Another narrow 2-1 defeat for Wexford who again can take some comfort from an impressive second 45 minutes when they came close on a couple of occasions to getting an equaliser. With Sean Callan suspended, Wexford began with Corey, Paddy, Hopper, Darragh, Lee, Danny Doyle, Ryan, Crokey, Emmet and with Jack and Danny Furlong up front. First quarter hour was uneventful but then Wexford’s passing ability up front created a goal for the home side when some neat inter-play between Jack Doherty and Danny Furlong allowed the latter to round Gratzer in the Drogheda goal and finish easily for 1-0 to Wexford. The remainder of the half was poor from Wexford as they hardly created a chance and it enabled Drogheda to take a grip of the game. The Drogs followed up the concession of the goal with three corners in a row, and from the last one of these, the ball rebounded off Wexford’s keeper, Corey Chambers, to a Drogheda attacker who scooped the ball onto the top of the Wexford crossbar and over. Sean Brennan of Drogheda then had a shot just over the Wexford bar and this was followed by the Drogheda equaliser when Corey Chambers got under a Drogheda free and McNally headed home at the far post for 1-1. Drogs then had a goal disallowed for offside but had their second goal on the half-hour mark when a low cross from the left was volleyed home by Hyland off the inside of the post for 2-1 to the away side.
Wexford manager, Brian O’Sullivan, made the brave decision to go to three at the back at the start of the second period by moving Hopper Kenny into midfield and Wexford looked a transformed side in the second half. Although Drogs missed an easy headed chance very early on, Hopper Kenny thundered a volley over the Drogs bar on the quarter hour mark. Subs for Wexford as the half progressed were Nika Arevadze and Sean Roche as two further chances fell to Danny Furlong right at the end – one a flick from a corner which went wide and then another volleyed chance which went over. So, a good finish by Wexford although they didn’t get anything out of the game as it finished 2-1 to Drogheda. Hopper Kenny definitely made a difference as he moved forward and used the ball well in the second period and also provided some aerial challenge to McNally of Drogheda who had been mopping up everything in the air for Drogheda up till then. Crowd looked to be about the 200 mark.
Bookmarks