Shelbourne

[ForzaForth]

Really good display by Wexford in Ferrycarrig tonight as they lost narrowly to Shelbourne by the odd goal in three. Although Wexford have limited playing resources, the prospect of Aaron Dobbs and Dean Walsh up front for the first time together offered some promise when arriving for tonight’s game. Wexford started with Colm, Mark, Ross, Owen, John, Danny, Conor, Paddy, Dean George and with Aaron and Dean Walsh up front. Wexford began the game with a good degree of attacking threat and should have scored after five minutes when Dean Walsh forced Dean Delany into a save, and Aaron Dobbs could only volley the rebound over from reasonably close in. Mark Slater then had a Wexford free just over the bar. First real Shelbourne chance came on 17 minutes when O’Sullivan glanced a header off the top of the crossbar and over. Alan Byrne for Shels then got a yellow for a pull-back on Danny Doyle, who worked really well down the right wing for Wexford on the night. Just after the half-hour, Shels had a header cleared off the Wexford line. With eight minutes to go in the half, Wexford went ahead when a Shels defender tried to shepherd the ball back to Dean Delany standing on the edge of his area, but just before it arrived, Aaron Dobbs got his toe to it to knock it past the Shels keeper and roll it slowly into the unguarded Shels net. A surprising 1-0 lead at half-time for the home side after an enterprising half of football by Wexford.

[ForzaForth]

Wexford had shown some vulnerability in the air in the first half, and it returned again after five minutes of the second period when Moorhouse of Shels got his head to the ball after a good cross with the Wexford netminder, Colm Feeney, coming out bravely but not able to connect. Feeney got injured in the process and was replaced between the sticks by Kealan Gaffney. Big Alan Byrne of Shels then had a header just wide of the Wexford post and, with 18 minutes gone, Dobbs sent Dean Walsh away for a one-on-one with Delany but his finish was well wide of the target. Dobbs got injured in the process and was replaced by Wexford midfielder, Ryan Nolan, and Wexford lost a lot of momentum from then on as they struggled to find a shape which suited their team. Shels reaped their reward when a cross way beyond the far post was returned to the danger area where Moorhouse flicked home for 2-1 to the away side. Late sub for Wexford was Adham Masood who got one shot away but which was grabbed by Dean Delaney in the Shels goal and the whistle went shortly afterwards with Shels knowing that they had been in a game. Wexford fans wouldn’t complain if they got this level of performance every week. Looked like about 350 at the game with good away support.