Ruairi Keating slotted home from the penalty spot to save a deserved point for ten-man Finn Harps against Wexford Youths at Finn Park.
Harps striker Ruairi Keating snatched a point for Harps. Pic by Gary Foy.
Ollie Horgan’s team was forced to dig deep after the dismissal of steady central defender Keith Cowan.
Cowan’s controversial dismissal came in the 43rd minute after an altercation with Danny Cullen.
Cullen’s reaction to a general outbreak of handbag swapping would have made Daniel Day Lewis proud but it was enough to get Cowan an early shower.
It certainly wasn’t Cowan’s night as he had what looked like a legitimate goal ruled out in the 33rd minute.
The big schoolteacher jumped highest at the far post after a headed on ball from Damien McNulty.
Cowan’s header sneaked in at the foot of the post but referee Ben Connolly claimed he had fouled the defender and awarded a free out.
The lively Ruairi Keating continued to show a deft turn of foot to test the Wexford defence but couldn’t find that vital opening.
Harps went behind in the 65th minute when Killian Cantwell got onto the end of a Dean Broaders free-kick to head the ball beyond an all-at-sea Conor Winn who probably could have done better.
Harps battled to get back into the game and were helped by the lively arrival of the lively (and masked) Sean McCarron after a number of weeks out injured.
But it wasn’t until the 85th minute that the breakthrough came when Keating was fouled in the area by Wexford ‘keeper Graham Doyle.
The on-loan Sligo Rovers man kept his cool to send Doyle the wrong way to make it 1-1.
That’s the way it finished and Ollie Horgan will probably be happy that his ten man team managed to snatch a point.
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