Shamrock Rovers B

Dominant second half performance from the Youths in Tallaght tonight meant that they deservedly secured the three points after a close first half. Youths began with the same XI as started against Waterford with Graham, Peter, Lasty, Gary, Killian, Rocks, Duxey, Craig, Eric and with Deano playing behind Danny up front. First ten was uneventful and then Sandford picked up a yellow for a tackle on Rocks. First decent chance of the match fell to Danny after 13 minutes when he played a neat one-two with Deano, but Danny's lob was just over. Two minutes later, Kavanagh was put through for Rovers, but he shot straight at Graham. Immediately, Peter Higgins went off injured for the Youths and was replaced at right back by Shane Nolan. Two chances then fell to Eric Molloy for the Youths. Firstly, he had a shot blocked by a Rovers defender after good Wexford play and then, on 28 minutes, he was put through by a decent pass but shot just wide of the post when put under some pressure by the final Rovers defender.

Just on the half hour, a Rovers attacker had a decent effort about a foot wide of the post. With eight to go in the half, Duxey got a yellow for a tackle. In the final minute of the half, a Rovers attacker received a pass and looked offside but play was allowed continue, and his shot clipped the outside of the post and wide to leave the score at 0-0 at half time and probably a reasonable reflection of the game. Wexford looked very narrow during this first period with players regularly having to wait for someone to get wide in order to spread the play.

Shane Keegan switched Deano to wide left at the start of the second period and put Rocks alongside Danny and immediately Wexford looked a more potent side going forward. Wexford forced three corners during the first five minutes, and from the third of these, the ball was touched on to leave Gary Delaney to stoop and head home for 1-0 to the away side. In the next ten minutes, Gary was wheeled forward at each set-piece and on each occasion, the ball fell to him in the box, but O'Malley in the Rovers goal blocked one away while the other two efforts by Gary were both about a foot wide. Wexford continued to dominate and, from another corner on twenty minutes, which this time was well taken by Duxey, Rocks managed to steer a header into the top-right corner for 2-0 to the Youths. Remainder of the match was virtually a stroll in the park for the Youths, with Andy coming on for Deano on 67 minutes and immediately looking lively while Ben came on with thirteen to go for Craig Wall. Danny came close to scoring on two occasions during this period while Rocks also had an effort which went about a foot wide. Final Rovers sub, Youssef, looked useful for the home side during his fifteen minutes in the forward-line but otherwise Rovers looked fairly toothless up front on the night. Game then finished on 2-0 scoreline for the Youths. Best for Wexford were Gary and Killian for the Youths while Duxey again impressed in midfield.