Cobh

[ForzaForth]

Deserved win for the home side in St. Colman's tonight, due mainly to their more potent attacking threat, although the Youths had been unlucky to go in at the break a goal behind. Wexford started with Graham, Craig, CJ, Gary, Jimmy, Brian, Shane, Crokey, Craig Wall (making his first start of the season), Joey and with Graham Delaney up front. Wexford had a few chances early on and missed all of them and you sensed that they might pay for that by the end. On eight minutes, a bad pass from Hallahan in the Cobh goal was latched on to by Graham but he couldn't get his shot away before the tackle came in. A minute later, the Cobh defence did it again and, this time, Craig Wall had a run in on goal but dragged his shot wide. On eleven, Brian shipped a heavy tackle from the Cobh right back who picked up a yellow.Mid-way through the half, Graham got a good shot away which Hallahan got a hand to, and the ball bounced on top of the cross-bar for a corner.

[ForzaForth]

That proved to be the end of Wexford's best spell, however, and they laboured to create any real chances thereafter. With twenty to go in the half, a Cobh cross into the box was cleared with difficulty by Graham with his legs. On the half-hour, a Cobh attacker got one-on-one with Graham who got down low to his left to push it away. Then, with ten to go in the half, the ref awarded Cobh what looked like a dubious penalty when Gary appeared to win the ball cleanly in the box. Meade hit the peno low right with Graham going the wrong way for 1-0 to Cobh. Wexford nearly equalised a minute later when Hallahan got a strong hand to keep out Shane's overhead volley from close in and you sensed it wasn't going to be the away side's night. The half then finished with three yellow cards - one for Joey for dissent, Carson (Cobh) for a tackle and Gary for another tackle. 1-0 to Cobh at half-time.

[ForzaForth]

Second half was dominated by Cobh asking Wexford to break them down and Wexford having no real answers. On seven, O'Neill got a yellow for Cobh for a high foot. Two later, Cobh, who always looked really dangerous on the break, benefitted from a bad error in the Youth's defence leaving Donoghue with a clear run at Graham and he tucked it away for 2-0 and really game over. The remainder of the game wasn't great by the Youths as they repeatedly lost the ball either by over-carrying or not finding their man in the Cobh half. A third goal followed for Cobh with about a half-hour to go when a dinked cross to the far post found Meade with an easy header from about three yards out for 3-0.

[ForzaForth]

Wexford made a triple substitution with about fifteen to go with Deano, Clarkey and Caolan coming on for Graham, Brian and Shane. You could probably say that changes were needed earlier than this. Wexford then finished with ten when Gary did an ankle and had to be helped off with no subs left for a final comfortable win of 3-0 to the home side. Craig and Crokey looked energetic in the midfield for the Youths but Rocks and Tom Elmes were badly missed while CJ won a lot at the back. However, the Youths couldn't match the attacking sparkle of the home side up front. Interested spectator was Roy Keane who seemed happy to sign everything pushed in front of him at half-time.