Salthill Devon

[ForzaForth]

Very eventful game in Ferrycarrig tonight as the Youths, who couldn’t stay ahead despite having a man advantage for an hour, got the winner with two of the four minutes of injury time gone, when both sides had been reduced to ten men. With Joey and Brian not having recovered from their injuries against Athlone, Wexford started with Graham, Craig, Gary, Robert, Shane, Danny, Patsy, Crokey, Clarkey and with Rocks and Graham up front. First effort of the game came from Salthill after eight minutes when Harding had an effort from 25 out which went a yard wide. Two minutes later, a Salthill forward had a neat turn in the box but shot with his left into the side netting. Wexford had been caught offside a few times early on, and their first decent chance came after 15 minutes when Crokey cracked a good volley from outside the box against the bar after Craig’s long throw had been partially cleared. Clarkey then headed the rebound into the net but was ruled out for offside. Wexford’s netminder, Graham, then drilled a clearance from outside the box straight at the onrushing Simbanda but the rebound went about two yards wide of the empty Youth’s goal.

[ForzaForth]

The turning point of the match came after twenty minutes, when Preston for Salthill went studs first into a challenge against Rocks. This merited a straight red from McKell but as he appeared to keep his foot on the ground and made contact with the ball first, I thought it a harsh call. With the tall Preston gone, Wexford dominated the ball in the air for the remainder of the game. Five minutes later, Graham Delaney for the Youths was pulled back blatantly as he was going through on goal, but the referee didn't call/see it. Salthill's Murphy then got a yellow for a tackle on Shane Nolan. The resulting free-kick was then headed against the post by Wexford and the rebound was headed against the bar. This was given as a corner so there must have been some Salthill touch on the second effort. With thirteen minutes to go in the half, the hard-working Rocks got a yellow for a tackle. Only remaining chance of the half then fell to Graham Delaney, but his low shot was easily saved by Keane in the Salthill goal for 0-0 at halftime.

[ForzaForth]

Second half began with Donal coming on for Patsy in midfield who had gone off with what appeared to be a rib injury about a minute before the blow. With five minutes gone in the half, Wexford's aerial dominance proved the trump card when another long throw by Craig was headed home at the near post by Rocks although Keane looked as if he might have done better. Looking comfortable for Wexford, one would have thought, but a minute later Salthill equalised when Harding hit a free kick which travelled a long way and ended up just inside the far post with Graham just getting a hand on in and unable to keep it out. On twelve minutes, Salthill nearly went in front when another effort flashed just wide of the post with Graham scrambling. With 17 gone, Rocks drilled another header from a corner against the cross-bar, and midway through the half, Clarkey's pace sent him clear round Keane but his low shot from an acute angle was hacked away on the line by the last defender. With 12 minutes to go, Gaffney and Fadden came on for Salthill who loked like they might hang on. However, on eighty minutes, Crokey was clean through and just in the act of shooting was blatantly pushed over but neither the referee or linesman gave it. He then reacted against his opponent and got a straight red to bring the game to ten a side. This was followed by what seemed to be another penalty when Clarkey was tackled inside the box but McKell gave him a harsh yellow for diving.

[ForzaForth]

Fourth official called four minutes of injury time and, in the second of those minutes, Wexford won a corner. This was sent to the far post by Shane and Keane, who hadn't looked secure in the air, got well underneath it and didn't get a touch. It found Rocks at the far post who volleyed it into the ground and home for 2-1. Final whistle blew a minute later to enable Wexford to secure the three points. Wexford should have secured the game earlier, but didn't use the extra man well while they had the advantage. Best for Wexford were Rocks, Shane and Gary, while Patsy dominated the midfield while he was on the pitch. As Gary is probably the best passer on the team, there may be a case for moving him into midfield in such circumstances. 2-1 at full-time with about 130 at the match, including season tickets.