SOCCER: Finn Harps have relinquished top spot in the Airtricity First Division following their 3-2 defeat tonight against Shelbourne. 
Worryingly for Harps it is now their THIRD defeat in-a-row and they'll be disappointed at how tonight's match panned out.
The game had everything, TWO penalties, TWO red cards and FIVE goals in a cracking advertisement for the LOI.
However, it was Harps who head up the road with nothing and on reflection they'll be bitterly disappointed having led TWICE.
Damien McNulty got them off to a flyer when he met a Gareth Harkin corner and powered his header past the helpless Greg Murray.
Then three minutes later it got even better for Ollie Horgan's side when Mark Sandford was shown a straight red card.
Harps then played the rest of the half with the added advantage of an extra man but didn't make that count and paid the penalty for it.
Just before the interval Keith Cowan dragged Adam O'Connor down inside the box and the referee awarded a penalty.
Veteran striker Philip Hughes made no mistake from the spot and sent the sides in at the break level.
However Harps got off to a dream start in the second-half when Tony McNamee scored a superb goal after just TWENTY-FIVE seconds.
It was an incredible start for Harps and with the added advantage of the extra man it looked like Horgan's side would kick on.
Disaster struck when Keith Cowan was adjudged to have fouled Philip Hughes inside the box and the referee gave Shelbourne another penalty.
To make it worse Keith Cowan was sent off and Hughes dispatched the resultant penalty.
Then just three minutes later Hughes scored a stunning goal to put Shelbourne ahead.
Harps battled hard for an equaliser but that's how it stayed in the end and Shelbourne took all three points which brings them right back in the play-off mix.
Harps will be left pondering what if again, after yet another defeat in a game in which they'll be scratching their heads at how they lost it.
Wexford scored late on against Cabinteely to make it even worse for Harps while UCD can leapfrog then when they travel to Cobh tomorrow night.