Wexford were still in this game with ten to go at 1-1, but then three late goals for Mervue, the first a dodgy penalty, swung the game decisively for the home side in Galway tonight. Youths started with Graham, Brian, CJ, Jamie, Corkey, Deano, Eric, Shane, Crokey, and with Glen playing behind Rocks up front. First half was scrappy enough but virtually all the half-chances fell to Mervue. The home side had two early shots but both went a yard wide. On fifteen, a corner fell invitingly to Mervue player about eighteen out, but again it was dragged wide. On twenty, first effort from the Youths when a corner to the near-post nearly trickled in but the Mervue keeper trapped it with his legs. On 28, Tom King was set up on his left about twelve out but dragged his shot wide.
A minute later, Deano was put through but was tackled just as he was about to shoot. On the half-hour, a Mervue free header was glanced wide and that was followed by a Mervue mis-kick about eight out straight in front of the Youth's goal. With Mervue playing with a young keeper, the first shot by the Youths on target other than the near-post corner came from the impressive Brian Nolan when he had a run into the box but the shot was tame enough for 0-0 at half-time. Mervue went ahead after about six minutes of the second-half when a free to the far post was headed home off the post by Walsh, the left-full for Mervue, for 1-0 to the home side. Two minutes later, the Mervue keeper dropped a routine cross but Glen chipped it over.
With a half-hour to go, Shane Keegan made two understandable substitutions with Joey and Daryl coming on for Glen and Eric in order to shake things up. The switch of Shane Nolan to the middle of midfield also improved Wexford's shape and with fifteen to go, the nervous looking Mervue defence coughed up a bad clearance to allow Shane to volley home for 1-1. With twelve to go, Tom King set up another Mervue chance which was blazed over. Then with ten to go, ref, Rhona Daly gave a peno after half-hearted appeals by the home side when a volley hit a Wexford defender in the box on his back I thought as he turned but I didn't have a great view. This was put away for 2-1 and two late mistakes by the Wexford defence in the last few minutes then made it 3-1 and 4-1 respectively.
Shane Keegan kept the whole squad on the pitch for some time after the final whistle and understandably so as the lack of an effective pattern to the Youth's game over the 90 minutes was significant. While the home side could use the ball reasonably effectively going forward with Varley and Tom King looking competent, the Youth's game going forward was littered with poor choices, misplaced passes and overhit through balls which resulted in very few chances being created. There is no lack of effort or desire on the part of the players most of which are very young, but the use of the ball is not LOI standard at the moment. Best for the Youths were the two Nolans, while Jamie and CJ were pretty solid at the back until the last ten. 4-1 to Mervue at full-time.
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