WYW v Galway Women (Avenir Cup)

[ForzaForth]

Wexford will be disappointed at going out at the semifinal stage in the Avenir Cup against Galway as, in the expected close game, they had more of the play in the ninety minutes before went out on penalties. With Maeve Williams injured, Wexford started with Claudia Keenan in goal who had an excellent game, Lolly, Kylie, Abbie, Emily, Rossi, Meabh, Nicola, Aoibheann, Rianna and Freya. Both sides had periods of domination during the ninety with Wexford probably doing the better It was Wexford who started well as, with a decent Wexford press, they took the game to Galway. On two minutes, Rianna Jarrett had a left-footed shot just wide for the home side as Galway took some time to get going. However, from about ten minutes onwards, Galway’s neater passing game began to take control with Galway’s first effort on target saved by Claudia Keenan in the Wexford goal on 16 minutes. On 24 minutes, Galway’s Aislinn Meaney hit the outside of Wexford’s post when shooting from Galway’s left flank. Wexford then dominated most of the rest of the half when, on 34 minutes, they had three shots on target of which two were blocked on Galway’s goal-line. With three minutes to go to the break, Rianna Jarrett had a lob close in which Berlin in the Galway goal managed to catch acrobatically. However, in injury time, Galway had a goal disallowed for offside when a header bobbled against the Wexford post and, when finished by a Galway attacker, the offside flag went up. 0-0 at halftime.

[ForzaForth]

Second half saw Wexford's Michaela Lawrence entering the fray at the start of the half and playing really well. Wexford looked the better side at the start of this period and it wasn’t much of a surprise when Kylie Murphy squared to Rianna Jarrett on eight minutes who turned and finished with her left to put the home side a goal ahead. Wexford looked comfortable at this stage with Galway not providing a threat. On 16 minutes, Wexford brought on Lauren Dwyer in place of Abbie Brophy. Nine minutes later, Galway secured an equaliser somewhat out of the blue when a routine cross found Galway’s Kate Thompson in too much space in the Wexford area and her lob over Claudia Keenan found the net for 1-1. Game was even from then until fulltime with Wexford’s Emily Corbet finding the side netting when well placed and Claudia Keenan then doing well to push away a Jenna Slattery snapshot. 1-1 at fulltime and directly to penalties. With Wexford going first, two missed penalties by the home side compared to one for Galway enabled the away side to progress to the final.