SD Galway

Comfortable win for the Youths tonight as they created far more against a fairly porous SD defence and ultimately gained the three points. Game was however marred by an inept refereeing performance. Youths started with Graham in goal, a back four of Clarkey, Jamie, Brian and Corkey, a midfield five of Joey, Patsy, Crokey, Rocks and with Glenn in front of them, and Danny up front on his own. First twenty was very open with plenty of chances for both sides. After two, a cross from Danny from the left found Joey at the far post but he couldn't keep his shot on target. With eight gone, SD had a reasonably free header from a corner but the attacker put it wide. With twelve gone, Patsy knocked a header into the box for Danny, whose first attempt on goal was blocked by Keane in the SD goal bit it fell to Danny once again and this time he put it away for 1-0 to the home side. A minute later, a cross by Wexford was sliced backwards by an SD defender leaving Joey with an easy task of slotting it home for 2-0. On the quarter-hour, Graham had to push a good SD volley over the bar for a corner. With twenty gone, SD pulled one back when the Youths lost the ball in their own half on their right and while Graham was able to parry the first effort, he couldn't stop Curran knocking home the rebound for 2-1. Game died a bit thereafter but, on the half-hour, the SD keeper did well to block Joey's effort when he had been put through down the right. With five to go in the half, Rocks and an SD player both got yellows for some handbags at a Wexford free-kick.

From that free-kick, Rocks won the resulting header to set up Danny again in the box and he coolly finished for 3-1 to the home side. Corkey then got a yellow for another tackle. Right on the blow, Graham had to push another good SD effort away and Joey picked up the fourth yellow of the match for a tackle for 3-1 to the Youths at half-time. Fifth yellow of the match was given to Glenn five minutes into the second half for a pull-back and then, after ten, Greaney, the SD skipper, got a straight red for showing his studs into a tackle on Crokey but, as there seemed to be little momentum and his leg was on the ground, it seemed harsh in my view. This more or less killed SD off as they barely created a chance after going down to ten. Two later, Danny won the ball in a chase against the SD keeper at the edge of the box and then set up Joey, but he couldn't keep his shot on target.

With fifteen gone in the second half, Brian picked up the sixth yellow for a tackle. Ten later, Youths scored the best goal of the match when a deft back-header by Danny put Joey free and his scorcher from twenty out hit the underside of the crossbar and went in for 4-1. Just afterwards, Patsy won the ball on the blindside of an SD player and got a ferocious whack for his efforts with the seventh yellow resulting. With fifteen to go, Wexford made a triple substitution with Patsy, Brian and Rocks going off and Gary, Deano and a new player (Kenny?) unknown to me, coming on. Wexford were pouring through at this stage and best chances fell to Glenn and Corkey who were one-on-one but neither could finish. Game finished on a farcical note, when an SD player flicked a leg innocuously at Crokey off-the-ball and may or may not have made contact but linesman flagged for another straight red for SD. Another SD yellow then followed in injury time for a 4-1 final score to the home side at full-time.

Despite the welcome scoreline, not a particularly enjoyable match where the flow was broken up so much by a card-happy referee. Best for Wexford on the night were Patsy in midfield, Rocks who was again imperious in the air, with Danny back to his predatory best up front. SD had a reasonable first-half but the early red for them in the second killed them off. Actual attendance was about 130; so maybe 200 if you include all season tickets.

The new player is Caolan O'Gorman. Google tells me he was at FC Carlow and Georgia State University. Maybe its another Caolan O'Gorman tho

Thanks. Cornflakes. Given the FC Carlow link, it must be him. Looked handy enough in the 10-15 minutes he was on the pitch.