Wexford FC Women v Shamrock Rovers

Lively game of two halves as both sides played better with the strong wind and a draw was probably a fair result. Wexford started with Jayne, Abby, Lolly, Della, Kylie, Ceola, Rossi, Meabh, Nicola, Aoibheann and Grace. Wexford began with the strong wind at their backs and largely dominated the first half. On six minutes, Ceola Bergin slid into a challenge on Summer Lawless, the Rovers keeper, and went off injured shortly afterwards. Ceola’s replacement, Leah McGrath, immediately got on the scoresheet when she dispossessed a Rovers defender and buried a strong shot past Lawless to give Wexford the lead. On 18 minutes, Jayne Merren touched an Aine O’Gorman effort over her own crossbar for a Rovers corner. On 28 minutes, Wexford’s Meabh Russell had a shot a yard over the Rovers bar as Wexford continued to dominate. Then, on 42 minutes, Lolly Conlon did brilliantly for Wexford to win two 50-50 challenges down her side of the pitch and Lolly’s low cross was finished expertly by Kylie Murphy to give Wexford a 2-0 lead at halftime.

Although the wind died down a bit in the second half, it remained a factor in the game. The second half had hardly started before Jayne Merren in the Wexford goal uncharacteristically dropped the ball at the feet of former Wexford player, Emily Corbet, to give the latter a simple tap-in for 2-1. It was all square four minutes later when Melissa O’Kane took a shot from 30 yards out which sailed over Merren’s head for 2-2. Shamrock Rovers probably looked the more dangerous for the remainder of the game, but Merren made a good save from a Rovers corner, Aine O’Gorman smacked a free a yard over the Wexford bar and Rovers sub, Joy Ralph, had a turn and a shot which fortunately went straight to Merren in the Wexford goal. Rianna Jarrett entered the fray for Wexford as the half progressed but game finished 2-2 to leave Wexford with a creditable fourth place finish in the league this season. Defence for Wexford was particularly impressive with Abby, Della, Nicola and Lolly all doing well during the game and Aoibheann Clancy looking the pick of the midfielders on show. For Rovers, Maria Reynolds and particularly Fiona Owens were to the fore. 2-2 at fulltime.