WYW v Cork City LFC

[ForzaForth]

Cracking game in Bishopstown this afternoon after a late late Jess Gleeson goal broke Cork hearts in what was a really well-contested tie. Gary Hunt made three changes from the XI which started against Shelbourne with Amy Walsh, Leanne Tumelty and Orla Casey coming in and went with a 3-5-2 with Sophie, Nicola, Jess, Leanne, Linda, Orla, Emma, Kylie, Amy and with Claire and Maria up front. Playing 3-5-2 puts a lot of onus on the midfield five to operate together as a group, and it didn't work for WYW in the first half as they struggled to create anything against a Cork side who were very up for the tie. Wexford had a header in the net after seven minutes, but it was ruled out for offside. A minute later, Cork had an effort on Sophie Lenehan's goal which went a yard wide. This was the start of a good and lengthy Cork spell with Cork wingers Noonan and Desmond being particularly prominent. It led to the opening Cork goal on 15 minutes when a good Cork cross from the right may or may not have crossed the line before Wexford's Nicola Sinnott, in attempting to clear, buried it anyway for 1-0 to Cork. Two minutes later, a Cork forward, with her side bolstered by the lead, just couldn't make contact with a good cross from the left with the Wexford goal gaping. Then, on 24 minutes, a Cork forward hit the outside of the post with a shot which Sophie Lenehan seemed confident was off-target. Wexford's first chance for a while came on 26 minutes when Linda Douglas volleyed wide when well-placed. Just after the half-hour, Cork headed over from a corner, before on 41 minutes and against the run of play, WYW's Maria Delahunty finished well to beat both the last Cork defender and the keeper for 1-1 at half-time and with Wexford pleased to be going in on equal terms.

[ForzaForth]

Gary Hunt made two important changes at half-time with Aisling Frawley and Lauren Dwyer coming in, although Leanne Tumelty in particular may feel hard done by by the changes. It was pretty even during the first fifteen minutes before Cork's Saoirse Noonan, attempting to profit from a Wexford defensive error, hit a volley a yard wide with Sophie Lenehan struggling. On 25 minutes, it looked even worse for Wexford as Kylie Murphy got a straight red for an innocuous push on a Cork player who attempted to obstruct her. Referee seemed to be reaching for a yellow (it was hardly even that), but changed it to a straight red so it may have been accompanied by some choice local Carlow dialect directed towards the referee - otherwise it was a bit of a joke. The loss of Kylie seemed to galvanise the Youths as they played with more purposeful football from then on. Claire O'Riordan had two attempts on goal, one saved and one wide, with Cork unable to create anything on the break as they couldn't beat the offside flag. On the one occasion when Cork looked like having a 1-on-1 against Sophie Lenehan, Wexford's Lauren Dwyer made a miraculous last-ditch tackle to save the day.

[ForzaForth]

The loss of Kylie Murphy seemed to allow Emma Hansberry and Jess Gleeson, both very talented footballers, to carry the ball forward into the heart of the Cork defence. It paid dividends right on the 90 minutes when Jess Gleeson, nominally centre half, was the furthest Wexford player forward when a precise Maria Delahunty pass found Jess in the clear and her confident first touch allowed her to stab the ball under the onrushing Cork keeper for 2-1 to Wexford. Whistle went shortly afterwards and Wexford now remain in the title race with half the league matches gone although they probably need to win the remaining six to have a chance of retaining the title. Best for Wexford were probably Lauren Dwyer, with 45 minutes, Emma Hansberry and Kylie Murphy, with Jess Gleeson coming out of her shell to great effect after Kylie had been sent off. 2-1 to Wexford at full-time.