Derry City

[ForzaForth]

For anyone interested, it is hoped to provide an audio commentary on this evening's game at the usual link.

Mixlr.com/wexfordyouths (https://t.co/dADNDg3YNG)

[ForzaForth]

Another agonising concession of a late goal, this time with the last kick of the game, meant that the Youths coughed up another point at Ferrycarrig Park tonight after a very energetic display in a bitingly cold and windy evening. Conditions were particularly bad at the start and Shane Keegan made two changes from the usual starting XI with Danny Ledwith and Andy Mulligan coming in and went with Graham, Craig, Gary, Lee, Ryan, Aidan, Danny, Hopper,Andy and Spot paying behind Danny up front. Conditions were particularly bad in the first half and Youths surrendered to the conditions by mainly playing the ball long while Derry tried to get the ball down early on but disimproved as the half wore on. After four minutes, Spot Murphy looked to have a gilt-edge chance but Ger Doherty in the Derry goal came out very quickly to smother the chance. Derry were getting the ball down at this stage and, on ten minutes, Wexford found it hard to clear a Derry corner in the swirling wind, but it was eventually deflected for another corner. As the half progressed, Youths started creating more chances mainly from a direct ball, but couldn't convert any of them. On 15 minutes, Danny Furlong had the ball in the net but was ruled out for offside. With 21 minutes gone, a long clearance by Graham Doyle which sailed with the wind gave Danny the chance to lob Ger Doherty but his attempt was blocked by the Derry netminder. With a minute to go in the half, Danny had an acrobatic volley but Doherty was able to push it over the bar for 0-0 at half-time with the Youths slightly unlucky not to be ahead but not playing the most attractive football. Other highlight of the half was the attempt by five different persons to fix a gap in Wexford's net. 0-0 at half-time.

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Conditions improved as the second half wore on, with the wind dying down. After five minutes, Danny Furlong had a good chance for the Youths after a good cross by Aidan Friel but Ger Doherty blocked it and the flag went up anyway. Derry then nearly scored from another dangerous corner but after a lot of bobbling around the Youth's penalty area, it was eventually cleared by the Youth's defence. It looked like at this stage that whichever team could manage to score could get the three points and, midway through the second half, Derry managed to score with a moment of real quality when a cross from the left was allowed run by a Derry attacker leaving it to run to McCormack who blasted it home from twenty yards out to put the Candystripes one up. Youths can never be faulted for a lack of effort and this was epitomised by Eric Molloy, who had come on as a sub for the Youths with twenty minutes to go, to blast his way through two tackles down the right wing with ten to go and cross low for Danny to finish neatly past Doherty for 1-1. Late subs for the Youths were Craig Wall and Stephen Last. However, Derry really showed their mettle after conceding the equaliser with the most favourable conditions for playing football and created some dangerous chances. However, with the third of three additional minutes having been reached, Youths conceded a soft free inside their own half. The ball was played beyond the far post where it was headed back to the near stick and Patterson somehow forced the ball home for 2-1 to the away side. Ref blew up the whistle immediately for a 2-1 victory to Derry and I've never seen a group of home players going off the pitch so devastated as I did tonight.

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After good performances against Dundalk and Rovers, this was a more elemental display by the Youths in very difficult conditions particularly in the first half. Best for Wexford were a towering performance by a very young back four of Craig, Gary, Lee and Ryan while Hopper Kenny gave an immense display in midfield. 2-1 to Derry at full-time. Official attendance was around the 550 mark, I believe, although I would have put it at more like 650. Next match is against Bray, I think, which is now becoming a must-win.