U-19s struggling for points
Sixth straight defeats as problems mount for Wexford
WEXFORD REMAINED rooted to the foot of the SSE Airtricity Under-19 League Southern Elite Division table after falling to their fourth defeat in as many games at Ferrycarrig Park recently.
James Quinn’s side took two big defeats to open the season but then put a pair of competitive performances back-to-back, losing by the odd goal in three on both occasions.
With Liam Berry starting as the lone striker, supported by Danny Doyle and Ciarán Murphy on the flanks, Wexford began the brighter.
Shane Cahill saw a weak volley saved by the ‘keeper, while at the other end Adam Foley nabbed the ball past Colum Feeney but just too far and it rolled wide.
The hosts continued on the front foot as the half wore on, and both Vinny Quinlan and Danny Doyle missed the target with longrange efforts.
Approaching half-time, Limerick’s Ronan McGuire saw his shot deflected behind and William Armshaw missed the target, but that was the sum of the efforts in an uneventful first period.
There wasn’t much in the way of opportunities in the first ten minutes of the second-half either, but after coming on for the injured Colum Feeney, first team regular Kealan Gaffney was forced to pick the ball out of the net in the 60th minute.
A fantastic Edmond O’Dwyer run and through-ball beat the Wexford offside trap, and James Fitzgerald hared away and shot left-footed past the hosts’ ‘keeper to open the scoring. As the half wore on, Quinlan had a couple of sighters but nothing clearcut.
With five minutes left Gaffney was forced into a fine save from Adam Foley. Moments later Wexford were calling for a penalty when Shane Cahill went to ground under a shove in the box, but there was nothing doing despite appeals from the bench.
Heading towards the last few minutes, things got frantic. The visitors were awarded a penalty when Seán Murphy dragged down James Fitzgerald, despite the fact that video later showed the incident happened on the edge of the area. The Wexford defender was dismissed and Foley converted from the spot.
Seven minutes into added-time, Adham Masood went down after a tangle in the Limerick box and was awarded a penalty.
Quinlan slotted it home but despite creating a half-chance when a late Mikey Carroll shot was blocked, Wexford couldn’t find an equaliser.
Wexford: Colum Feeney, Seán Murphy, Ger Murray, Mikey Carroll, Vincent Quinlan, Liam Berry, Danny Doyle, Ciarán Murphy, Jack White, Craig O’Reilly, Shane Cahill. Subs. - Adham Masood for Doyle, Kealan Gaffney for Feeney, Yaw Aboagye for Berry, also Danny Bruce, Ciarán Lindsay, Ciarán Paige, Peter Collins.
Limerick: Kuba Beben, Sam Ogundare, Seán Madigan, Tomás O’Connor, Jason Cross (capt.), Aaron Fitzgerald, Kian Barry, Ger Barry, William Armshaw, Ronan McGuire, Adam Foley. Subs. - James Fitzgerald for McGuire, Andy Quaid for Ogundare, Edmond O’Dwyer for Barry, Lee Devitt for Armshaw, Conor Coughlan for Fitzgerald, also Callan Scully.
Referee: Fran Sinnott.
U.C.D. 7, Wexford F.C. 0: Wexford’s horror start to the SSE Airtricity League Under-19 Southern Elite Division season showed no signs of halting after they were thumped once again, this time by U.C.D. in the Belfield Bowl.
It meant James Quinn’s side had lost all five games played at that stage, scoring just twice, and conceding a whooping 24 times. Their 4.8 goals conceded per contest was the worst in all of the FAI leagues: men, women and boys.
While someone has to have the worst record, it’s mystifying that it’s this set of players.
Several of this squad have had first team experience, more have been promoted from recent Under-17 teams, and this group of players should be able to be competitive at this level.
Some might have recognised the folly in suggestions that two narrow losses was some kind of corner-turning event, and those prudent onlookers are fully vindicated after Quinn’s side, already with 4-0 and 9-0 losses this season, collapsed again in this contest.
In the previous two games the secret to the relative success Wexford had tasted was keeping the games close. When they have gone two down, the proverbial has hit the fan and U.C.D. probably recognised that fact.
They went after this game, knowing that their opponents’ confidence was teetering and on the verge of collapse. Ryan Meaney opened the scoring for the hosts early in the second quarter and then saw his effort deflected into his own net by Jack White.
Early in the second-half Meaney got his second assist when sending through Seán McDonald to make it 3-0. A slack error in possession sent John O’Keane away to add another just after the hour mark.
With Wexford all over the place, Luke Hannigan scored to make it five as Meaney completed the hat-trick of assists.
U.C.D. had emptied their bench by this stage and one of those substitutions, Charlie Smith, sauntered past two before being hacked down for a penalty that Meaney converted.
While it was never going to reach the nine that Shamrock Rovers managed, U.C.D. did add a seventh late in the game when another substitute, the marvellously named Robin Windvogel, fired home to complete a miserable afternoon for the visitors.
Wexford F.C.: Colum Feeney, Ger Murray, Mick Gardiner, Vinny Quinlan, Liam Berry, Adham Masood, Ciarán Murphy, Jack White, Craig O’Reilly, Shane Cahill. Subs. - Yaw Aboagye for Berry (60), Ciarán Paige for Masood (67), Danny Bruce for Cahill (77), also Adam Feeney, Coran Lindsay.
U.C.D.: Matthew Traynor; Estaban McEvilly-Brown, Mark Dignam, Evan Farrell, Luke Boore, Luka Lovic, John O’Keane, Jack Ryan, Seán McDonald, Seán Quinn, Ryan Meaney. Subs. - Charlie Smith for McDonald (63), Luke Hannigan for Ryan (63), Adam Byrne for McEvilly-Brown (65), Robin Windvogel for Dignam (71), also Jack Whelan, Billy Griffin, Adam Byrne. Referee: Oliver Moran (Dublin). Wexford F.C. 0, Cork City 2: Wexford’s miserable time in the SSE Airtricity Under-19 Southern Elite Division continued on Saturday as Cork City marched into Ferrycarrig Park and went away with the points.
With four losses from five games for their guests, there was some hope that James Quinn’s point-less side would get their season back on track, to some extent. However, there was no such occurence as Wexford slumped to their sixth straight loss.
At least Wexford showed some life in the opening quarter. Ger Murray had a couple of efforts that missed the target while a Danny Doyle attempt from the edge of the area also flew wide of Adam Cantwell’s goal.
Cork had only just showed their first real threat when Cian Murphy fired over but it shook the visitors to life.
A minute later they took the lead when Murphy’s run went unchallenged. His shot was saved by Colum Feeney but Dale Holland followed in to net the rebound.
Murphy probably should have added a second in the 37th minute but he failed to hit the target from point-blank range.
Ciarán Murphy and Adham Masood both missed the target with shots before the break but their side went in one down.
Maybe the heat played a part but both sides emerged from the dressing-room and really struggled in the third quarter. The slumber was broken by that man Cian Murphy in the 67th minute, but his shot was well saved by Feeney.
Danny Doyle missed getting a touch on Masood’s cross four minutes later.
With twelve minutes remaining Cork wrapped up their second win of the season.
Cian Murphy was fouled on the edge of the box and Holland curled a succulent free-kick past Feeney to the net.
Next up for Wexford is a spin down the N25 this Sunday to face local foes Waterford. That’s followed by the final league game before the mid-season break, a home tie against fellow strugglers Bray Wanderers.
Wexford F.C.: Colum Feeney, Seán Murphy, Danny Bruce, Ger Murray, Ciarán Paige, Mikey Carroll, Danny Doyle, Ciarán Murphy, Adham Masood, Craig O’Reilly, Yaw Aboagye. Subs. - Adam Feeney for O’Reilly, Liam Berry for Aboagye, also Kealan Gaffney, Peter Collins, Coran Linsley, Mick Gardiner.
Cork City: Adam Cantwell, Dylan Scott, Colin O’Mahony, Ronan Hurley, Thomas O’Donovan, Rory Doyle, Conor Bowdren, James Sullivan, Cian Murphy, Douwie Van Sinderen, Dale Holland. Subs. - Jamie O’Sullivan for O’Mahony, Bryan Lynch for Bowdren, Shane O’Riordan for Scott, also Tomás Collins, Cian Bargary, Joe Meaney, Jack O’Sullivan.
Referee: Fran Sinnott.