Finn Harps and Wexford share points

Finn Harps and Wexford couldn’t be separated this evening with the points split in Ballybofey. 

Finn Harps 0-0 Wexford FC 

On reflection, neither side really did enough to win the game over the course of the 90 minutes with a worrying looking injury to Wexford’s Aaron Robinson the main talking point after. 

And despite seven minutes of injury time added on for that lengthy stoppage, this one was destined to end scoreless. 

Both sides picked up their first points of the season last time out as Harps drew with Bray Wanderers at home and Wexford thrashed Athlone Town 3-0, also on their own patch. 

It was the hosts that threatened first here, just five minutes in, when Seamus Keogh sent a freekick from just outside the area fizzing over Charlie Heffernan’s crossbar. 

Passing the quarter hour mark Wexford pressure forced three successive corners but to be fair to the home defence, they stood firm on each of those occasions. 

Both sides struggled to make inroads in their respective final thirds but on the half hour mark, Cian Lynch put Caoimhin Porter into space down the right and while his delivery into the area was inviting, no blue shirt was waiting. 

Up the other end, the visitors’ Mark Hanratty tried his luck from distance but that ambitious effort was well off target. Porter then had to be alert to cut out a through ball where Aaron Robinson was going to find himself in on goal. 

In a game now coming to life, Tim-Oliver Hiemer did brilliantly to stop and, at the second attempt, gather when Hugh Douglas fired low through a crowded area.  

Nine minutes out from the break a brilliant ball from Keogh put Lynch in on the right but instead of getting his head up the Harps attacker dragged a tame effort harmlessly wide.

The second half took a little time to settle but on 53 minutes it took a good intervention from the sliding Brandon McCann to divert the ball away from the lurking Keogh. The home support were calling for a penalty but the corner was rightly awarded.

On 67 minutes Ryan Rainey sent a cracking effort from outside the area just wide of the post while McCann's looping header at the other end was easily gathered by Hiemer.

Hesitation by Lynch almost allowed Aaron Dobbs sight of goal while the same player also flashed wide from a free header moments later. The final quarter of an hour was hectic but again lacked the end product needed to make the breakthrough. 

Wexford now move onto four points from four outings while Harps jump to two.  

Finn Harps: Tim-Oliver Hiemer; Ryan Flood, Ellis Farrar, Daithi McCallion, Caoimhin Porter; Ryan Rainey, Seamus Keogh (Kevin Keogh, 79), Noe Baba; Okwuy Okwute (Filip Da Silva, 34), Cian Lynch (Sean O'Donnell, 63), Michael Harris (Katlego Mashigo, 79). 

Wexford FC: Charlie Heffernan; Hugh Douglas, Ethan Boyle, Aaron Robinson (Darragh Levingston, 86), Karl Chambers (Aaron Doran, 57); Brandon McCann, Aaron Dobbs, Mark Hanratty (Kian Corbally,ht), James Crawford; Conor Levingston, Reece Webb.

Referee: Declan Toland.