WYW v Kilkenny (League)

Wexford Youths Women completed their on-pitch preparations for next Sunday's cup final with a relatively routine 6-0 victory against Kilkenny in the impressive surroundings of the Watershed complex in Kilkenny this evening. However, I thought that Kilkenny had gained an extra yard or two in pace compared to the recent cup semi-final between the same teams. With one eye probably on the cup-final, Gary Hunt started with Sophie, Nicola, Lauren, Lolly, Amy, Linda, Becky, Aisling and with Clare and Aoibhin up front. It took a while for Wexford to show their quality on the quick dry pitch, but on seven minutes, a KK defender hit her own cross-bar when attempting to clear. Various chances presented themselves to Wexford thereafter but it took the half-hour mark before WYW notched the first goal when Clare O'Riordan looped a cross to the far post where the excellent Linda Douglas headed home from the proverbial inch for 1-0 to the away team. It became 2-0 on 39 minutes when Clare O'Riordan despatched a pin-point Aoibhin Webb cross to give Brooke Dunne in the KK goal no chance. 2-0 to WYW at half-time with the major problem for Wexford being the over-hitting of the through-ball without any thought as to the weight of the pass required on a quick pitch.

A worry for Wexford during the first half was the hobbling-off through injury of Amy Walsh where she was immediately replaced by Chelsee Snell. However, Wexford became more dominant as the second half progressed and only some excellent keeping by Brooke Dunne kept the final score down. Aoife Prendergast started off the second half for WYW in place of Lauren Dwyer. It became 3-0 shortly after the start of the half when Rachel Hutchinson drifted in off the left wing and blasted a low shot past Dunne just inside the right-hand post. Maria Delahunty came on for the hard-working Becky Cassin around the hour mark and showed how correct pass weight can open up defences. However, it was Linda Douglas who made it 4-0 when she attacked a cross by Aisling Frawley into the KK box and showed great hunger to drive it home. It became 5-0 on 75 minutes when Maria Delahunty's precision gave Clare O'Riordan a simple task to beat Dunne from close in. An even better through-ball by Maria then gave Clare the chance to repeat the finish from inside the KK penalty area for 6-0. Just before the end, the linesman ruled out a good KK finish from just outside the box for offside and Wexford had added three points to their league total on a 6-0 scoreline.

Gary Hunt now has the unenviable task of picking the cup final XI but best for Wexford on the day were Linda Douglas, Nicola Sinnott, Lauren Dwyer, Clare O'Riordan, Rachel Hutchinson, Maria Delahunty and Chelsee Snell.