Cobh v Wexford FC (Play-Off, Second Leg)

Wexford will be disappointed that they didn’t bring the tie to at least extra-time in Cobh this evening as they dominated the game far more than Cobh edged the first leg in Ferrycarrig Park. But a deflected cross by Cobh made the difference as Cobh go forward to meet Waterford. Wexford made two changes from the first leg with Owen Mason starting in goal and Luka Lovic coming into midfield as Wexford began with Owen, Darragh, Ethan, Dobbsy, Kian, Reece, Cian, Luke, Thomas, James and Luka. Both sides looked fairly tentative during the opening period and there was little structure to the game on what was a soft but playable pitch. There was hardly a chance in the opening quarter as neither side did well with Wexford looking edgy, giving the ball away easily and overhitting through balls etc. On 14 minutes, Wexford’s keeper, Owen Mason, made a good save from a Cobh corner but at the expense of a further corner for Cobh. Two minutes later, Wexford’s Cian O’Malley put a header just onto the top of the Cobh net. Not a match of great quality at this stage but it changed on 31 minutes when a long throw by Cian O’Malley eventually reached James Crawford of Wexford and his left-footed volley was hit sweet as a nut to enable Steacy in the Cobh goal to only get a hand to it for 1-0 to Wexford. The goal seemed to lift the burden off Wexford’s back as they played Cobh off the park for the remainder of the first half with good passing football and near goal chances. Two of the best of these fell to Thomas Oluwa who was threatening down his wing as he had a one-on-one against Steacy and dinked it over him but unfortunately wide of the Cobh post and followed it up with a volley which went wide. 1-0 to Wexford at half-time and a well-deserved lead.

About ten minutes before halftime, there was a shower of biblical proportions which continued after the resumption and destroyed the pitch with standing water obvious, in particular, down the right wing as you face the dressingrooms in Cobh. It made the game more of a lottery but still Wexford held the upper hand. On nine minutes, Cobh’s Jack Doherty had a difficult chance as the ball came over his shoulder but it went straight into the hands of Mason in the Wexford goal. Wexford then created three half-chances as Dobbsy couldn’t get onto the end of an Oluwa cross and then both Dobbsy and Oluwa both couldn’t keep headers on target. Cobh came back into the game on 29 minutes when Jack Doherty was sent free down Cobh’s left and his cross took a deflection which wrong-footed both Owen Mason and a Wexford defender to leave O’Leary with a simple tap-in at the far post. 1-1 at this stage. Wexford’s manager, James Keddy, brought on Danny Furlong and Mark Hanratty to bolster the away side’s attacking threat as the game entered its final minutes. Wexford’s Ethan Boyle headed wide at the far post late on while Dobbsy planted a shot just over the Cobh bar following a header won at the far post by Thomas Oluwa as the game entered injury time. Cobh also missed a good one-on-one chance towards the end as a shot was hit wide of the Wexford post past the advancing Owen Mason. So, 1-1 at full-time with Wexford impressing on the night. Best for Wexford were probably Ethan Boyle, Owen Mason, Thomas Oluwa, Cian O’Malley and Luke Browne. End of the season for Wexford but the supporters of the Slaneysiders will feel that, after a slow start, they got a good run for their money. With James Keddy believed to be on a two-year contract, some small tweaking of the squad might get them even further up the table next year. Best of luck to Cobh who go on to meet Waterford in the final.