Waterford v Wexford FC Women

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Unauthoritative display by Wexford this afternoon in the RSC as they had to struggle to come away with a share of the points and it needed a smart penalty save by Wexford’s excellent goalkeeper, Maria O’Sullivan, to preserve Wexford’s clean sheet. Wexford had a number of new faces in their starting XI and, with at least five of the squad named in the FAI media pack unavailable for various reasons, Wexford’s squad this afternoon looked a little on the thin side. Is further recruitment possible? Wexford started with Maria O’Sullivan, Emma Bucci, Lauren Dwyer, Becky Cassin, Kayla Goncalves, Leah McGrath, Katie McCarn, Megan Smyth-Lynch, Devon Olive, Aisling Roche and Freya De Mange. Wexford dominated possession in the first half as Waterford dropped off the Wexford back three of Aisling, Lauren and Freya but goal chances further up the field proved to be scarce for the away side and Waterford probably had as many clear-cut chances during that first period. Early sighters on goal by Wexford fell to MSL and Emma Bucci with Maeve Williams turning Bucci’s effort around her own post for a corner. On 23 minutes, a volley from distance by Waterford’s Dumevi had to be pushed over her own crossbar by Maria O’Sullivan. MSL then smashed a header against Waterford’s crossbar following a cross by McCarn but it stayed out before Bradley for Waterford first forced a good save by O’Sullivan and when the rebound fell kindly to Bradley, Wexford’s impressive Lauren Dwyer was on hand to clear the shot off Wexford’s goal-line. Late on in the half, Becky Cassin had half a chance but it proved an easy save for Williams. 0-0 at halftime.

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As the second half progressed, Wexford seemed to lose cohesion although subs Ciara Rossiter and Courtney Chochol provided some fresh impetus going forward. Best chance for Wexford in the second half fell to Aisling Roche after Williams dropped a free by Freya De Mange behind her, but it fell quickly to Roche and she could only scoop it into Waterford’s side netting. With over half the second period having elapsed, Waterford were awarded a peno when a Waterford forward was adjudged to have been fouled, but Maria O’Sullivan saved with her trailing legs after Fiana Bradley hit her spotter straight down the middle. Further Wexford subs were Lauren Walsh, Millie Daly and Molly Kirwan, and both sides finished the game by ballooning efforts over the respective crossbars to leave the score at 0-0 at the end. Both sides will know that tougher tests lie ahead. Crowd was announced as a very respectable 525.