Shelbourne (Leinster Senior Cup)

First competitive match and a useful exercise for the Youths tonight as it gave some indication of the size of the task given to Shane Keegan to mould his young squad into a reasonable force for the coming season. Shane started with four debutants with Graham Doyle in goal, aback four of Mark, Murt, CJ Browne, James, a midfield five of Brian and Shane Nolan, Shane Dempsey, Thomas Croke and Shaun Corcoran and Danny up front on his own. Both sides started trying to retain possession of the ball, but this largely proved to be Wexford's undoing during the game with the majority of Shels decent chances coming from the loss of possession by Wexford inside their own half. So, after five, the Youths lost possession down their left, leaving a Shels attacker to run in on goal before squaring it to Conan Byrne with the simple task of placing it home for 1-0. Five later, another loss of possession gifted Shels another chance but the shot was blocked after a Shels attacker was teed up. After fifteen, Wexford had their first effort on target from a free outside the box by Shane D., but it was comfortably saved by Dean Delaney

After 20, A volley from twenty-five yards out by Shels went a couple of feet wide. A couple of minutes later, Shels went two up when a cross from the left was volleyed home by Philly Hughes at the far post when given acres of space. Two more Shels chances followed and with ten to go, the Youths had their only other chance of the half when a header was blocked by a Shels defender's body and hooked away inside the box. With eight to go. Shels got their third when, again, the Youths lost the ball inside the semi-circle and a neat pass put Conan Byrne through and he dinked it neatly past the advancing Graham Doyle for 3-0. The Youths were disappointing during this half with efforts at passing the ball about generally ending back at Graham Doyle's feet to be then sent long where it was gobbled up by Paisley in the middle of the back four.

Shels seemed to lose a bit of focus in the second and the Youths came a bit more into the game. After two minutes, Danny headed over from a freekick and Graham then had to spread himself to block a one-on-one by a Shels attacker. Both sides then got a yellow card apiece for two tackles and after twenty Danny was able to run at the Shels defence but his shot was pushed away for a corner. Ten later, Wexford got a penalty when A youths attacker was able to break into the box from the right and was pushed over. Danny put the peno away to the right with Delaney going the wrong way. Two subs from Wexford, Ian Scallan and Chris Fenner, just preceded the peno. HOwever, Shels restored the three goal advantage a few minutes later when Conan Byrne put a low volley away from fifteen out for 4-1 in what was a drab enough second half.

Best for Wexford were Danny, who looked a class apart and was able to put the Shels defence under some pressure when allowed to turn and run at them with the ball at his feet. Others to impress were CJ Browne nad Shaun Corcoran who put in a reasonable stint wide left. Only pre-season, but of the three Premier sides I've seen (Bohs, Cork and Shels), Shels look the most advanced.