Finn Harps

[ForzaForth]

Inept performance from the Youths tonight gave a very easy three points to the Harps in which the visitors hardly had to break sweat. With Shane Dempsey back and starting and with three strikers (Danny, Darragh and Tom Elmes) all missing, Noel started with an unusual 4-5-1 with Packie, Shane N., Karl, Murt, Anto, Robert, Shane D., Patsy , Craig, Deano and the diminutive Ben Ryan up front on his own. With the Youths struggling to play right from the start with nobody up top to challenge for the ball, Harps started the brighter and dominated the early exchanges. It was no surprise when after ten, a cross found McHugh free beyond the far post and his header hit the post, bounced out and left Curtis with a simple tap-in.

[ForzaForth]

After seventeen, McHugh swivelled and dragged his shot wide about twenty out. After twenty, a simple long ball found Curtis in the clear and he drilled it past Packie with ease for two-nil to the Harps. With the half-hour gone, Brolly tested Packie with another effort which Packie held on to comfortably. With ten to go, a looping header by Curtis over Packie found the net but was ruled out for offside. Patsy then got a yellow for a tackle. The half-time whistle blew with Wexford entirely unable to play to the shape they were given and well worth the two-nil deficit.

[ForzaForth]

Second-half began with surprisingly no Wexford changes. After five, Shane D. got a shot away which Gallagher saved comfortably. Two minutes later, Deano had a shot blocked for a corner and that was basically that from the Youths. Curtis got an early yellow for time-wasting as Harps succeeded in taking the pace out of the game. Midway through the half, David Miller came on for Deano, who was quiet, and with twelve to go, Greg came on for Murt. In last ten, Packie got down to save a McHugh effort and Shane D. had a long range volley a few feet over the bar. A free from Harps in injury time which was just over ended a poor game, especially from the home side.

[ForzaForth]

Patsy was the only player who could win any ball for the Youths beyond the defence thus letting Harps dominate the match terrirorially. Shane D. had some good touches but the players around him will have to get used to some-one in midfield showing for the ball. Craig looked useful when he moved to wide-right about midway through the second. Curtis, McHugh and Brolly looked a handful for the Harps but had so much ball that they really couldn't have failed on the night. Two-nil final score with better than usual crowd of about 250 who trudged away silently,like leaving a funeral, after the match.

[nigel-harps1954]

Many Harps fans at the match? Thanks for the report as there was very little coverage at all of it. Whats the story with the extratime updates? Only major incidents? They only gave the goals. That was it. Part of cost cutting?

[ForzaForth]

Nigel-Harps, Spotted a handful of Harps fans who gave their team a good reception at the final whistle. Thought Harps showed a better spirit and organisation than at the first game against us in Ballybofey when Healy and Hutton had just taken over but we were very poor tonight. Brolly looked very good wide left and Curtis displayed a lot of pace up front and your midfield four outplayed our five. Dominated the ball in the air too leaving the Youths feeding off scraps for most of the match. Even when we did create space out wide, any cross was gobbled up by Hutton and Gallagher who also won every kickout and clearance. Thought it would have been closer than that but very one-sided really

[nigel-harps1954]

Cheers for that man. Strange to see Harps midfield dominate a game. But as I said thanks for the report anyway.

[Splurge]

Didnt manage to get to this game either, our home form is so pathetic it's no wonder crowds are dwindling. Have we won a game at home this season, Derry aside.

[Youths4Ever]

Didnt manage to get to this game either, our home form is so pathetic it's no wonder crowds are dwindling. Have we won a game at home this season, Derry aside.

Nope I dont think we have. It would seem yet another false dawn

[Darkglasses]

Not in the league, but we did beat Drogheda United 1-0 at home in the Leinster Senior Cup this season. A very, very long time ago.

[Youths4Ever]

Not in the league, but we did beat Drogheda United 1-0 at home in the Leinster Senior Cup this season. A very, very long time ago.

Forgot all about that

[Splurge]

we beat Derry at home in the cup too but imo our poor home form is a large factor to falling attendances, throughout our brief history all our great performances, bar Derry in the cup perhaps have been away. Full of disappointments at home.