Strong and determined performance by Wexford in Belfield this evening got the away side the three points which their season needed. Wexford began with an unusual shape with two centre halves, Ethan in front of them and two full-back/wingers with a lot of licence to roam. With Dobbsy happily fit enough to play up front, it meant that Wexford had a gazillion number of players in midfield which stifled UCD, particularly in the first half. Wexford began with Owen, Darragh, Ben, Ethan, Mikie, Kian, Dobbsy, Luka, Mark, Sean McHale (on loan from Pats and his first senior game) and Reece. First fifteen minutes or so was untidy by both sides and not a lot occurred. After that passed, Wexford began to create a threat particularly down the right wing, where speedy Reece Webb was causing UCD all sorts of problems. On 31 minutes, Darragh Levo had a curling effort a yard wide of the UCD goal. On 33 minutes, Wexford nearly scored on the break but only secured a corner. Three minutes later, a bad UCD passing error at the back led to Kian Corbally picking up the ball just outside the UCD area, and he rounded the UCD keeper and knocked the ball home with his left to put Wexford ahead 1-0. UCD’s only real chance of the half came when the ball was crossed on the ground along Wexford’s six yard line, but there was nobody there to finish for UCD. Wexford got in a lot of crosses into the UCD area in the first period, but a resolute UCD defence cleared everything to leave the score at 1-0 to Wexford at the break.
Wexford manager James Keddy brought on Aaron Robinson instead of Luka Lovic at the start of the second half with the latter having picked up a yellow card during the first period. Wexford continued their stranglehold on the game during this time and the away side probably deserved their second goal on 17 minutes when Sean McHale outmuscled his marker at the back post from a Wexford corner to put the away side two goals to the good. Wexford’s keeper, Owen Mason, was then called into action for about the first time when he pushed a UCD free over his own crossbar and soon had to touch away a curling UCD effort for another corner for the Students. Wexford’s further subs as the game progressed included Brandon McCann, Cian Curtis and Kaylem Harnett. Game seemed to be heading inexorably towards a comfortable Wexford win, but on 82 minutes, UCD got a goal back when the Wexford defence came out poorly after a semi-clearance to leave Clancy to head over Mason in the Wexford goal when the ball was lobbed back into the Wexford area. Wexford got to the final whistle comfortably enough and had a third goal ruled out for offside right on the final whistle when a move which resulted in Aaron Robinson stroking the ball home was called for offside by the assistant. 2-1 to Wexford at full-time in a game where Wexford definitely proved to be the stronger physically of the two sides. Best for Wexford were Sean McHale, Reece Webb, Mark Hanratty, Ben Lynch and particularly Ethan Boyle who really is the heartbeat of the team.
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