A goal at the end of each half saw Finn Harps suffer another defeat, this time away to their nearest rivals Wexford FC.
Wexford FC 2
Finn Harps 0
The result sees the home side draw level with Harps on 34 points. However, as they have a superior scoring difference, Wexford move into sixth position and Darren Murphy’s charges drop out of the play-off spot.
Thomas Oluwa put Wexford ahead just before the half time break and Darragh Levingston secured all three points for the home side in the 89th minute.
Harps made the long journey to Ferrycarrig Park hoping to bring their recent poor run of results to an end and also avoid dropping out of the play-off spots with both Cobh Ramblers and tonight’s opponents capable of doing so with victories.
Luke O Brien came into the starting line-up for Max Johnstone in the only change from last week’s defeat to Treaty FC and included new signing Bruce Strachan on the bench.
The home team started well and had Harps under a bit of early pressure with Thomas Oluwa twice and Mikie Rowe failing to finish off good approach work.
On seventeen minutes Success Edogun headed just wide from Tony McNamee’s long throw-in and very quickly at the other end Matt Makinson had to be alert to intercept a dangerous Oluwa low cross. A minute later Makinson was denied by a defender’s goal line block when the Harps man reacted first to McNamee’s corner.
The half continued to be one of half chances at both ends and looked like remaining scoreless at the break but Wexford struck the opening goal in the 45th minute. Thomas Oluwa finally got his finish right to beat Tim Heimer and send Wexford into the break in the lead.
Mikie Rowe had an early second-half chance for Wexford but couldn’t hit the target. However it was the home team which looked the more likely to score again as Harps struggled to make an impression in attack.
The visitors made a triple change in the 69th minute with Ryan Rainey, Patrick Ferry and new signing Bruce Strachan all coming in to try and add something in attack.
Rowe was dangerous from set pieces, hitting the post and forcing an excellent save from Hiemer in the 74th minute to deny Kian Corbally’s follow-up.
Harps last throw of the dice saw them bring in Aaron McLaughlin and Gavin McAteer looking for goals to avoid yet another defeat. However it was Wexford who got a second in the last minute to wrap it up when Darrach Levingston, who had gone close a few minutes earlier, made no mistake with his second opportunity. A 2-0 victory sees the home side go level on points with Harps, but ahead of them on goal difference and with a game in hand.
Cobh Ramblers beat Kerry FC 0-2 to move into the play-off spot as Harps drop to 7th in the table. They now have a two week break before their next game away to UCD on Friday, August 23rd.
Wexford FC ; Conor Walsh , Ethan Boyle, Divin Isamala, Cian O’Malley (Kaylem Harnett 90mins), , Lewis Temple; James Crawford, Luka Lovic , Darrach Levingston , Thomas Oluwa (Cian Curtis 90mins), Kian Corbally ( Oisín McDonagh 90mins) , Mikie Walsh-Rowe .
Finn Harps: Tim-Oliver Heimer; Jamie Watson, Noe Baba ( Gavin McAteer 84mins) , Conor Tourish, Matthew Makinson; David Cawley ( Aaron McLaughlin 86mins), Tony McNamee ( Ryan Rainey 69mins), Max Hutchison Bruce Strachan (69mins), Success Edogun, Luke O’Brien , Sean Patton ( Patrick Ferry 69mins),
Tags: