Galway

[ForzaForth]

Close game in ED Park tonight perhaps shaded by Galway although Youths put in a better stint in the second period. Youths started with Graham, Craig S., Lasty, Killian, Jimmy, Shane, Eric, Craig W., Peter, Ben and with Danny up front. Youths had a good chance in the first minute when Eric put Danny through but it was knocked away by a Galway defender for a corner. Five later, Jake Keegan had Galway's first effort when he headed over after meeting a good cross. With Danny isolated, Youths found it difficult to create chances thereafter in the first half, and a more positive Galway side pushed hard. On 15 minutes, Graham got down to push away a shot by Galway's Shanahan. On 25 minutes, Wexford gave the ball away in their own half, and it led to two players running at Lasty, leaving Walsh to tuck it past Graham for 1-0 to the home side. On the half-hour, Shane Dunne had a decent chance for the Youths when he had a free header from a free-kick but hit it straight at Gleeson. Another error in the Youth's passing game in their own half then gave Galway another chance but Graham saved with his legs. Five before half-time, Graham had to rush out to just touch the ball away from a Galway attacker to leave the score at 1-0 at half-time and Galway deservedly in front.

[ForzaForth]

Second half was much more open as Wexford went with two up front with Ben joining Danny up front. On five minutes, Lasty got a yellow for handball off a cross about a yard outside the box. With ten gone, Craig Wall crossed from the right and Danny's first-time half-volley went about a yard over. A minute later, Craig got a yellow for a late tackle on a clearing Galway defender. With 17 gone, Shanahan of Galway headed over at the far post after a bouncing cross from the left reached him. Wexford then created a really good chance when Ben was sent clear down the left but Gleeson got down to knock his effort away. Lasty then had a header over for Wexford and, midway through the half, Ryan Manning came on for Molloy of Galway. With fifteen minutes to go, a controversial incident occurred when Galway crossed into the box and Graham punched away leaving a Galway attacker prone inside Wexford's box with the ball falling to a Galway player in midfield. Ref stopped the game and checked on the Galway player who thankfully was ok and then handed the ball back to Graham. Graham smacked the ball down the pitch where it was headed on to leave Danny running at Gleeson who clearly took him down inside the penalty area. Ref immediately pointed to the spot but then ran over to the linesman and after consultation changed it to a drop-ball presumably on the basis that Wexford should have or were trying to give the ball back to Galway

[ForzaForth]

With 11 to go, Deano came on for Ben and a minute later, Graham pulled off a really good save to deny Molloy at the near post. Daragh Walshe then came on for Craig Short and with four minutes to go, Craig Wall limped off after treatment after committing a foul which saw the ref reaching for a second yellow but changing his mind. With two minutes of injury time, Danny then tried to exercise a difficult volley inside Galway's penalty area when in the clear but shot wide when he might not have realised that he had time to take a touch. Match then finished on a 1-0 scoreline to the home side.

[ForzaForth]

Best for Wexford where Graham, Lasty, Killian and Craig Wall. Main difference between the two sides was Galway's more potent threat down the wings whereas Wexford only really managed to get forward after going with two up front and with Danny very isolated during the first half. 1-0 to Galway at full-time with 673 announced as the attendance, including President Higgins.

[ForzaForth]

Just to clarify a point in the report above, the Wexford players have confirmed that the linesman told the ref that Gleeson had got a touch on the ball and that was why the penalty was disallowed in the second half.

Didn't look like that from my angle where it appeared to be a blatant foul on Danny Furlong.