Shelbourne

[ForzaForth]

Despite Wexford missing a penalty, it was a comfortable win for Shelbourne in Tolka Park last night, with Wexford again not proving to have enough firepower going forward. Wexford began with Graham, Craig McC, Owen McCormack, Ross, Andy, Liam, Crokey, Craig W, Duxey, Eoin Porter and with Lee Duffy up front. Wexford didn't start well and Shels nearly went ahead as early as the second minute, when Shels went clear down the left wing, and the low cross was just turned the other side of the Wexford post by Evans for Shels. On 13 minutes, Duxey unleashed a brilliant effort from 30 yards out which whistled a foot past the post with Dean Delaney never moving in the Shels goal. On 18 minutes, Adam Rooney for Shels took a free which English just couldn't keep on target. A familiar problem for Wexford, the inability to win anything in the air, was becoming apparent at this stage, although Liam Donnelly on the right wing was at least challenging his marker. On 20 minutes, Corey Chambers, who is relatively inexperienced, came on in goal in place of Graham Doyle who appeared to injure his back. Corey's first call to action was to charge out rashly to attempt to win a ball outside the box and then stop and turn back, and the Shels cross fell to English in front of an empty goal, but he managed to steer the ball wide. English probably had time to take a touch. With a new goalkeeper, you'd expect Wexford to be very vigilant during corners by Shels but sadly, this proved not to be the case. On 28 minutes, Shels had their first corner after Corey Chambers came on, and Alan Byrne, admittedly a big unit, had a free header which Craig McCabe was lucky to be in exactly the right place to clear off the line. At the next Shels corner, Prendergast this time had a free header which he planted about two feet over the bar. After a bad clash of heads between Lee Duffy and Dean Delaney outside the Shels box, on the 43rd minute Shels had yet another corner and Prendergast was let run free again towards the near post to head home with ease to put Shels 1-0 up. Very poor protection was afforded by the Wexford team to Corey Chambers, I thought. 1-0 to Shels at half-time.

[ForzaForth]

Shels took their foot off the gas for a large part of the second half and Wexford came more into the game but without troubling Dean Delaney unduly. Wexford's Lee Duffy had an early shot over the bar before Evans of Shels had a chip to the far post which went a yard wide. On the hour mark, Sean Hurley came on in place of Liam Donnelly and then, a minute later, Lee Duffy had a run into the box before going down with what looked like the softest of contacts. The ref, however, thought otherwise and awarded a peno to the away side. Wexford's Andy O'Connor stepped up but his effort was close enough to Delaney who went the right way but knocked it back towards the penalty spot. A Shels defender just managed to beat O'Connor to the ball and it went for a Wexfordcorner which didn't yield anything. Craig Hayes later came on for Wexford and with 15 minutes to go, Shels got the insurance second goal when Rooney clipped a looping header to the far post and 2-0. A few yellow cards were flashed at this stage including one to each side after a "schmozzle" with English appearing to be lucky to stay on after swishing his fists with intent.

Best for Wexford were Duxey, Crokey and Craig McCabe while Eoin Porter did well in the last 20 minutes after being quiet up till then. Lee Duffy again seemed to be too isolated to pose a threat to two dominant Shelbourne centre-halves. 2-0 to Shelbourne at full-time.

[ForzaForth]

Garda Presence. Incidentally, I counted seven Gardai outside Tolka Park about half an hour before the match. There was probably more likelihood of crowd trouble at a bowls match in the Ierne sports centre across the road. Seems to be a mad financial outlay to be placing on Shelbourne.