Wexford FC v Cobh

[ForzaForth]

Important win for Wexford in Ferrycarrig tonight as it keeps the club in touch with the play-off places, but also shows for the first time in an age that Wexford can protect a lead and indeed build on it. Wexford started with Alex, Darragh, Ethan, Mikie, Kian, Thomas, Dobbsy, Mark, Kaylem, Lewis and Sean. The whole of the first half was generally undistinguished. Playing their usual three up front of Dobbsy, Mikie and Thomas, Wexford probably had more of a threat but didn’t unduly trouble Burke in the Cobh goal. Cobh didn’t commit a huge amount forward either and Alex Moody in the Wexford goal also had a quiet first half. On nine minutes, Wexford applied some pressure following a corner but Burke in the Cobh goal got down to save. About midway through the half, Wexford’s Mikie Rowe had a good effort on target but Burke was able to grab it at the second attempt. Only real Cobh effort of the half came on 29 minutes when a Cobh attacker rounded Alex Moody, but he ended up at such a tight angle that his shot was easily cleared by a Wexford defender for a Cobh corner. On 36 minutes, Thomas Oluwa had a good break down the right for Wexford but his low cross was unable to be turned into the Cobh net by any Wexford attacker. A Cobh free which went yards wide then finished the half with the onus on Wexford to be more creative in the second period.

[ForzaForth]

Wexford did pose more of an attacking threat from the beginning of the second period and Mark Hanratty came closest for Wexford on 13 minutes when he hit the side netting with a decent left-footed effort. After a shot by Darragh Levingston went a couple of yards over the Cobh bar, the breakthrough came for Wexford midway through the half when Aaron Dobbs broke into space down Cobh’s left and hammered a low shot into the opposite corner of Cobh’s goal for 1-0 to Wexford. Wexford’s new loan signing from Bohs, Divin Isamala, then made his first appearance for the home side and Alex Moody made his only decent save of the second period when he blocked a shot by a Cobh forward at his near post with the Cobh player so close to Wexford’s goal that he probably had little to aim at. Shortly afterwards, Wexford were awarded a peno when Mikie Rowe chased a lost cause and was taken down inside Cobh’s area with the decision being made by the lino – I don’t think the ref was going to give it. Mikie got up to put the Cobh keeper the wrong way from the spot and Wexford were looking comfortable at 2-0. With Luka Lovic and Cian Curtis also coming on as substitutes for Wexford, Darragh Levingston had the time to put the icing on the cake for Wexford with a lovely one-two with Dobbsy which enabled Levo to finish past Burke for 3-0. Comfortable win for Wexford in the end which will surely give the young squad some confidence after a long series of mediocre results. Crowd was reported to be 479.