Finn Harps 2 - 1 Wexford Youths

• Alan Foley
• Fri, Apr 09 2010


A wonderful strike from Tommy Bonner was enough for Finn Harps to come from behind and defeat Wexford Youths at Finn Park on Friday night.

The former Letterkenny Rovers midfielder, after being fed by Kevin McHugh on the edge of the area, struck the ball superbly into the top corner for a real scrapbook goal with 17 minutes remaining. It completed a fine turnaround for the Donegal side, who went in at half-time a goal in arrears after a tepid first 45 minutes.

A hazardous one-two between Gary Whoriskey and Matthew Crossan in front of their own penalty area enabled visiting Wexford to take the lead on 33 minutes. As Whoriskey was sold short, Jimmy Keoghane seized the initiative and squared for the unmarked Danny Furlong, who had time to take a touch before shooting past Liam Mailey.

From a Harps perspective, the goal was totally avoidable, but it gave the small band of followers from the south-east something to cheer after the longest trip in domestic football.

Wexford might say there was plenty that was avoidable about the equaliser six minutes into the second half. Dean Broaders handled the ball and referee Paul McLoughlin, who had made a couple of curious calls beforehand, pointed straight to the spot. Kevin McHugh’s penalty wasn’t the best, but it squeezed underneath Packie Holden to make the score one each.

Minus the suspended duo of skipper David Breen and Warren Broaders, Wexford defended in numbers, often leaving Furlong as their only advanced option. However, when they were in possession to begin with, and support arrived in healthy numbers from deep.

The game opened brightly enough with Stephen McLaughlin the standout figure for the hosts and part of their early positive sparks. One 20 minutes, he glanced a header on Gary Whoriskey’s swerving free and Wexford goalkeeper Holden had to be alert to top the ball around the post. Other openings came and went and

Beforehand, Crossan, standing in at centre-half for the hamstrung Jonathan Minnock, was been beaten to the ball by the inventive Furlong and the Wexford attacker tried an optimistic chip from all of 40 yards and was unfortunate to see the ball nestle on top of the netting at the Town End.

Shane Dempsey brought a scrambling save from Mailey on 59 minutes from a smart swerving free kick, but the Harps net minder, who was making his home debut, got down low at the base of the post. Harps applied most of the pressure but Wexford always look threatening on the break. The issue, though, was finally put to bed when Bonner scored the winner, which was a goal worthy of winning any match.

Finn Harps: Liam Mailey; James Doherty, Packie Mailey, Matthew Crossan, Gary Whoriskey; Michael Funston, Tommy Bonner, Mark Forker (Johnny Lafferty 83), Marc Brolly (Fintan Bonner 90); Stephen McLaughlin (Davitt Walsh 77), Kevin McHugh.

Wexford Youths: Packie Holden; Anto Russell, Patsy Moore, Anthony Wolfe, Chris Kenny; Gary Sheehan, Shane Dempsey, Jimmy Keoghane; Kevin Rowe (Lee Aust 87), Danny Furlong.

Referee: Paul McLoughlin.