Douglas Hall (Replay)

[ForzaForth]

Eventful game in Ferrycarrig tonight as Wexford found it very hard to put away a game Douglas Hall side but finally did so with a few minutes left. Shane made a couple of changes from the team that started in Cork but were still not at full strength with Graham, Clarkey, Scally, CJ, Corky, Eric, Crokey, Brian, Deano and Aidan (Rocks) and Shane Nolan up front. The pitch in Ferrycarrig is much bigger than the one in Cork and it made for a far more open game than the drawn match. Wexford started well and, after three minutes, Shane Nolan had a shot deflected by a DH head for a corner. Clarkey then surged down the right and got a cross in for another corner. On eight minutes, Rocks ran clear into the box and very wide out got to the ball first and was taken down by the DH keeper for a peno. for the Youths. Deano hit it low right to give the DH keeper no chance for 1-0. However, Hall equalised immediately when a good move teed up Fox in the clear about 22 out and his first-time shot gave Graham no chance for 1-1. With eighteen gone, Hall went ahead with very slack marking by Wexford on a DH corner when they allowed the full-back to collect it short and dink it into the near post where Wilkinson was standing all on his own and he headed it home for 2-1 to the Hall.

[ForzaForth]

Varian then got a yellow for a tackle on Brian Nolan and, with fifteen to go in the half, Rocks had a volley just over the bar. Kelleher then picked up a yellow for the Hall for another tackle and the half ended with the away side up and the Youths giving away the ball too cheaply and not having enough ball-winners on the park. Second half began with Patsy coming on for Brian Nolan and immediately making a difference. Like the first match, DH seemed to fall away a bit and Wexford were mostly dominant during the second 45 but still able to give chances away. After two minutes, Eric had a shot deflected for a corner and, a minute later, a Wexford header from a corner cannoned off the cross-bar. With ten gone, Shane had the ball in the net which was disallowed for pulling back the defender. With twelve gone, Rocks set up Shane whose neat footwork got him clear and he steered it home easily for 2-2. With fifteen minutes gone, Patsy got a yellow for pulling back a DH defender coming up the pitch in possession. With fifteen to go, Tom Elmes came on for Deano. Shane then created another good chance which was grabbed by the DH keeper. With five to go, the Youths gave the ball away in their own half and Graham had to advance outside the box to block it away but was adjudged to have handled it and was given a straight red. The free-kick for Hall just outside the box was deflected for a corner with Cormac coming on in goal and Clarkey being taken off.

[ForzaForth]

However, two good chances fell to the ten men in the final minutes from bad clearances by Douglas Hall, In the first, Tom had a free attempt to lob the keeper while on his own but put it over the bar. However, right on the ninety, another bad clearance by Douglas Hall fell to Shane Nolan and his neat lob from eighteen out dropped nicely into the net over the DH keeper for 3-2 to the home side. Youths managed to survive the four minutes of injury time and get into the next round. Best for the Youths were man-of-the match Shane Nolan, Patsy who made a massive difference when he came on and again Clarkey going forward. Like the drawn game, Douglas Hall were very threatening going forward and were able to beat Wexford defenders too easily at times with Varian again looking good and a sub, Riordan, well able to move with the ball. Attendance was called as 166.

[ForzaForth]

Finally, on a very tragic and nightmareish note, there was a minute's silence at the start of the match for 21 year old student, Nicola Furlong, girlfriend of our striker, Danny Furlong, who passed away in the most horrific circumstances in Japan in recent days. Nicola was a student at DCU and was in Japan on an exchange visit. Our thoughts will be with Danny and Nicola's family in Curracloe in what will be an unimagineable time for them.

[Martinho II]

read the thing in paper today about nicola furlong very tragic. had no idea of the connection to danny furlong which brings it more to home. Did Danny play tonight?

[ForzaForth]

Martinho

No, Danny wasn't in the panel last night.