Harkin steals the show in the NW City Cup Final

Rovers thanks to a Darren Harkin hat-trick saw off ten men Ardmore 3-1, at Wilton Park, but in truth the difference between the sides was the deadly duo of Harkin and James Boyd.

The strike force linked up for the opening two goals and they were a consistent threat throughout the 90 minutes.

Damien McGee’s side had their chances early on but the early dismissal of defender Niall Murray, which was justified, mean in truth their chances of winning the cup all but ended.

Ardmore had a glorious chance to break the deadlock on three minutes when Damien McGee’s through ball released Gareth Brown, but with only Rovers goalkeeper to beat John McGilloway, the striker’s effort from a tight angle was saved by the net-minder.

Moments later Darren Harkin ran at the Ardmore defence, before slipping the ball to Chris Monteith, but his 20 yard drive, which had Ardmore keeper Richie Stewart struggling, hit the side netting.

The deadlock was broken on 10 minutes following some sublime play by Boyd and Harkin.

The ex-Eglinton striker’s superb flick released Harkin, who broke the offside trap, before showing some tremendous composure as his Dennis Bergkamp-esque chip over the out-rushing Stewart, sailed over the keeper and into the net.

Just before the half-hour mark Rovers should have doubled their lead when Murray, who was already cautioned stupidly brought down Boyd inside the box, referee Des O’Connor rightfully pointed to the spot and also produced a second yellow card followed by a red.

Boyd dusted himself down and saw his resulting spot-kick, which may have got the slightest of touches from Stewart, rattled the post.

On 34 minutes McGee should have levelled things for the ten men when after a mazy run the midfielder couldn’t get his close range shot on target and he fired wide.

That miss came back to haunt Ardmore as Harkin grabbed his second of the game moments later, this time the ex-Institute man headed home at the near post, after his striking partner Boyd had picked him out with an inch perfect cross.

Right on the stoke of half-time Boyd missed a glorious chance to get himself on the score-sheet when a long ball found the front man totally unmarked inside the Ardmore box, but his first time shot, which had Stewart beaten, came back off the crossbar.

To their credit the ten men continued to fight on and they went close to pulling one back on 48 minutes, Marcus O’Kane’s cross found Seamus Brown, but the former Crusaders man’s header was straight at McGilloway.

Soon after Boyd broke clear of the Ardmore defence, but Stewart did well by standing up long and keeping out the centre-forward’s close range shot.

Rovers were controversially awarded a penalty on 68 minutes when O’Connor’s assistant Niall Gallagher raised his flag and signalled for a penalty as he saw that Pol Brown handled the ball inside the Ardmore box, but unfortunately for the young assistant he did not see that Claudy’s Monteith had handled the ball first.

After the protests were waved away young Harkin stepped up to complete his hat-trick despite Stewart’s best efforts, the ball was drilled low into the bottom left hand corner.

Ardmore did score a consolation goal late on when substitute Mark McLaughlin showed great pace to get away from the Rovers defence, before lifting the ball over the out-rushing McGilloway.

Ardmore: Richie Stewart; Gavin Doherty, Niall Murray, James Melly, Conor Brown, Damien McGee, Marcus O’Kane, Pol Brown, Seamus Brown, Gareth Brown, Peter McLaughlin. Subs: Philip Doherty, Mark McLaughlin, Gary Collett.

Claudy Rovers: John McGilloway, Kieron Hargan, Conor Johnstone, James McGinley, Gerard Kelly, Aaron Donaghy, Chris Monteith, Eoin McGahon, Fergal Hargan, Darren Harkin, James Boyd. Subs: Liam Healy, Martin Donaghy, Paddy Hargan, Charles Legs, Cillian Higgins.

Referee: Mr Dennis O’Connor.