WYW v UCD Waves (WNL Shield)

[ForzaForth]

Another close game between two evenly matched sides but this time it was UCD Waves who gained the advantage and perhaps deservedly so as they showed more cohesion going forward, although Wexford rallied well towards the end. Wexford started with Tamara, Linda, Nicola, Lolly, Lauren, Siobhan, Kylie, Jess, Aoibhin, Orla and Claire up front in a now familiar 4-1-4-1 formation. UCD Waves shaded the first half as they had a better game going forward. However, first decent effort on goal came on ten minutes when Claire O'Riordan had a one-on-one with Brooke Dunne in the UCD goal when coming in from an angle, but Dunne managed to save with her legs. On 12 minutes, Wexford's Jess Gleeson did well to cut out a dangerous Deirbhaile Beirne cross for a corner. From that corner, UCD managed to hit the outside of the post as the ball bobbled around the Wexford six-yard box. UCD's Karen Duggan, who played well in this game, then had a shot a yard wide before another shot by Duggan took a wicked bounce due to a deflection and Tamara Furlong in the Wexford goal couldn't judge it as it went over her head for 1-0 to the Waves. Orla Casey then had a shot on target but it proved an easy catch for Dunne in the UCD goal, before Tamara Furlong had to palm a Beirne effort over her own bar for a corner. 1-0 to UCD at half-time and Wexford hadn't done much to make Dunne work in the UCD goal other than O'Riordan's chance on ten minutes.

[ForzaForth]

Wexford reacted well to being a goal behind at the start of the second half and O'Riordan was unlucky to see her volley drop right into Dunne's hands at the start of the second period. On 50 minutes, Wexford's Siobhan Doolan was played in on goal but her shot hit the top of UCD's crossbar and over. UCD then had three attackers on two Wexford defenders but couldn't convert when, on 65 minutes. Letmon for UCD managed to head home following a UCD corner. Wexford worked harder to get into the game after that and sub Becky Cassin had a header wide before, on 81 minutes, Claire O'Riordan tapped home to put Wexford only 2-1 behind after UCD netminder, Dunne, couldn't hold a very difficult cross when back-pedalling. Nearest Wexford came to equalising was when Kylie Murphy couldn't keep a left-footed volley on target and Tamara Furlong then did well to block Aine O'Gorman's shot to leave the final score at 2-1 to UCD Waves who now progress to the Shield final. Best for Wexford, like last week, were the back four of Linda, Lolly, Nicola and Lauren with Claire O'Riordan again not having much support to help her take on the UCD defence. Becky Cassin and Rachel Hutchinson did well for Wexford from the subs bench while a very late sub was Chelsee Snell. 2-1 to UCD at full-time.