Wexford FC Women v DLR Waves

Wexford faced DLR Waves in Ferrycarrig this evening in their quest for another three points to help secure at least third spot in the table but without their key player, Ellen Molloy, who has already headed off on international duty. It led to a reshuffle by Wexford with Lauren Kelly moving into midfield where she had a revelatory performance and with Millie Daly moving into her natural position wide on the left. Wexford therefore started with Maria, Lolly, Della, Kylie, Beckie, Aoife, Leah, Lauren, Millie, Freya and Charlotte. Wexford started well with Millie Daly firing in a cross from the left which Even Badana in the Waves goal was forced to palm away. Wexford then forced a free inside the Waves half but it ultimately led to a Waves break which ended in a Wexford free-kick inside their own area. On eight minutes, Wexford went ahead with Lauren Kelly executing a text-book volley when the ball was half-cleared by Waves to the edge of their area. 1-0 to Wexford. Immediately, Wexford’s defence nearly conceded an equaliser when Michelle Doonan latched onto a blocked clearance by Wexford, but she pushed her shot wide of the far post with only O’Sullivan to beat in the Wexford goal. The Waves then had another chance when Neema Nyangasi was allowed free close to the Wexford goal, but it was from an acute angle and O’Sullivan got her positioning right to concede only a corner. However, Wexford then conceded a poor goal when the Waves most potent aerial threat, Jess Gleeson, was let stroll unimpeded to meet a Waves corner and plant a header past O’Sullivan for 1-1. Wexford pushed to restore their lead after that and Charlotte Cromack had an effort a yard over the Waves bar before neat interplay between Lauren Kelly and Kylie Murphy enabled the latter to coolly finish past Badana for 2-1 to Wexford. 2-1 to Wexford at halftime.

Wexford got what was probably the insurance goal early in the second half when a short corner resulted in Becky Cassin driving into the Waves area where she was brought down. Eve Badana correctly guessed the right way but was still beaten by Kylie Murphy’s spotter for 3-1 to Wexford. Wexford then started to make substitutions with Aisling Roche and Siun Murdiff firstly coming on and later Aine Walsh and Molly Kirwan. From then, the game meandered fairly quietly towards the final whistle although O’Sullivan, who has reasonable claims to being the best keeper playing domestically, did make one fine save with her legs to keep the Waves at bay. Just as the final whistle approached, a DLR player was adjudged to have handled inside the Waves area, perhaps a little harshly, and Beckie Cassin converted Wexford’s second penalty of the game to make it 4-1 at the end. Good performances from a range of players on the Wexford side with Lauren Kelly, Aoife Kelly, Beckie Cassin and Charlotte Cromack all doing well with Aisling Roche looking very composed at the back when she came on. 4-1 to Wexford at full-time.