Wexford Youths Women v Peamount United (FAI S/F)

Comfortable win for WYW in Ferrycarrig tonight in the FAI Cup semi-final and a trip to the Aviva for the final after a game in which the home side's physical dominance allowed them to boss the game. WYW started with what looks like their strongest XI with Mary Rose, Nicola, Edel, Ruth, Ciara, Aisling, Emma, Kylie, Linda and with Carol and Claire up front. WYW dominated possession early on and it took 15 minutes for it to yield results when a powerful free by Emma Hansberry wasn't cleared and the ball broke inside the Peamount box to Claire O'Riordan who put it away for 1-0. Two minutes later, WYW were two up when a bad back pass by Peamount was latched onto by Claire O'Riordan who squared for Aisling Frawley to finish home for 2-0. The Peas keeper then pulled off a great save from Linda Douglas to keep the score at 2-0. The Peas had their best spell around the half hour mark when they hit the crossbar twice in quick succession before the attack was ended by an offside flag. With ten minutes to go in the half, another Peamount error in defence allowed Claire to finish neatly for 3-0. Just before the half ended, Ruth Fahy got a yellow for a tackle on the hard-working Amber Barrett for Peamount, but she tended to be very isolated and had to do it all on her own down difficult channels. 3-0 to WYW at half-time.

Peamount got a goal back early on in the second half on six minutes, but WYW restored the three goal cushion on ten minutes when Emma Hansberry, who is quickly looking deadly from dead-ball positions, drilled one into the top right corner from 25 yards out for 4-1. Emma then tested the Peas keeper again with a stinging effort before being replaced, together with Kylie, by Becky Cassin and Maria Delahunty. With 15 to go, Carol Breen made it 5-1 from a corner before Claire O'Riordan made it 6-1 after a good finish when she was put through on goal again. A game Peamount side then made it 6-2 with a few minutes to go when they lobbed Mary Rose. Final whistle then came at 6-2 for the home side. Best for WYW were Emma Hansberry before she went off, Carol Breen and Edel Kennedy. But I'll give the nod on this occasion to Claire O'Riordan whose non-stop intelligent running up front and good finishing got her a well-deserved hat-trick. Only area where the home side might improve was a tendency to give the ball away too cheaply where you'd hope that they might dominate possession even more given their threat from all over the park. 6-2 at full time.