Cork

[ForzaForth]

For anyone interested, Wexford hope to have commentary on today's match at the usual link (kick-off 5pm).

http://mixlr.com/wexfordyouths

[ForzaForth]

Encouraging performance from the Youths in Ferrycarrig this evening even though they came away with no points. However, Shane Keegan performed drastic surgery on his XI as he started with three centre-halves at the back and got rid of his full-backs. With five in midfield, he said to Cork try to break us down and they found it a difficult puzzle to solve. With the usual very stiff breeze in Ferrycarrig, Youths began with Graham in goal, a back three of Gary, Ryan and Lasty, a midfield five of Aidan, Jonny, Hopper, Danny Ledwith and Duxey and with Danny Furlong and Spot Murphy up front. Cork found it difficult to pass through the congested midfield area during the first twenty minutes or so. However, they won a number of corners but Wexford have such height in their defence that little came of them. First Cork effort on target came on ten minutes but Graham Doyle in the Youths goal was able to parry it away. Cork then had two further efforts on goal when a free by Marky Sullivan was pushed away by Doyle and a Cork volley was put over the bar but an offside flag went up anyway. First effort for Wexford came on 21 minutes when Jonny Bonner was found free in the box but his first-time volley went a few yards wide. Critical moment of the game then came just before the half-hour. Danny Furlong was found all alone inside the Cork penalty area, but his shot hit the inside of the post and stayed out. Within a minute, Cork had won a free-kick inside the D of the penalty area, and the free was parried by Graham Doyle to give Buckley of Cork an easy finish for 1-0 to the away side. An easy grab for Graham Doyle then finished the half with Wexford still in the game at 1-0 down at half-time.

[ForzaForth]

Second half wasn't as good as the first as Cork didn't do much in terms of attacking but then neither did Wexford. On ten minutes, Hopper Kenny went down in the Cork box with claims for a peno, but nothing was given. Peter Higgins came on midway through the half for his first appearance of the season after injury. With ten to go, Graham Doyle pulled off a great save to deny Sullivan with a point-blank header. Wexford had had more possession in the second half but didn't really test McNulty in the Cork goal as the precision wasn't there in terms of use of the ball with a gale blowing across the pitch. Late subs for Wexford were Andy Mulligan and Eric Molloy. 1-0 to Cork at full-time. Leaving the ground, I thought Shane Keegan deserved much credit for completely reformatting the team and posing a different problem for the opposing team. Maybe 400 at the match.