Bulmer makes strong impact
New arrival nets the winner
WEXFORD F.C. 1 U.C.D. 0
ROBERT BULMER’S goal on the half-hour mark proved enough for a battling Wexford as they edged out the competitive U.C.D. in the SSE Airtricity League Under-17 Southern Elite Division in Ferrycarrig Park on Sunday.
Bulmer’s goal is his first for the club, in his first start since joining from Waterford in January. The right-footed volley maintained Wexford’s one hundred per cent start and gave the students their first loss of the season.
This was certainly a game of two halves as Wexford shot out of the gates and realistically could have ended the game by half-time.
After Brody Murphy’s early sighter flew over the bar, Seán Smithers was gifted a much better opportunity which he failed to convert from just six yards out.
Wexford’s pressure on the ball and ability to exploit space in the wide areas made for an almost constant wave of attacks at the U.C.D. end, and Kyle Scallan was the next to go close before Smithers was denied by Matthew Treanor.
Darragh Levingston was the next to fire wide before the Model side finally broke the deadlock. Smithers’ pinpoint cross found Bulmer unmarked at the back post as Wexford took a deserved lead.
There was a small scare when Seán Maher’s poor clearance gave Jack Ring the opportunity to level it almost instantly, but he placed his shot high and wide.
Smithers should have made it two before the break, but he was somehow unable to turn Caellum Devlin-Travers’ ball into the open net.
The second-half brought a much more tactical battle to Fer- rycarrig, as U.C.D. made two half-time substitutions and shuffled formations more than once as they searched for a foothold.
They were most successful when they left two strikers up top against Wexford’s back four. Ring broke through in the 56th minute and looked to have scored until Maher’s outstretched left foot miraculously tipped the ball onto the post.
Maher denied Ring again 15 minutes later, saving his initial shot before poking the ball off the line and out of danger with Wexford living very dangerously.
The final quarter of an hour settled down and Wexford managed the game much better.
The Ferrycarrig boys jump above U.C.D. and into third despite having played two games less than a number of their rivals. An away trip to Kerry next weekend will present a different challenge again.
Wexford: Seán Maher; Seán O’Brien, Kyle Scallan, Dylan Whelan, Shane Gibson; Caellum Devlin-Travers, Graham O’Reilly, Darragh Levingston (capt.), Robert Bulmer, Brody Murphy, Seán Smithers. Subs. - Cillian McDonald for Gibson (14), James Dowling for Bulmer (64), Brian Byrne for Smithers (71), Ethan O’Neill for Devlin-Travers (73), also Luke Greene.
U.C.D.: Matthew Treanor; Harry McEvoy, Paddy Farrelly, Adam Verdon; Isaac Akinsete, Evan Weir, Cormac Moore, Darragh Nugent, Andrew Farrell; Jack Ring, Seán Schutte. Subs. - Hugh Torfeldt for Schutte (46), Danu Bishop for Weir (46), Aran Moore for Farrell (53), Eoin Farrell for Ring (73), also Keallan Sherratt, Kris Gaidamavicius, Ciarán Behan.
Referee: Derek Campion (Wexford).