Shelbourne (Leinster Senior Cup)

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Only the Leinster Senior Cup, but more than a bit of a pasting for the Youths tonight as they were hammered by an impressive Shels outfit, especially in the second half. Wexford made one change from the team which beat Derry with Grinny starting and commenced with 4-4-1-1 with Packie, Shane, Murt, Karl, Deano, Grinny, Patsy, Craig, Danny and Ben playing behind Dara up front. Shels started much better and should have scored twice in the first few minutes when a cross was chested down inside the Youths box to the onrushing Shels forward but he shot weakly at Packie from ten out. Packie then did well to push away a deflected shot for a corner. Ben then nearly finished off a good move by Wexford when his curling effort going towards the top corner was parried by Skinner in the Shels goal.

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Mulhall then got a yellow for a tackle on Shane whilst clearing. Shels first goal came from a Wexford mistake when a clearance was played straight into the path of Mcgill who beat the defence and went around Packie for 1-0. A chance then fell to both sides with Danny breaking free on the left but he crossed rather than shooting himself and the chance was lost. Shels then went up the pitch but a cross from the left was stroked just wide of the post with Packie struggling. Shels then made it 2-0 with a free header from a corner for 2-0 half-time deserved lead for Shels.

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First goal in second-half was going to be crucial but unfortunately went to Shels in the first minute when McGill, free on the left, crossed it to the far post to Mulhall who put it away easily for 3-0. Wexford more or less fell apart after the third goal and the only remaining question was how many Shels would score. Craig picked up a yellow for a similar tackle to Mulhall and then Shels got their fourth with another free header from a corner, this time for Paisley. After fifteen, Kevin came on for Ben. With twenty to go, Conoan Byrne then got his first when the ball was pushed through leaving Byrne free to knock it past Packie for 5-0. With ten to go, Muzzi came on for Dara who had battled well up front as an over-used target-man.

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Byrne then made it six when he was again found free inside the Wexford box and his first-time volley made it 6-0 for Shels. Two half-chances for Muzzi and Danny, right at the end, weren't converted to leave it 6-0 at full-time and an embarrassingly easy win for Shels. In addition to Dara, Patsy and Shane tried hard for an outclassed Wexford side. Hopefully, there will be a major reaction to this performance against Mervue on Friday which Noel O'Connor targeted as the major match of the week after the win against Derry.