Shelbourne

[ForzaForth]

Much more potent strike-force for the home side resulted in comfortable win for Shels in Tolka tonight. In contrast, Wexford were disappointing and you would hope that Shane Keegan would review how he's setting up the side at the moment. Youths started with Graham, Craig S., Killian, CJ, Jimmy, Rocks, Craig W., Ben, Peter, Deano and Danny. Although Danny got a shot away early on, Wexford started sluggishly and the game could have been over after ten minutes. After three minutes, an error in Wexford's own half gave Connolly a chance to run at Graham in the Wexford and he knocked it past him with ease for 1-0. Two minutes later, Lee Murtagh was through on Graham again but he placed it wide. Then Keegan was put through again for Shels down the left, but his shot was blocked by Jimmy and then Graham had to win a 50-50 against an incoming Shels attacker to keep the score at 1-0. Wexford then slowly got back into the game but without creating too much. On 25 minutes, Tinnelly limped off for Shels after a tackle and was replaced by Coughlan. From that free, a Shels header hit the outside of the post and away to safety. Then, on the half-hour, Wexford lost the ball just outside their own penalty area and it was drilled home by Donnelly for 2-0.

[ForzaForth]

With ten to go in the half, Craig Wall picked up a yellow for a tackle. With five to go, Craig Short appeared to win the ball in a tackle on MUrtagh inside the Youth's penalty area, but the ref deemed it a peno and McDonagh hit it one side of the goal and then the other after the ref ordered it to be re-taken to bring the score to 3-0 at half-time. CJ had got a yellow for a tackle right at the end of the first period and, in the first minute of the second, got another for a tackle on Lee Murtagh to bring the Youths down to ten players for the rest of the match and game over. Game was over at that point although interestingly the yellow cards kept coming. On 50 minutes, Ryan came on for Deano who again, I thought, was played on his non-natural side and suffered as a result. Killian got a shot away on the hour mark but Murray in the Shels goal got down comfortably. Then Graham had to make two saves in quick succession from the excellent Connolly. Rocks then got a yellow and McDonagh got one for Shels with Murtagh then getting two cards in quick succession to bring Shels also down to ten men. On 75 minutes, Rocks had a free header but put it wide and late subs for Wexford were Daryl and, in his first start, Johnny St. Ledger.

[ForzaForth]

Match then finished on a 3-0 scoreline for the home side although Youths put in a great effort while down to 10 men. However, overall, the build-up from the back by the Youths can be too pedestrian at times leaving the opposition with plenty of time to funnel back and I think the Youths need to be more direct on occasions. For Shels, Murtagh before he was sent off and Connolly created constant problems for the Youths defence and merited the win for the home team. 3-0 at full-time.