Cabinteely

[ForzaForth]

Tough conditions in Stradbrook tonight which led to a fairly attritional game, but Wexford deserved to head home with the three points on the basis of a strong first-half performance. With skipper Ross Kenny missing, Wexford went 3-5-2 with Danny Bolger in goal, a back three of Owen McCormack, Hopper Kenny and Sean Kelly, a midfield five of Dean Kelly, Thomas Croke, Mikey Byrne, Mark Slater and Sean Hurley, and a front two of Shane Barnes and Aaron Dobbs. On a hard bobbly pitch with a gale blowing straight across, good football was always going to be at a premium. However,Wexford came out of the blocks much better and metaphorically had their sleeves rolled up from the start with the result that Cabinteely hardly createdanything in the first half. On three minutes, Wexford had a shout for a peno but ref. Paula Brady merely pointed to a corner for the away side. Ten minutes later, the impressive Aaron Dobbs broke free down the right and his low cross was met at the far post by Sean Hurley for a 1-0 lead to the away team. Five minutes later, a good drive by Dobbs was pushed away by the Cabo keeper for a corner. This corner was headed over the bar by Crokey as Wexford continued to dominate. First effort on the Wexford goal by Cabo came midway through the half when a free from thirty yards out threatened only the ozone layer. Shane Barnes then did an ankle when landingon the uneven surface and, although he came back on, he gave way for John Morgan of Wexford about five minutes before the interval. Another Cabo free then hit the Wexford wall and the Cabo right winger drove a shot a yard wide to leave Wexford 1-0 ahead at half-time. Crokey had picked up a yellow for a tackle just before the break.

[ForzaForth]

Second half was more even as Cabo came more into the game. On 56 minutes, a dangerous crossby Cabo was just missed by the incoming Cabo attacker at the far post. Wexford’s netminder, Danny Bolger, was thencalled seriously into action for the first time on 64 minutes when he saved a Cabo goal-bound effort with his legs. But Wexford created their chances too and Dobbs drilled a 30 yard effort about two yards wide after some creative play. With the second half ticking away, Eoin Wall replaced Dean Kelly for Wexford and A.J. Lehane later replaced the excellent Thomas Croke who got a nasty kick in the head. Dobbs then made the Cabo keeper grab another effort on goal before, right at the end, Cabo applied real pressure on the Wexford goal but the away side’s defence held firm to leave Wexford 1-0 winners at the final whistle. In addition to Dobbs and Croke, Hopper Kenny dominated everything in the air at the back for Wexford in a game where the ball was in the air more than usual, and I’ll give him my nod as man of the match.