this time was the provider with his inch-perfect pass playing in Dennehy and he coolly slotted beyond Gallagher.
Clarke saved well from Sean Houston’s header, but Timlin turned the knife even further into the wound when, on 87 minutes, he tucked home after Harps failed to clear the danger when Jamie McGrath and Dylan McGlade carved open the visiting rearguard.
[adrotate group=”51″]St Patrick’s Athletic: Brendan Clarke; Ger O’Brien, Rory Feely, Lee Desmond, Michael Barker; Sam Verdon, Graham Kelly; Conan Byrne (Dylan McGlade, 65 mins), Billy Dennehy (Keith Treacy, 76 mins), Mark Timlin; Jamie McGrath.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Damien McNulty, Ethan Boyle, Packie Mailey (Ryan McConnell 72), Ciaran Coll; Adam Hanlon, Barry Molloy, Sean Houston, Tony McNamee (Kevin McHugh 62), Ryan Curran; Dave Scully (Michael Funston 72).
Referee: Ray Matthews (Longford).
Tags: