Wexford FC v UCD

[ForzaForth]

Late Wexford equaliser secured the point that the home side deserved after an encouraging second half in horrendous conditions in Ferrycarrig tonight. With a rain-soaked gale blowing diagonally from one corner flag to the other, it meant that decent football was almost impossible and chances at a premium. Wexford started with Tom Murphy, Karl Fitzsimons, James Carroll, Paul Cleary, Dan Tobin, Azeez Yusuff, Conor Crowley, Cian Kavanagh, Jay Amour, and with Kaleem Simon and Conor English up front. Wexford played with the benefit of the wind in the first half but found it hard to test Lorcan Healy in the UCD goal. In contrast, UCD looked the more inventive up front playing against the wind, and UCD had a dangerous free which flew a couple of yards wide of Wexford's far post on nine minutes. A simple through ball by UCD then split the Wexford defence on sixteen minutes and UCD’s Whelan finished neatly past Tom Murphy in the Wexford goal to put the students a goal ahead. Wexford then hit the outside of the post directly from a corner about the half-hour mark and Tom Murphy had to struggle to just get a touch to a swirling UCD cross to prevent the onrushing UCD forward from scoring a second. A harsh yellow card for Wexford’s Tobin then finished the half and Wexford hadn’t really forced Healy in the UCD goal to make a save. 1-0 to UCD at half-time.

[ForzaForth]

Playing against the strong gale, it was Wexford who took the game to UCD in the second period as UCD found it hard to come to terms playing with the elements in their favour. Helped by a revelatory performance by Wexford’s Charlie Smith who had come on at half-time, Wexford put the pressure on the UCD defence with a UCD defender nearly heading into in his own goal as the half progressed. The impressive Conor English eventually forced Healy in the UCD goal to grab a shot which was on target while, at the other end, Tom Murphy was only being forced to show his skills at distributing the ball as UCD couldn’t create anything of note. Just as the fourth official called four minutes of injury-time, Conor English was sent free down the middle of the pitch with two UCD defenders closing down on him and, as the ball hopped up, he perfected a stunning volley into the wind which gave Healy no chance to leave the game at 1-1. Encouraging performance overall by the young home side which gave the approx. 200 hardy souls in attendance something to savour. For the home side, the defence looked strong, the midfield capable but perhaps not functioning as a unit, while Conor English worked his socks off up front and Kaleem Simon having some really good touches with Charlie Smith impressing with a second half performance after coming on as a sub. Late subs for Wexford were Karl Manahan and Patrick O’Sullivan. 1-1 at full time.