Wexford v Waterford & Wexford Youths Women v Galway WFC

With the unfortunate clash of fixtures this evening, Wexford are hoping to do a dual audio commentary on Waterford v Wexford (k.o. 6pm) and Wexford Youths Women v Galway WFC at 7.30pm at the usual link.

www.mixlr.com/wexfordfc

Better second-half performance by WYW against Galway ensured that the home side collected all three points in the first WNL match of the season in Ferrycarrig tonight. New manager, Laura Heffernan, picked her first XI as follows:- Sophie Lenihan, Linda Douglas, Nicola Sinnott, Lolly Conlon, Jenny O'Keeffe. Aoibhin Webb, Jess Gleeson, Kylie Murphy, Rachel Hutchinson, Emma Hansberry and Claire O'Riordan up front. Wexford took a long time to settle with several players playing away from their accustomed positions. As a result, chances in the first half were fairly scarce. On 15 minutes, Emma Hansberry had a shot on target which was saved by Tina Hughes in the Galway goal. This was followed by a Galway free from 25 yards out which went a couple of feet over the bar. Kylie Murphy then set up Claire O'Riordan with a shooting chance from outside the box but she pulled her shot wide. Then Galway had a really good chance with a far post header which broke to a Galway forward but the impressive Nicola Sinnott got in a last ditch tackle to prevent a goal. Galway's Doyle then found herself in front of the Wexford goal from a Galway free, but her first-time volley wasn't on target. Just before the break, Wexford put a decent passing move together but Claire O'Riordan could only find Hughes in the Galway goal with her chip from close in. 0-0 at half-time after a fairly even game.

Second half continued in much the same vein until, on 55 minutes, the eventual game-changer, Aisling Frawley, came on in place of Aoibhin Webb and went wide right. With her impressive dribbling skills, Aisling immediately made an impression down Wexford's right and it meant that, as an offensive force, Wexford had much more of an attacking threat. Just after the hour mark, Galway's Maebh De Burca did really well to get in a tackle on Claire O'Riordan just before she got her shot away. Emma Hansberry also started to make inroads down the left wing for Wexford and Tina Hughes in the Galway goal just managed to push away a wicked cross by Emma for a corner. From that corner, Emma's perfect delivery was met with a bullet header by Claire O'Riordan and Wexford were 1-0 ahead. With 15 minutes to go, Aisling Frawley cut inside her marker and smashed a left-foot shot off the crossbar and away. Three minutes later, Aisling's cross from the right was allowed drift all the way to the left wing by the Galway defence, and Emma Hansberry blasted the ball home for 2-0. Late subs for Wexford were Becky Cassin and Siobhan Doolan, the latter making her debut and looking to have good quick feet. Sophie Lenehan didn't have much to do in the Wexford goal in the second period and Wexford finished winners on a 2-0 scoreline.

Wexford will probably need to improve, but best on the night were Nicola Sinnott, Emma Hansberry, Lolly Conlon and Claire O'Riordan while Aisling Frawley made a difference when coming on after 55 minutes. Good crowd in Ferrycarrig as well given the clash with the men's South-East Derby.