WYW v UCD Waves

[ForzaForth]

Wexford staged an extraordinary comeback with three goals in the last eight minutes as they edged past a bemused UCD side in perfect conditions in Jackson Park tonight. With Kylie Murphy suspended, Gary Hunt brought in Becky Cassin, who proved more than an able substitute, and went with Sophie, Nicola, Lauren, Jess, Amy, Linda, Emma, Becky, Aisling and with Maria playing behind Claire up front. Wexford, playing with a tempo not seen in recent games, matched UCD in the first half but went in a goal behind at half-time due to a poor defensive mix-up. Youth's Maria Delahunty had an early free just over after a minute, before Sophie Lenehan touched a cross by UCD's Niamh Prior onto her own post and out. On nine minutes, Wexford went ahead with a direct bullet corner by Emma Hansberry which gave UCD's Erica Turner little chance with players jumping in front of her. On 21 minutes, UCD equalised from a corner when the ball broke free to Julie Ann Russell for UCD who was given far too much space, and she finished neatly inside the left-hand post for 1-1. It was even-steven from then on right up until 43 minutes, when the Youths defence let an aimless long ball by UCD bounce, and by the time it came down for the second time, Russell was allowed take it under control and round Lenehan for 2-1 to UCD.

[ForzaForth]

Wexford applied early pressure in the second half, with Amy Walsh having a free deflected straight into the hands of Turner after six minutes. On ten minutes, it was one of those goals which can't be defended, when a cross from near the right touchline by Ryan Doyle of UCD sailed over Lenehan's head and hit the far post and in for 3-1 to UCD. Just after the quarter-hour, Maria Delahunty had a shot on target which UCD's Turner was just able to prevent from hitting the net. With 17 minutes to go, Gary Hunt brought on two crucial substitutions in Aoibhin Webb and Orla Casey and decided to go for it and UCD, who were looking comfortable, just cracked under the weight of the Wexford pressure with players now supporting Claire O'Riordan up front. It became 3-2 with eight minutes to go when a great cross from the left was knocked home by Aoibhin Webb who showed a keen predatory instinct to ghost in from the right wing to meet the ball near the penalty spot. The excellent Emma Hansberry then had a volley wide for the Youths before, with a minute to go of the 90 minutes, Claire O'Riordan headed home a great cross, this time from the right, to bring the game to 3-3.

[ForzaForth]

UCD re-started the game and, within seconds, the ball landed at the feet of Wexford substitute, Orla Casey, who took a few steps and let go a speculative effort from 30 yards or so, and it whistled into the net just inside the right-hand post to give UCD's Turner very little chance for 4-3 to Wexford. Final whistle went almost immediately afterwards and Wexford had gained a vital three points although they are still likely to need five wins from their remaining five games to have a chance of retaining the title. Best for Wexford were Claire O'Riordan, who put in the usual Trojan effort up front, while Emma Hansberry had an astonishing 90 minutes in midfield, and Amy Walsh and Maria Delahunty also raised their games by several gears in their respective positions. The battle between Wexford's Nicola Sinnott and UCD's Julie Ann Russell was also worth many times the zero entrance fee down UCD's left-wing. 4-3 to WYW on the night with next up for Wexford a cup semi-final against Kilkenny on Sunday.