CORK’S CONOR HOURIHANE helped Barnsley book their place in the League One play-off final with an emphatic 6-1 aggregate win over Walsall following tonight’s 3-1 victory at the Bescot Stadium.
Paul Heckingbottom’s side sealed a 3-0 victory in the first leg and extinguished any hopes of a comeback for the hosts after just 17 minutes, when Adam Hammill turned in from close range despite Walsall appeals for offside.
Walsall put in a brave display as they chased a goal to give them the most slender of lifelines, but on-loan Manchester United striker Ashley Fletcher fired in from Sam Winnall’s cross to double the lead just past the hour mark.
Jordan Cook curled in a sublime effort from distance to give Walsall some consolation for their efforts, but Rico Henry’s poor backwards header was punished just four minutes later as Lloyd Isgrove teed up Josh Brownhill for a simple finish.
Barnsley, who scraped into the play-offs ahead of Scunthorpe United on goal difference and finished 10 points behind their opponents in the final table, will face either Bradford City or Millwall in the final. It will be their second visit to Wembley this season, after they overcame Oxford United 3-2 in the Football League Trophy final last month
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