Delaney delivers for Youths
Centre-half heads late winner to end six-game losing run
FINN HARPS WEXFORD YOUTHS 0 1 TOWERING centre-half Gary Delaney came up with the much-needed goods in Finn Park, Ballybofey, on Friday when his superbly-timed 85th-minute header gave Wexford Youths a precious three points in their SSE Airtricity Premier Division clash with fellow promoted side from last season, Finn Harps.
Delaney rose highest in a crowded box to convert Jonny Bonner’s teasing free-kick from the left, ending a six-game losing streak and securing a fourth win of the season to move his team five points clear of bottom side Longford Town.
The long journey home must have never felt shorter for the jubilant Youths who had struggled to regain the form which had shocked Shamrock Rovers on May 13. However, they really upped their performance levels for this difficult trip and were worthy winners in a game of few clearcut chances.
In many respects it was the perfect away display as Youths first of all contained and then matched their opponents, silencing the most vocal section of the home crowd for long spells in the process. And then to cap it all, they availed of a late setpiece to fashion the winner, leaving their rivals with precious little time to respond.
They will have played St. Patrick’s Athletic in Monday’s home re-fixture by the time this report is published, and at least they are spared the inconvenience of long bus journeys for a while as they prepare to take on Sligo Rovers and Longford Town respectively in Ferrycarrig Park over the next two Fridays.
Youths won’t be on the road again until the Monday night fixture against Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght Stadium on August 15, while they were also favoured with a home FAI Cup third round draw last Friday when they came out of the hat first to entertain Sligo again on the week ending August 21.
The suspended Paul Murphy and the injured Eric Molloy were the most notable absentees for the trip to the north-west, with Conor Whittle and Peter Higgins also unavailable. Gary Delaney’s return from a one-game ban saw manager Shane Keegan revert to four at the back, while Andy Mulligan came in to fill the supporting role for Danny Furlong normally occupied by Murphy.
Another interesting name on the bench for the first time was that of Andrew O’Connor, a new signing during the week from Junior club Tramore F.C. who was Waterford United’s Under-19 player of the year in 2013.
A minute’s silence was impeccably observed before kick-off for the victims of the road tragedies in Co. Donegal during the week. And it took a long time for the game to settle into any discernible flow as both sides were forced into making early changes owing to injury.
Youths left-winger Danny Ledwith hurt himself in a challenge with just over three minutes gone and succumbed to the inevitable a short while later, but this presented an opportunity for Letterkenny-born Aidan Friel to shine in his native north-west. It did lead to a positional change though, as Shane Dunne moved from the right flank to the left as Friel slotted in on the same side of the pitch as Craig McCabe.
The Finn Harps change was of the like-for-like variety as the injured Damien McNulty was replaced at right-back by Wexford town lad Ethan Boyle who must have really relished the opportunity of taking on so many familiar faces.
One of the most positive features of the game apart from the obvious one in securing the win was the improved form of striker Danny Furlong who had been going through a barren spell. While he didn’t resume his goalscoring, he worked like a beaver and led the line extremely well.
Shane Dunne knocked a ball over the top for him to chase in the eighth minute, but the offside flag came to Finn Harps’ rescue. Thankfully, Gary Delaney recovered from an injury which left him grounded moments later, and he went on to give a commanding defensive display before pouncing for that all-important goal.
The other Letterkenny man on view, midfield playmaker Jonny Bonner, didn’t endear himself to the fans of one of his former clubs as they felt he made the most of some strong challenges to earn free-kicks. From my viewpoint it looked like Harps had targeted him for some special attention though, and he answered the cat calls in the best possible manner with the assist for Delaney’s goal.
Opportunities were in very short supply throughout the opening half, but Youths shaded the gen- eral exchanges and looked comfortable and composed for the first time in many weeks.
A near-post Andy Mulligan cross was knocked out for a throw in the 16th minute, with Craig McCabe’s delivery cleared. Moments later a mix-up between Bonner and Friel was tidied up when Graham Doyle raced out to punt the ball clear, and it ended up with Danny Furlong whose cross aimed at Mulligan was thwarted by the alert Ethan Boyle.
Goalkeeper Richard Brush claimed a Shane Dunne cross intended for Furlong before Gary Delaney headed clear from an Adam Hanlon free-kick on the left. Hanlon then blocked a Delaney pass but Stephen Last was alert to the danger and ensured that centre-forward Rúairí Keating wouldn’t prosper as a result.
The sole Finn Harps corner before the break was cleared by Friel before Bonner and Mulligan didn’t test the netminder with speculative shots in the 30th and 31st minutes.
Stephen Last blocked a Ryan Curran cross with weak claims for handball rightly ignored, and the centre-half featured prominently at the other end in the 34th minute after a Craig McCabe throw went off the head of Packie Mailey for the only Youths corner before the break.
Jonny Bonner’s delivery was headed powerfully by Last but it struck somebody else before it could test the goalkeeper, possibly Danny Furlong.
Aidan Friel missed the target when Chris Kenny teed him up for a shot, while it took a vital block by Keith Cowan to deny Furlong after he raced on to a superb ball over the top from the creative Bonner in the 37th minute.
A long-range shot from Raymond Foy bounced in front of Graham Doyle but didn’t trouble him in any way as Youths ended a scoreless half no doubt quite content with their overall performance.
