Shelbourne 3 Finn Harps 0: Amid their hectic run of league and Setanta Cup games, one could forgive Shelbourne had they shown signs of fatigue last night. That notion proved wide of the mark as the champions dismantled Finn Harps to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
Harps remain rock bottom with just two points from eight games and are the only Premier Division side without a win.
Their manager, Felix Healy, believes his side's league position is a false reflection of their performances. Be that as it may, he will be livid with the way his team surrendered here having started well.
Harps were suppressed in almost every department as they attempted damage limitation by deploying five across the middle, but despite breaking forward on occasion, they spent much of the game working overtime at the back.
Shelbourne captain Owen Heary grazed the crossbar on 11 minutes with a right-wing cross, and though a speculative effort, it lifted the crowd and that in turn spurred on the home side. Striker Jason Byrne threatened soon after with two headers.
Camped in their own half for the opening 30 minutes, Harps finally demonstrated their attacking capabilities late in the half with Kevin McHugh and Chris Breen going close.
Breen should have done better after collecting McHugh's neat pass in the box but pulled his shot badly wide, while McHugh had goalkeeper Steve Williams scrambling to clear his far post in the 35th minute following Breen's weighted ball.
Shelbourne, though, edged ahead after 39 minutes. Centre back Dave Rogers supplied a low cross for Jamie Harris to poke home at the near post. The champions doubled their advantage just three minutes after the break when the league's leading scorer, Richie Baker, headed home his fifth goal of the campaign from Jason Byrne's cross.
Byrne bagged a goal of his own in the 90th minute, capitalising on a defensive mistake to steer past the advancing Gavin Cullen.
SHELBOURNE: Williams; Heary, Hawkins, Rogers, Crawley; Baker, S Byrne, Hoolahan, Ryan; J Byrne, Harris. Subs: Crawford for Baker (62 mins), Moore for Harris (72 mins), Cahill for Hoolahan (80 mins).
FINN HARPS: Cullen; Asokuh, Boyle, Bradley, Rossiter; Breen, Funston, Gorman, Bonnar, Minnock; McHugh.
Referee: Pat Whelan (Dublin).
