Limerick

[ForzaForth]

Two very late goals in the first half for the home side swung this game decisively in Limerick's favour after Wexford had been reasonably competitive for the first half-hour. Wexford started with a 4-1-4-1 formation with Graham, Brian Nolan in front of a defence of Mark, Jamie, CJ and Jimmy, a midfield of Eric, Patsy, Shane Nolan and Deano and Rocks up front on his own. The first twenty was pretty even with two corners apiece. After five, Limerick got the first shot on target from forty out, but it was comfortably saved by Graham. With 15 gone, Purcell picked up a yellow for a tackle on Deano. From that free-kick, Rocks seemed to have a clear volley from in front of goal, but he miskicked it in a loop rather than hitting it cleanly and Barry Ryan was able to push it away. Shane Nolan then had a good run into the box but shot wide coming in from the right. After 25, Gaffney was found clear in the Youth's penalty area, but his first-time shot was pushed away by Graham. Guthrie then got a yellow for a knee in the back of Shane Nolan.

[ForzaForth]

Graham then had to push away two headers from two Limerick corners with their two big centre-halves, Purcell and Guthrie (?), looking dangerous every time they were able to get up for set-pieces. However, with five to go in the half, the impressive Brosnan cut in from the left to beat Mark and drilled a low shot into the right hand corner to give Graham no chance for 1-0. Straight from the kick-off, Wexford lost the ball and Gamble lined up a shot which was drilled straight at a Wexford defender. Ref gave a peno for a handball which looked very harsh from where I was but I didn't have the best angle. Peno was slotted home for 2-0 to the home side at half-time.

[ForzaForth]

Second-half started pretty evenly but, after five, Jimmy and Shane Nolan had a sickening clash of heads when coming from different directions to meet a ball in the air with no home player in sight. Jimmy was eventually able to walk off but Shane had to be taken off on a stretcher so I hope he's ok. Danny and Corkey came on for the two injured players but the stoppage seemed to knock the stuffing out of the Youth's players as they didn't really perform thereafter and Shane had probably been the Youth's most impressive player up till then. Rocks then set up Deano with a good chance but his volley went over and Gamble picked up his first yellow for a tackle. After 18, a Limerick corner was headed out well beyond the penalty area, but O'Leary's speculative first-time volley flew into the top right corner for 3-0. Limerick then made it 4-0 when Gaffney was put through and Graham just couldn't keep the low shot out as it trickled into the net from the deflection. With 20 to go, Gamble got a second yellow for a tackle on Brian Nolan but the teams were levelled to ten apiece two minutes later when Mark got a straight red for a tackle near the corner flag on a Limerick attacker. Again, this looked harsh to me. Game more or less died a death thereafter as Gary Sheahan came on for Behan and Shane Dempsey for Eric.

[ForzaForth]

During the eight minutes of added time for the injury to the two Wexford players, Graham had to push away another Limerick header to keep the final score to 4-0. Best for Wexford were probably Shane and Brian Nolan and Deano while it was good to see Danny back on a pitch again. Wexford never could get the better of the Limerick centre-halves while Brosnan and Gaffney also impressed. 4-0 at full-time.