Finn Harps

[ForzaForth]

Disappointment for the Youths in Ferrycarrig tonight as they had to settle for a share of the spoils despite being a goal up and a man up going into injury-time. Wexford started with Graham, Craig, Killian, Lasty, Jimmy, Skelly, Eric, Shane D., Rocks and with Danny and Ben up front. First ten minutes was fairly undistinguished and then Danny was allowed turn in midfield with the ball and slipped it through for Eric who rounded Patton in the Harps goal for 1-0 to the home side. Harps' appeals to the linesman for an offside call went unheeded. First Harps effort on goal was on 17 minutes when McHugh had a volley on the turn but it went well over. With 23 minutes gone Tommy Bonner picked up a yellow for a tackle for Harps.
A minute later, Danny had a shot on target but it was easily grabbed by Patton. With 12 minutes to go in the first period, McHugh got yellow for a tackle and with two minutes to go, Shane Dunne also had a shot on target for Wexford but again a comfortable save for Patton. Not a great half of football, but shaded by the Youths with Harps playing unusually direct straight toMcHugh and Keating. 1-0 to Wexford at half-time.

[ForzaForth]

Second half also began slowly but then, after 12 minutes, Rocks hit a cross into the box at good pace from the left and it was headed into his own net by the Harps left full at the far post under pressure from Ben Ryan for a 2-0 scoreline to the home side. A minute later, Harps got a goal back when McHugh used hs experience to nudge Lasty off the ball in the act of clearing and then t smack it home from about 12 yards out to bring the score to 2-1. Harps then nearly equalised four minuteslater, when Graham had to rush off his lineto block an attempt by Jonny Bonner and it went for a corner. With 20 minutes gone, Cowan picked up a yellow for a tackle on Skelly. Three minutes later, Tommy Bonner committed a poor tackle on Eric at knee level, and got his second yellow to bring Harps down to ten and Josh Mailey also got a yellow for dissent. Patton then brought off two good saves to dent Danny with a flick at the near post and then Lasty with header from a free. With five to go of the ninety, Ben sent Danny free with a neat reverse pass but Patton got down to save Danny's effort. This ball was turned back into the box and Rocks and McNulty clashing heads at thefar post with the Harps man coming off worst. Five minutes of injury time followed after Fisher came on for McNulty and with Ricky coming on for Ben. Ricky almost immediately picked up a yellow for a tackle. Wexford didn't really dominate possession during these last few minutes despite the man advantage and Harps had a succession of long throws into the box. Eventually, the ball was hit straight up in the air from one of these throws, and Graham came out but was beaten to the ball by Mailey who headed home for 2-2.

[ForzaForth]

Best for Wexford were Shane and Eric in midfield while Jimmy and Rocks did well down Wexford's left. For Harps, Patton kept them in the game when they went a man down while Keating and McHugh looked useful when they got the right kind of service. 2-2 at full-time with about 400 at the match.

[nigel-harps1954]

Was the second yellow a really poor tackle? Couple of folk at the game said it was an absolutely mind-boggling decision and that Bonner very clearly got the ball.

Also, I'm sure you meant Packie Mailey in there and not Josh.

[ForzaForth]

Nigel

I suppose your views of a tackle depend on what you think you've seen. Tackle was in front of me in the stand and couldn't understand it. Eric is basically facing his own goal on the half-way and trying to control a bouncing ball. Bonner comes in at a fast pace and takes everything at just about knee height showing a fair bit of stud. Couldn't really say if it was ball first or man first but for a man on a yellow it was incomprehensible. Made a good deal of contact with Eric who took a fair while to get up after treatment. Ref who I admit didn't seem the best rushed in as they do to avoid any retaliation taking place so I assume he saw it as I did.

Thought Bonner was your best midfielder up to that. Your two central defenders - Cowan and Mailey - did well and McHugh and Keating played better in the second half. Harps played a lot of long ball in the first half and didn't do a lot in that half. They actually played better with the ten men as they tried to protect the ball a bit more.

Not much between the two sides really although we should have got a third before Harps scored their equaliser in injury time.

[nigel-harps1954]

Thanks for that one. We've been playing a lot better with ten men quite a bit recently, I suppose we're just becoming used to it.