WYW v Galway

[ForzaForth]

WYW had to work very hard to overcome a resilient Galway XI in IT Carlow this afternoon, and it took a key critical moment just before the end of the first half to tilt the balance in Wexford’s favour. Wexford started with Sophie, Aisling, Nicola, Lolly, Doireann, Jenny, Kylie, Edel, Lauren Kelly, Katrina and with Rianna up front. Wexford started very slowly and it was a lively Galway who were to the fore for most of the first half. On seven minutes, a bad clash of heads between Kylie Murphy and Keara Cormican of Galway forced the latter to retire and she was immediately replaced. On eleven minutes, WYW had to head a Galway corner to the far post off their own goal-line. Galway continued to be the more fluent side and, on 19 minutes, went a goal in front as a volley from just outside the penalty area beat Sophie Lenehan low at the left-hand post. Immediately, Doireann Fahey limped off for Wexford and was replaced by home-girl Lauren Dwyer.

It took 22 minutes for WYW to register their first effort on goal and it was an effort by Lauren Kelly which was easily grabbed by Tina Hughes in the Galway goal. Wexford gradually got into the game from then on and Rianna had a header which bounced off the top of the crossbar and went over. Kylie Murphy then got close to back-heading into the Galway goal but Hughes was able to grab. On 38 minutes, the decisive moment of the game occurred when Rachel Baynes, who had got an early yellow, clattered late into Lauren Dwyer in the Galway end of the pitch and the ref had little option but to show Rachel a second yellow. It got worse for Galway when, from the resulting free, Katrina Parrock headed home possibly off the crossbar and the Galway keeper. 1-1 at half-time with Wexford somewhat fortunate to be level.

[ForzaForth]

The absence of a key player for Galway allowed Wexford to mostly dominate the second period and Katrina Parrock drove an early volley just wide of the Galway post. McKenna Davidson then replaced Jenny Clifford for Wexford and Lauren Kelly had a low shot blocked by the feet of Tina Hughes in the Galway goal. The winning goal came from good work by Lauren Dwyer and Katrina Parrock down Wexford’s left, and it left Rianna Jarrett an easy finish for 2-1 to Wexford. Wexford couldn’t get the insurance third goal, however, and Sophie Lenehan had to tip over a rare Galway chance over her own cross-bar for a corner. Hughes then pulled off a remarkable save to grab a point-blank header by Jarrett and Wexford eventually got to the final whistle without much difficulty from then on with McKenna Davidson just failing to connect with a cross by Jarrett and Aoife Slattery replacing Parrock late on. So, 2-1 to Wexford at full-time but it might have been different if Galway had kept their eleven players on the pitch. Best for Wexford were Rianna Jarrett, Kylie Murphy and Edel Kennedy while Lauren Dwyer did enough to cement a starting spot next time. 2-1 to Wexford at full-time.