Finn Harps 4 - 1 Wexford Youths

Finn Harps signed off their home campaign in style as a first-half blitz stunned Wexford Youths into submission in Ballybofey on Saturday night.

Playing at Finn Park for the last time this season, Harps gave their fans a nice send off with four goals in the space of twenty-six minutes in the opening period.

Kevin McHugh, Kevin Devaney, Barry O’Mahoney and Gareth Harkin all hit the back of the net in the first forty-five minutes, while Ben Ryan tucked home a second-half consolation for Wexford Youths.  

With both side’s struggling at the wrong end of the table, the game promised to serve up a goal-fest, though Ryan’s goal meant Harps weren’t able to match their best result of the season, a 4-0 away win over Salthill Devon back in June.

Suspensions kept number one Ciaran Gallagher and attacker Stephen O’Donnell out of action for Harps, meaning Chris Patton came in for his first start between the sticks, while full-back JP Gallagher made his first start in a few months following his decision to leave the club due to work commitments.

Meanwhile, Youths travelled the lengthy journey north with just twelve players to chose from, with Tom Elmes the sole replacement in the visitor’s dugout.

Harps started like a house on fire and had the deadlock broken inside seven minutes when Kevin McHugh latched onto a cute back-heel from Gareth Harkin before firing into the bottom right-hand corner from twenty-five yards.

Barely a minute later and the home side’s lead was doubled as winger Kevin Devaney galloped past full-back James Darmody and despite Sean Allen narrowing the angle the wide-man found the far corner with an unstoppable thunderbolt.

The visitors then enjoyed their best period of possession midway through the first half, with Darragh Walsh forcing auxiliary netminder Chris Patton into a superb diving save, while Ben Ryan was guilty of not finding the net from the resulting corner, the winger heading wide from a matter of yards.

The game was wrapped up just before the hour mark as Barry O’Mahoney, one of eight players to sign on for next season with Harps, rifled in off the left-hand post following a lay-off from skipper McHugh.

On thirty-three minutes, Harps bagged their fourth and it came after a brilliant piece of covering from centre-half Keith Cowan. Harps broke quickly and after some neat interchange of passing between McHugh and O’Mahoney, the ball fell the way of Gareth Harkin on the edge of the box. Harkin fired straight at Allen but a mixture of the slippery conditions and the pain inflicted from the three previous goals meant the ‘keepers concentration wasn’t a hundred percent, as the ball slipped unkindly into the net.   

No doubt looking to restore some pride, Wexford began the second half strong and were unlucky not to have narrowed the deficit after three minutes when Ryan volleyed agonisingly the wrong side of the post.

Shortly after, though, Wexford did get a goal back when Danny Furlong picked out Ryan and the winger managed to fire under the body of the Harps stopper.  

Harps, unsurprisingly more cavalier after the restart, might’ve increased their tally, with Devaney nutmegging Darmody, dummying Martin Kehoe before lashing wide, while McHugh headed into Allen’s hands from close range.

So, after fifteen home games, Harps’ record reads five wins, three draws and seven losses while Wexford ended with eleven defeats from fifteen on the road.

Finn Harps: Chris Patton; Marty Redmon, Keith Cowan, Aaron O’Hagan, JP Gallagher; Kevin Devaney, Gary Curran, Barry O’Mahoney, Gareth Harkin; Kevin McHugh, Blaine Curtis. Subs: Aaron Brennan (Harkin, 59 mins), Packie Mailey (O’Hagan, 72 mins), Marc Brolly (Curtis, 80 mins).

Wexford Youths: Sean Allen; Mark Phelan, Karl Keogh, Martin Kehoe, James Darmody; Ben Ryan, Shane Dempsey, Shane Dolan, Dean Broaders; Danny Furlong, Darragh Walsh. Sub: Tom Elmes.

Referee: Rob Matthews.

Extratime.ie man of the match: Barry O’Mahoney. Got the goal his tireless industry deserved.

Attendance: 400.