Under-19s fade after dominant first-half in Cobh
COBH RAMBLERS WEXFORD F.C. 4 1
DESPITE DOMINATING the firsthalf, Wexford F.C. fell to Cobh Ramblers in the latest round of fixtures in the SSE Airtricity League Under-19 Southern Elite section in St. Colman’s Park.
The visitors have been struggling for form since opening their season back on March 12 with a 3-2 home win against Limerick. Since then the Ferrycarrig Park side have picked up just one point from a possible 18 and sit eighth in the table.
It took Cobh just seven minutes to take the lead from the penalty spot, Gordon Walker the one to fire past Jason McGuire.
Yet it didn’t dampen Wexford’s spirits, with the visitors playing some great football thereafter.
There was a real attacking threat from Thomas O’Connor’s men. Dean George, Yaw Aboagye and Craig Hayes were involved in most of what was good about Wexford but they just couldn’t find a way past Conor Hogan in the hosts’ goal.
Even when they did beat him, like when Dean George’s cross found Hayes in the box, the post got in the way to deny the Wexford first team attacker.
Later in the half, Aboagye picked out Hayes but this time his powerful volley zipped wide.
Cian Doyle had a couple of strikes from distance too, one from a free-kick, that flew narrowly over the crossbar.
All in all it left Wexford one down at the break, after playing the majority of the football.
Things got worse just three minutes into the second-half when David Hurley found the net. In the 57th minute Gordon Walker made it three, again from the spot. Wexford were reduced to ten men on the hour mark when Owen McCormack picked up a highly questionable second yellow.
To their credit, the visitors kept battling away and got a goal back in the 79th minute.
Good link-up play between Hayes and Adam Rochford ended with the latter bravely nodding past the onrushing Conor Hogan.
Pushing forward, looking to get themselves back in the game, Wexford were caught again at the back when Hurley got in for his second goal to wrap up the three points for the hosts.
Wexford are away to Bray Wanderers tonight (Tuesday) at the Carlisle Grounds with a 7.30 p.m. kick-off.
They follow that with a trip to Waterford five days later.
Wexford F.C.: Jason McGuire; Adam Rochford, Jack Bates, Owen McCormack, Neil Murphy; Kyle Doherty, Cian Doyle, Eoin Donnelly, Dean George; Craig Hayes, Yaw Aboagye. Subs. - Dylan Bradley for Bates, Adam Doyle for Aboagye, Leon Nolan for Doherty, also Adam Dempsey, Martin O’Connor, Eoin Curran.
Cobh Ramblers: Conor Hogan; Troy O’Sullivan, John Browne, Peter Callanan, Gordon Walker, Killian Murphy, Kajus Vitkevicius, David Hurley, Keane Buckley, Darren Murphy, Ryan O’Regan. Subs. - Stephen O’Leary for Buckley, Ciarán Kearney for D. Murphy, Joe Meaney for K. Murphy, also Andrew Kingston, Nathan O’Donnell, Patrick Crowley.
Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan.