DROGHEDA UNITED.....0
FINN HARPS.................2

FINN HARPS eased their relegation fears with this well deserved victory against fellow strugglers Drogheda United at United Park.

While Eddie May's team may well reflect on last weekend's match as the one which finally extinguished their hopes of Premier Division survival, his counterpart Gavin Dykes will be hoping the result acts as the catalyst to their continuation in top flight football.

Perhaps the greater sense of urgency provided by the threat of playing their football in the First Division next season inspired the Harps team to produce one of the better performances this season although one also had to take into account how poor the opposition were.

Dykes had warned his players that the game was a 'must win' affair and he was delighted that they approached the contest in the right frame of mind.

'We travelled to Drogheda needing a win and we got it. But we've a couple of huge matches coming up, starting with Sligo Rovers on Saturday night. If we can win that, we will put seven points between ourselves and them and after that there will be only three games left for them to catch up,' Dykes said.

'Getting the early goal helped settle things but we kept the pressure on, got a second and could have had a few more,' he added.

Harps also led 2-0 on their last visit to the Co Louth venue back in October but eventually losing 3-2 in what turned out to be Charlie McGeever's last match in charge but there was to be no repeat of that this time around.

Drogheda, who have only managed four wins all season, were continually pegged back on Friday night by a Finn Harps team who only had to wait two minutes for their opening goal.

Johnny Kenny, showing a welcome return to form, crossed from the right to James Mulligan and his mis hit volley flicked off the head of Gerard Boyle, under pressure from Mike Turner, and beyond Drogheda keeper Gareth Byrne.

Kenny was again the architect for Harps second goal which arrived in the 26th minute when he produced a pin point cross which Turner duly converted.

The on-loan striker might well have added a third goal for the visitors early in the second half but his shot was high and wide with the goal at his mercy.

Team captain Fergal Harkin produced yet another polished performance in the middle of the field while Mike Turner and James Mulligan relished the wide open spaces afforded to them by the home defence.

Rookie goalkeeper Gavin Cullen had a comfortable night in goal, producing one punched clearance in the first half before making a marvellous reflex save late on.

With Sligo Rovers also losing last weekend and Galway and Waterford picking up one point each, Harps made considerable ground on their rivals last weekend.

The victory lifted Dykes' team four points above the automatic relegation zone and a win over struggling Sligo Rovers at Finn Park this weekend would put Harps in an even stronger position before they travel to Terryland Park to play fellow strugglers Galway United a week later.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Byrne, A Murphy, Boyle, Foley, Maher, O'Keefe, McNulty, C Murphy, Impey, O'Dowd, Cronin. Subs: Hannon and Butler for Boyle and Cronin (45 mins) and McCann for Impey (88 mins).

FINN HARPS: Cullen, Kenny, Bradley, Boyle, Dykes, Tierney, Mohan, McGrenaghan, Mulligan, Turner, Harkin. Subs: Scanlon for Kenny (72 mins) and Speak for Turner (79 mins).

REFEREE: Mr Jim O'Neill (Waterford).