Wexford FC v Finglas Utd (Leinster Senior Cup)

Good to be back and with an enjoyable game as Wexford U20s faced Finglas Utd in the first game of the Leinster Senior Cup. Wexford nevertheless started some young players with first team experience and went with Hearn, Norval, McGrath, Sherlock, Dobbin, Sheehan, Kinch, Scanlan, Byrne, O’Sullivan and Wasilewski. From the start, it looked as if the home side were sharper around the pitch and the Wexford U20s probably shaded the first half. Wexford forced four corners in the first ten minutes, but Finglas had two sky-scrapers in the middle of their defence and Wexford hardly won a header in the final third during the game. In between the Wexford corners, Finglas fashioned a good break down their right, but the near-post chance wasn’t easy and it went wide of Wexford’s post. On 18 minutes, Wexford’s most dangerous player, Filip Wasilewski, created a good chance down Wexford’s right but his low cross was slotted wide of the Finglas post. Filip then created a further chance for himself but his effort was halfway between a cross and a shot and didn’t trouble the Finglas keeper. As the half progressed, Finglas created two chances for themselves but a volley was put well wide and then Hearn in the Wexford goal got down to stop a low shot by a Finglas attacker. 0-0 at halftime.

Wexford created a further chance at the start of the second period following further good work by Wasilewski, but the Finglas keeper made a save with his legs. Finglas then began to get a hold of the game due to greater weight in the tackle and perhaps more experience as the Wexford game began to fragment. A long shot from distance by Brandon Daly of Finglas then squirmed out of Adam Hearn’s hands in the Wexford goal to put the away side a goal to the good. Former Wexford player, Cian Kavanagh, then lifted over the Wexford bar for Finglas after being found free inside the Wexford area. It was soon 2-0 to Finglas when the very tall Antony Donohoe of Finglas won a header from a Finglas corner which was deflected into the Wexford goal. Filip Wasilewski was then denied a certain goal as his one-on-one was blocked by the Finglas keeper. A Wexford block on an attempted clearance by a Finglas defender then almost flew into the Finglas goal before a disallowed goal by Finglas ended the game with a 2-0 win to the away side. Best for Wexford were Filip Wasilewski, Kyal Byrne (although service to him could have been better), and Harry Sherlock. Subs for Wexford as the game progressed were Darragh Sherlock, Tony Doyle, Evan Whelan, Darragh Buttle and Haig Conroy. Wexford’s senior side are believed to be facing St. Patrick’s Athletic in Dublin on Monday afternoon in a BCD friendly.