Cabinteely

[ForzaForth]

Early sending-off threatened to derail the Youths' push for promotion in Ferrycarrig tonight, but two late goals secured the three points for the home side in an eventful game. With Lee Grace injured, Shane Keegan started with Ryan Delaney in Lee's place, and went with Graham, Craig McC., Gary, Willie, Ryan, Eric, Peter, Craig W., Andy and with Duxey playing behind Danny up front. Wexford started well and had Cabinteely pinned in their own half for the first ten minutes. In the first minute. Danny forced his way past two Cabo defenders and shot over from a narrow angle. On six minutes, Peter Higgins had a shot blocked for a corner. Two minutes later, Danny shot wide when well-placed. Cabo then won a corner but nothing came of it. Then, on 14 minutes, a simple ball over the top caught the Youth's defence square, and Willie appeared to clip the Cabo attacker bearing down on goal. Ref. Mullally showed Willie a straight red and awarded a peno. which McKeown managed to place under Graham going to his left for 1-0 to the away side. Shane Keegan moved Peter Higgins to right-back and Craig McCabe to middle of defence to make up for the man down. Ironically, Youths then played their best football of the match as the hard-working midfield of Eric, Duxey and Craig repeatedly took the ball from the Cabo midfielders with their hard work. A minute after conceding the first goal, Danny had a free which was pushed round the post by Moran in the Cabo goal for a corner. Then, on 22 minutes, a long punt by Graham was allowed sail over the Cabo defence where Danny was able to take his time and volley powerfully past Moran for 1-1. Wexford continued to press and should have taken one of numerous chances to go ahead at this point.

[ForzaForth]

On 32 minutes, Eric was able to dispossess the Cabo left back, drive into the box and shoot narrowly wide when only having Moran to beat from an angle. On 37 minutes, Danny won the ball in Cabo's own third but also shot wide. With two minutes to go in the half. Craig Wall got free down the right hand side and his cross was volleyed narrowly wide by Danny from ten out. Then, after a half Wexford clearance, the ball was fed to Cabo's McKeown, about 25 yards out from goal, and his first-time effort got a deflection to beat Graham low at the right-hand post to put Cabinteely 2-1 ahead at the half-time break. Wexford began the second half well and after two minutes, Andy was put through on goal, but a last-ditch tackle prevented him from shooting. On five minutes, Gary Delaney clipped the top of the crossbar after the ball was passed to him from a quick Wexford free. With ten minutes gone, Danny appealed for a peno after being pushed over when attempting to reach a cross from the left, but ref. Mullally waved it away. With 12 minutes gone in the second half. Cabo's McKeown picked up a yellow for a tackle and, three minutes later, Craig McCabe also saw yellow for something off-the-ball, which was called by the linesman. Just past the hour mark, Rocks Keenan made a welcome return from injury in place of Eric. Then, on 19 minutes, McKeown put in a fairly obvious dive when going past Gary Delaney and received a second yellow to bring both sides down to ten. Rocks and Oguntula then got a yellow apiece for squaring up to each other. Midway through the second half, Paul Cahillane came on in place of Craig McCabe who appeared to hobble off with an ankle injury. As the game entered into the last ten minutes, the Youths became a little more direct and it eventually paid dividends. With five minutes to go, a cross from the right by Cahillane was met by Danny and the ball broke to him again to allow him to stab it home for 2-2.

[ForzaForth]

A minute later, Graham had to grab a Cabo free-kick which had come over the Youth's wall to keep the score at 2-2. Then, on 89 minutes, a Wexford free was met at the far post by Gary Delaney, and his looping header came to rest gently inside the other post to give Moran no chance and put the Youths in front at 3-2. During the five minutes of injury-time, Cabo had two chances from free-kicks, but one went wide and the other hit the wall to leave the Youths winners on a 3-2 scoreline. Final sub. for the Youths was Conor Whittle and Duxey also picked up a yellow for whipping off his shirt to celebrate the winning goal. Best for Wexford were Craig, Peter, Eric and Duxey who more than made up for the missing player in midfield by their hard work and pressure while Wexford were a man down. Official attendance was called at 436.

[nigel-harps1954]

Has to be disappointing that there was such a sharp drop in attendance after a big crowd in last week. Man United game won't have done any favours, but still a drop of over 300 is a tough one to take when there was a real chance to build the attendances further.