Galway

[ForzaForth]

Wexford got the point they would have taken at the start of the game with a rugged ultra-defensive set-up in Ferrycarrig tonight and by staying in the game almost snatched the three points at the end. In contrast, Galway started the brighter but looked bereft of attacking ideas as the game went on. Wexford started with Corey, Conor, Owen, Sean, John, Aaron, Crokey, Dean Kelly, Dean George, Ryan and with a very isolated Danny Doyle up front. Galway started very well and almost scored with their first attack when a shot/cross fizzed past the far post in the first minute. Two minutes later, a good Sean Kelly tackle prevented Ubaezuonu from getting a shot away in a dangerous situation for the home side at the expense of a corner. First Wexford effort on goal came on 16 minutes when Crokey had an effort from well out the pitch which never threatened Conor Gleeson’s goal. By this stage, Wexford were sitting so deep they were almost in the next parish and, as the half wore on, attempts on goal became scarcer at both ends as Galway just couldn’t fashion any chances and Wexford didn’t try to. It was a boring 0-0 by half-time.

[ForzaForth]

Second half continued in the same vein as neither side looked like scoring. However, having stayed in the game, Wexford inched their way into the match and almost fashioned an unlikely goal – mainly on the break as Galway attacks brokedown. On 18 minutes, the indefatigable Danny Doyle up front for Wexford had the ball in the net for Wexford as he finished a through-pass but was ruled out for offside. Galway then had a McCormick header a few yards wide and then a good Galway move finished in a shot which was ballooned over the bar (Galway looking like they were missing Danny Furlong!). LiamMcCartan then replaced Aaron O’Connor for Wexford and, with fifteen minutes to go, a bad clash of heads between Barry of Galway and Owen McCormick of Wexford with McCorrmick having to be replaced by Mikey Byrne. Mark Slater then came on for Wexford and again looked very lively and Wexford nearly scored again but a goal-bound Dean Kelly shot was blocked by a Galway defender on the ground. Mark Slater then ran through to try to latch onto a hopeful clearance and was pole-axed by a charging Conor Gleeson who waswell outside the box – I don’t think either of them touched the ball but ref. Mullally somehow gave Slater a yellow card. Due to the head injury, ten minutes of injury-time was added on but a decent Galwayeffort from a long way out which went about two feet over the bar was the nearest that anyone came to breaking the deadlock. So, 0-0 at full-time with Wexford at least showing they can be hard to beat. Best for Wexford were Corey Chambers in goal, Sean Kelly in defence and Crokey who led the team well again and even slotted into defence when Owen McCormick went off. Looked like a few less than a hundred at the game.