And the re-start was promising too as a Furlong cross was cut out by Harps captain Ciarán Coll before netminder Richard Brush raced out as the centre-forward tried to latch on to Chris Kenny’s long ball.
The home side responded as Graham Doyle fumbled a Seán Houston shot and the ball was hacked away for a corner, but Gary Delaney headed it away in the direction of Ethan Boyle who scuffed his attempted shot.
Shane Dunne couldn’t make the most of good play from Craig McCabe and Danny Furlong before Aidan Friel forced a corner taken by Jonny Bonner which Ciarán Coll cleared for a throw-in.
Gary Delaney collected what appeared to be a harsh yellow card and there was a scare from Adam Hanlon’s free-kick as Graham Doyle dropped it, only for the alert Chris Kenny to clear his lines.
A Seán Houston shot was blocked for a corner, and again Gary Delaney was the man rising highest to avert the danger. Ethan Boyle was booked in the 58th minute for a challenge on Andy Mulligan whose free-kick from the left edge of the box tested netminder Brush at his near post.
Danny Furlong didn’t get hold of the ball properly from a Shane Dunne knock-down before Gary Delaney made an important interception as Houston tried to play Rúairí Keating in.
Two successive Youths corners from Bonner came to nothing, although Delaney did connect with the second in the box but it ricocheted off a defender. Delaney got another touch on a Craig McCabe throw which bobbled around the danger zone before Ethan Boyle managed to clear.
Rúairí Keating saw yellow for a foul on Bonner, with Shane Dunne’s free-kick fisted out by Brush for a throw. This time Danny Furlong couldn’t make room for a shot and Harps cleared their lines.
Stephen Last joined his centre-half partner Delaney in the referee’s notebook in the 73rd minute, with Raymond Foy back-heeling the free-kick to Seán Houston whose shot was deflected for a corner. There was a familiar outcome though as the outstanding Delaney headed it away yet again.
Keating shot wide for Harps after Lee Grace lunged in on substitute Michael Funston and missed the ball, with Aidan Keenan replacing Andy Mulligan up front for the last 15 minutes.
There was a bizarre stoppage in the 79th minute as two stewards had to deal with somebody who couldn’t really be described as a pitch invader given that he was moving at a snail’s pace, simply strolling up the field without a care in the world. I suspect he had recently left one of the local hostelries on nearby Navenny Street, as I spotted him again standing outside the nearest one on my way back to the car!
Keenan’s threat in the air was seen as he was fouled from a long ball by Gary Delaney in the 81st minute, and Danny Furlong’s freekick wasn’t too far over the bar.
Harps’ best chance arrived not long afterwards when the ball broke favourably for them after a high kick into the air by Chris Kenny around the centre circle. Suddenly the ground opened up and it looked like Graham Doyle might have advanced too far off his line to cut down Raymond Foy’s angle, but the veteran netminder knew what he was doing as he leaped high and got a vital hand on the shot.
The game may have bore all the hallmarks of a scoreless draw for a long time, and that’s what made the winning Youths goal all the sweeter. It came in the 85th minute when Jonny Bonner provided the type of free-kick delivery from the left that managers dream about, and the superb Gary Delaney capped a man of the match performance with a firm connection into the corner of the net.
He nearly doubled his tally, heading over from a Bonner corner before Chris Kenny collected a yellow card. Youths had to be on high alert near the end as the home side forced two corners, with a Ryan Curran shot deflected over from the first before Rúairí Keating’s glancing near-post header went across the goalmouth and thankfully wide.
The four extra minutes saw the introduction of Shane Dempsey and one late chance when Danny Furlong was fouled suspiciously close to the penalty box. However, the linesmen deemed it a free-kick only, and the sweet sound of the full-time whistle was heard on the kick-out after Furlong fired wide at the near post.
Wexford Youths: Graham Doyle (capt.); Craig McCabe, Gary Delaney, Stephen Last, Lee Grace; Shane Dunne, Chris Kenny, Jonny Bonner, Danny Ledwith; Andy Mulligan, Danny Furlong. Subs. - Aidan Friel for Ledwith, inj. (7), Aidan Keenan for Mulligan (76), Shane Dempsey for Bonner (90+3), also Conor O’Keeffe, Gavin Dowling, Andrew O’Connor.
Finn Harps: Richard Brush; Damien McNulty, Packie Mailey, Keith Cowan, Ciarán Coll (capt.); Ryan Curran, Barry Molloy, Raymond Foy, Seán Houston, Adam Hanlon; Rúairí Keating. Subs. - Ethan Boyle for McNulty, inj. (7), Michael Funston for Hanlon (73), Kevin McHugh for Foy (84), also Ciarán Gallagher, Dave Scully, Tony McNamee, Tommy McMonagle.
Referee: Ray Matthews (Westmeath). TABLE (before Monday’s game)
P W D L F A Pt Dundalk 18 15 1 2 46 11 46 Cork City 17 12 4 1 28 6 40 Derry City 20 11 5 4 27 17 38 Shamrock R 18 10 3 5 25 14 33 Galway Utd 19 7 6 6 27 23 27 Sligo Rovers 19 6 7 6 18 21 25 St. Pat’s Ath 18 7 2 9 25 25 23 Finn Harps 20 6 5 9 17 29 23 Bohemians 20 6 4 10 17 24 22 Bray Wand 20 4 5 11 13 26 17 Wex Youths 20 4 3 13 21 38 15 Longford T 21 1 7 13 17 47 10