Cousins double downs Harps - November 27, 2000
Shamrock Rovers 2 Finn Harps 0
Tony Cousins' long rehabilitation from injury was completed in style yesterday when his double strike got Rovers back to winning ways and kept Harps firmly in the premier basement.
Out for 13 months with a knee injury, the former Dundalk and Liverpool striker has been eased back, with just one start, four substitute appearances and one goal so far this season. And it was unfortunate for Harps that they were the first to have to deal with the fully-featured package!
It took Cousins just three minutes to get on the mark, arriving at the near post on cue to direct Marc Kenny's whipped in cross past Gareth Downey.
That assist mitigated Kenny's boo-boo seven minutes later when Downey saved his weakly struck penalty after Jonathan Minnock had tripped Tony Grant.
The Robbie Horgan was forced to make a good save from Kevin McHugh after a Terry Palmer mistake.
But five minutes before the break, Kenny atoned and Cousins made sure of the points.
Kenny's driven corner was helped on by Gareth Cronin, with Cousins claiming the last touch before it entered the Harps net. Nobody argued!
Shamrock Rovers: Horgan, Vaudequin, Palmer, Cronin, Woods, Kenny, Tracey, Colwell, Byrne, Cousins, Grant
Goals: Cousins 3, 40
Booked: Cronin 27
Finn Harps: Downey, R Kenny, Dykes, Fitzhenry, Minnock, J Kenny, Harkin, Tierney, McGrenaghan, Nesovic, McHugh
Subs: Bonnar for Harkin 61, S Bradley for Fitzhenry, Kelly for McHugh 72
Booked: Nesovic 44
Referee: J Stacey (Athlone)