Wexford Youths 1 - 0 Finn Harps
Credit:
“I'm delighted with the three points. It means that we kept the pressure on
Monaghan and that we're still in with a chance of finishing in the top half,"
said a jubilant Mick Wallace after his Wexford Youths side beat Finn Harps
1-0 courtesy of a Gary Sheahan goal in the 70th minute.
This was a huge game for Wallace's side as they have recently lost their title as a top five side to Monaghan United. All in all this was a must win after Monaghan got three points on Friday night.
The Youths started the brighter in this scrappy affair as Gary Sheahan was giving defenders Packie Mailey and Sean Roddy a torrid time. Sheahan's pace was Wexford's best weapon and in the eighth minute he nearly put his side in front.
Captain Conor Sinnott chipped the ball over to the left of the field and Sheahan nicked in ahead of Ciaran Coll, but blasted his shot well over.
Minutes later, Sinnott had a great chance when Mailey slipped in the box, but the Youths missed out again as Sinnott shot over.
Harps came more and more into the game and a Mark Moran shot nearly beat Packie Holden via a Gareth McCurtin deflection.
Just as soon as Harps seemed to start controlling the game, they suddenly lost their grip on the match as the Youths started to boss proceedings. Shane Dempsey shot over from the edge of the box after 24 minutes. Sheahan and Jimmy Keohane had numerous one-on-one chances, but Ciaran Gallagher was always quick off his line. Paul Malone had the best chance of the game when he latched onto a Conor Sinnott corner, but directed his header just wide after 40 minutes.
Harps decided to give it one last go before the break when full back Ian Rossiter saw Packie Holden off his line. The defender's curling shot from 25 yards was well saved by a combination of the crossbar and Holden's right glove. However, the rebound fell to striker Conor Gethins and he smashed the ball from five yards out only for Holden to pull off one of the saves of the season. Gethins had another strike straight away, but shot wide for surely the miss of the season.
Somehow the sides went in level at the break. The Youths had Packie Holden to thank for the 0-0 scoreline.
The second half improved as a contest with both sides giving it a real go. First Harps had a great chance to take the lead when Packie Mailey headed over from a Mark Funston free kick in the 52nd minute. Then the Youths had a great chance when Sinnott and Sheahan combined, but Warren Broaders volleyed over from inside the box in the 58th minute.
Wexford fans were beginning to get a bit nervous as the minutes ticked by, but their nerves vanished in the 70th minute.
Packie Holden lobbed a hopeful ball up the right hand side of the pitch. The ball fell to the feet of Conor Sinnott and even though he was well marked he managed to get a low shot across the box. The ball fell to the feet of Gary Sheahan and the prolific striker made no mistake, smashing the ball into the bottom left corner past the helpless Ciaran Gallagher.
Harps pushed for an equaliser and nearly got it in the 78th minute. Mark Forker crossed and found Gary Whoriskey unmarked in the box, but he somehow volleyed wide with only Holden to beat.
The Youths had one more chance to put the game away when Paul Malone put Sheahan through on goal, but this time the striker shot wide of the left post in the 81st minute.
Harps pushed for the equaliser, but it just wasn't to be and the Youths held on for all three precious points.
A delighted Wallace concluded by saying: "It was great to see so many young players out there tonight. Harps have a very young side and they played some great stuff. We needed to bounce back after the UCD game and I felt we did that tonight. With only three games left, it's ultimately going to be the Monaghan game that decides who gets the 5th spot."
Wexford Youths: Holden; Russell, McCurtin(P. Rossiter, 61), White, Breen; Dempsey (Kenny, 84), Malone, Sheahan, Sinnott; Keohane, Broaders (T. Rossiter, 67).
Finn Harps: Gallagher; Rossiter, Coll, Mailey, Roddy; Funston, Moran (O'Hagan, 88), Forker, Bonner (Lafferty, 81); Gethins (Tourish, 85); Whoriskey.
