WYW v Shelbourne LFC

[ForzaForth]

Gripping game in Tolka Park tonight as a Shels win ensured that the league will now be decided by a play-off between the same two teams. However, there were signs early on in the game that WYW were running on empty after a savage schedule of six games in three weeks. You would hope that the Youths can recharge their batteries before the play-off, when fixed, takes place. WYW's massive injury problems are now well-known and Will Doyle started with Tamara, Lauren, Ruth, Lolly, Linda, Kylie, Emma, Becky, Aisling and with Claire up front. Shels looked the fresher from the start and had an early chance when an attacker broke the WYW offside trap but volleyed over. On six minutes, a phenomenal Aisling Frawley came off the left wing and drilled an effort to the top left-hand corner which McQuillan did well to push over the bar. From that corner, the ball eventually broke to Claire O'Riordan who also volleyed over the bar. Kylie Murphy for WYW then had a shot on target but it was straight at McQuillan whilst, on twenty minutes, a Shels effort from outside the WYW penalty area smacked off the crossbar and away to safety. Claire O'Riordan was then put through on goal but scuffed her shot wide. Match then went into a quiet period until, on 40 minutes, a long free-kick by Emma Hansberry fell to Nicola Sinnott at the far post and she tucked it away low into the bottom left corner for 1-0 to WYW. WYW's Becky Cassin then had a shot which went a yard wide of the post and half-time arrived with Wexford happy with their 1-0 lead at the break.

[ForzaForth]

Shels had the first chance of the second half when the massively talented 17 year old for Shels, Leanne Kiernan, used her pace to get through on goal, but her difficult half-volley wasn't controlled and went wide. Turning point of the match came on seven minutes when Claire O'Riordan turned her marker and chipped a delightful left-footed effort into the top right-corner. But with no flag from the assistant and no appeal from any Shels defender that I could see, ref. Paula Brady disallowed it. It was the culmination of what seemed to be a less than even-handed effort from the whistler in the middle. Shels then had their purple patch which turned the game in their favour when Niamh Walsh knocked in a header at the far post, quickly followed by a sublime bit of finishing by Siobhan Killeen to give Shels LFC a 2-1 lead. WYW's Aoibhin Webb than came on for Lolly Conlon who was injured after a rash tackle. Another Paula Brady decision then gave Shels a peno at the other end of the ground but again there seemed to be no appeals. This was despatched and Shels were home and dry with a 3-1 scoreline. Rachel Hutchinson was a late WYW substitute and did well and match ended shortly afterwards on 3-1 scoreline to Shels. Best for WYW were excellent efforts by Lauren Dwyer, Emma Hansberry and Aisling Frawley while Shels have players of real talent in Siobhan Killeen and Leanne Kiernan. You would hope that, although WYW won't get any of their long-term injuries back, they will have refuelled to a certain extent at least before the play-off.