Gallagher rues failure to secure a win
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Finn Harps manager James Gallagher couldn’t hide his disappointment at the manner in which his side threw away a one-goal lead against Wexford Youths and how his captain got sent-off in a game that Harps had been well in control of in Ballybofey on Friday night.
Following a mix-up on the edge of the Harps penalty area, Gary Sheahan was on hand to punish some slack defending to cancel out a Kevin McHugh opener. With the game very much in the melting pot, both sides looked to kick on for the winner.
And it seemed like it was going to come when Danny Furlong raced onto a through ball only to be apprehended by the backtracking, out of position Packie Mailey, who received his marching orders for the illegal intervention.
“It’s a difficult one because you can’t really legislate for individual errors,” sighed Gallagher afterwards. “You can try and set the team up the best you can but players are human beings and mistakes happen. Unfortunately, we’ve got punished for an awful lot of them this season. And obviously, when we get wee breaks at the other end of the pitch we’re maybe not as clinical. We don’t put the chances away.
“We’re probably looking at using one or two different personnel between now and the end of the season. We might also look at the shape and way we play, too. I thought we done quite well tonight; we went out and played 4-3-3.
“I thought Kevin (McHugh) was excellent for us up top as a focal point. We created three or four good chances and in fairness to Wexford they looked quite lively on the break. But I thought we coped with them quite well. I think the shot (goal) they had was maybe the only shot on target they had.”
Gallagher continued to lament the mental strength of his side and how they struggle to put games to bed after taking a lead.
“I think maybe we have been a wee bit naive this season when we are in a situation to push on and win it. Especially when we were away from home, there has been times we’ve been guilty of that. If we go ahead we need to calm down a bit and keep our shape. And I thought we done that on Friday night, we were really comfortable,” said the Harps boss.
He added on the concession and sending off: “Mattie should have dealt with it better and Gavin should have dealt better with the shot. Then Packie has got himself caught near the end when he’s pulled your man down to get sent-off just to make it that little bit worse for us.”
Mailey’s sending off was the seventh dismissal Harps have suffered this term, but the manager didn’t necessarily believe it was a primary reason for their lack of fluency.
“We have and we haven’t (suffered). I don’t feel we’ve struggled big time with missing players through suspensions and that. Gary Whoriskey has got sent off last week for something identical that happened tonight to a Wexford player, but he has got away with it and that just shows you the inconsistency of it all.
“In terms of Packie Mailey, yeah he had no choice in pulling the player down but from my point of view, he should have dealt with it better. The ball shouldn’t have got through as easily as it did.”
Gallagher concluded by signalling his desire to give some of the youngsters at Finn Park the chance to taste first-team action in their remaining five Airtricity League games.
He said: “I’ll only be doing it for my own point of view and the point of view of the club. If I don’t feel there is anybody there worthy of a chance then I won’t be doing it. But there is certainly a few young players here that have really good attitudes and really committed to the club.
“They look like players that will probably play a certain amount next year and certainly look to establish themselves the following year. Gary Merritt is obviously one of those. He got a wee run out last week and a bit longer tonight and he will probably get more game time from now ‘till the end of the season. We have Raymond Foy there, too, who is a young central midfielder. So, the two of them are right in the mix at the minute.”
Following a mix-up on the edge of the Harps penalty area, Gary Sheahan was on hand to punish some slack defending to cancel out a Kevin McHugh opener. With the game very much in the melting pot, both sides looked to kick on for the winner.
And it seemed like it was going to come when Danny Furlong raced onto a through ball only to be apprehended by the backtracking, out of position Packie Mailey, who received his marching orders for the illegal intervention.
“It’s a difficult one because you can’t really legislate for individual errors,” sighed Gallagher afterwards. “You can try and set the team up the best you can but players are human beings and mistakes happen. Unfortunately, we’ve got punished for an awful lot of them this season. And obviously, when we get wee breaks at the other end of the pitch we’re maybe not as clinical. We don’t put the chances away.
“We’re probably looking at using one or two different personnel between now and the end of the season. We might also look at the shape and way we play, too. I thought we done quite well tonight; we went out and played 4-3-3.
“I thought Kevin (McHugh) was excellent for us up top as a focal point. We created three or four good chances and in fairness to Wexford they looked quite lively on the break. But I thought we coped with them quite well. I think the shot (goal) they had was maybe the only shot on target they had.”
Gallagher continued to lament the mental strength of his side and how they struggle to put games to bed after taking a lead.
“I think maybe we have been a wee bit naive this season when we are in a situation to push on and win it. Especially when we were away from home, there has been times we’ve been guilty of that. If we go ahead we need to calm down a bit and keep our shape. And I thought we done that on Friday night, we were really comfortable,” said the Harps boss.
He added on the concession and sending off: “Mattie should have dealt with it better and Gavin should have dealt better with the shot. Then Packie has got himself caught near the end when he’s pulled your man down to get sent-off just to make it that little bit worse for us.”
Mailey’s sending off was the seventh dismissal Harps have suffered this term, but the manager didn’t necessarily believe it was a primary reason for their lack of fluency.
“We have and we haven’t (suffered). I don’t feel we’ve struggled big time with missing players through suspensions and that. Gary Whoriskey has got sent off last week for something identical that happened tonight to a Wexford player, but he has got away with it and that just shows you the inconsistency of it all.
“In terms of Packie Mailey, yeah he had no choice in pulling the player down but from my point of view, he should have dealt with it better. The ball shouldn’t have got through as easily as it did.”
Gallagher concluded by signalling his desire to give some of the youngsters at Finn Park the chance to taste first-team action in their remaining five Airtricity League games.
He said: “I’ll only be doing it for my own point of view and the point of view of the club. If I don’t feel there is anybody there worthy of a chance then I won’t be doing it. But there is certainly a few young players here that have really good attitudes and really committed to the club.
“They look like players that will probably play a certain amount next year and certainly look to establish themselves the following year. Gary Merritt is obviously one of those. He got a wee run out last week and a bit longer tonight and he will probably get more game time from now ‘till the end of the season. We have Raymond Foy there, too, who is a young central midfielder. So, the two of them are right in the mix at the minute.”