Referee: Stuart Templeman.
Attendance: 391.
Extratime Man of the Match: Gary Sheahan - Just can't stop scoring. Has to be a contender for Wexford's Player of the Season.
This was a huge game for Wallace's side as they have recently lost their title as a top five side to Monaghan United. All in all this was a must win after Monaghan got three points on Friday night.
The Youths started the brighter in this scrappy affair as Gary Sheahan was giving defenders Packie Mailey and Sean Roddy a torrid time. Sheahan's pace was Wexford's best weapon and in the eighth minute he nearly put his side in front.
Captain Conor Sinnott chipped the ball over to the left of the field and Sheahan nicked in ahead of Ciaran Coll, but blasted his shot well over.
Minutes later, Sinnott had a great chance when Mailey slipped in the box, but the Youths missed out again as Sinnott shot over.
Harps came more and more into the game and a Mark Moran shot nearly beat Packie Holden via a Gareth McCurtin deflection.
Just as soon as Harps seemed to start controlling the game, they suddenly lost their grip on the match as the Youths started to boss proceedings. Shane Dempsey shot over from the edge of the box after 24 minutes. Sheahan and Jimmy Keohane had numerous one-on-one chances, but Ciaran Gallagher was always quick off his line. Paul Malone had the best chance of the game when he latched onto a Conor Sinnott corner, but directed his header just wide after 40 minutes.
Harps decided to give it one last go before the break when full back Ian Rossiter saw Packie Holden off his line. The defender's curling shot from 25 yards was well saved by a combination of the crossbar and Holden's right glove. However, the rebound fell to striker Conor Gethins and he smashed the ball from five yards out only for Holden to pull off one of the saves of the season. Gethins had another strike straight away, but shot wide for surely the miss of the season.
Somehow the sides went in level at the break. The Youths had Packie Holden to thank for the 0-0 scoreline.
The second half improved as a contest with both sides giving it a real go. First Harps had a great chance to take the lead when Packie Mailey headed over from a Mark Funston free kick in the 52nd minute. Then the Youths had a great chance when Sinnott and Sheahan combined, but Warren Broaders volleyed over from inside the box in the 58th minute.
Wexford fans were beginning to get a bit nervous as the minutes ticked by, but their nerves vanished in the 70th minute.
Packie Holden lobbed a hopeful ball up the right hand side of the pitch. The ball fell to the feet of Conor Sinnott and even though he was well marked he managed to get a low shot across the box. The ball fell to the feet of Gary Sheahan and the prolific striker made no mistake, smashing the ball into the bottom left corner past the helpless Ciaran Gallagher.
Harps pushed for an equaliser and nearly got it in the 78th minute. Mark Forker crossed and found Gary Whoriskey unmarked in the box, but he somehow volleyed wide with only Holden to beat.
The Youths had one more chance to put the game away when Paul Malone put Sheahan through on goal, but this time the striker shot wide of the left post in the 81st minute.
Harps pushed for the equaliser, but it just wasn't to be and the Youths held on for all three precious points.
A delighted Wallace concluded by saying: "It was great to see so many young players out there tonight. Harps have a very young side and they played some great stuff. We needed to bounce back after the UCD game and I felt we did that tonight. With only three games left, it's ultimately going to be the Monaghan game that decides who gets the 5th spot."
Wexford Youths: Holden; Russell, McCurtin(P. Rossiter, 61), White, Breen; Dempsey (Kenny, 84), Malone, Sheahan, Sinnott; Keohane, Broaders (T. Rossiter, 67).
Finn Harps: Gallagher; Rossiter, Coll, Mailey, Roddy; Funston, Moran (O'Hagan, 88), Forker, Bonner (Lafferty, 81); Gethins (Tourish, 85); Whoriskey.
Referee: Stuart Templeman.
Attendance: 391.
Extratime Man of the Match: Gary Sheahan - Just can't stop scoring. Has to be a contender for Wexford's Player of the Season.
