Hearts broken in U-19 defeat
Wexford so close to upset
WEXFORD F.C. 1 WATERFORD F.C. 2 (AET)
SHANE GRIFFIN broke Wexford hearts with an injury-time equaliser, setting Waterford on their way to victory after overtime in the Enda McGuill Under-19 Cup in Ferrycarrig Park on Wednesday.
James Quinn’s side had only just taken a deserved lead in the 88th minute after Kelan Gaffney’s long ball forward found its way to Vinny Quinlan, and the former Gorey Rangers man lofted his finish over Paul Martin to the visitors’ net.
It would have given the hosts a huge morale boost to see off the third-placed team in the SSE Airtricity Southern Elite league, but it wasn’t to be as Seán Roche won a soft free on the edge of the Wexford box and Griffin curled it over the wall to send the match to extra-time.
Thereafter Waterford controlled the game. They took the lead when Griffin converted a 97th-minute penalty after Darragh Power was taken down by Gaffne,y and could have wrapped things up when Lee Costello cracked the post a short time later.
Waterford did everything possible to run down the clock, heading to the corner flag with as many as 15 minutes left and wasting as much time as possible.
Quinlan came close right at the death but when his effort from an angle was hooked off the line the R.S.C. side advanced.
The loss is a tough one for Wexford to take. They came into the game in improved form after victory at Cork City in the cup and Cobh Ramblers in the league.
They were dangerous in wide positions with Adham Masood and Shane Cahill getting balls into the box where the hosts, spearheaded by Quinlan, committed plenty of players to attacking situations.
Quinlan and Masood both missed the target with early chances as Wexford set their stall out. In the best move of the match, Ciarán Paige hit a fantastic ball down the channel to Quinlan.
He picked out Masood but the newly-signed Senior just missed the bottom corner with a fine strike.
A Mick Gardiner header from Masood’s cross was deflected and superbly saved on the line by Noel Heffernan in the 30th minute, although several Wexford players appealed that it had in fact crossed.
Then the impressive Cian Larkin missed the target from distance just before the break.
The second-half produced fewer chances although Seán Roche narrowly missed the target with a lob just after the resumption. Colum Feeney was then forced off when Jack O’Donnell’s knee collided with his head.
As the game moved towards the final quarter, Gardiner’s powerful shot, which had the ‘keeper off balance, cannoned off a defender and spun just wide.
Masood’s cross was fumbled by Paul Martin four minutes later but he recovered well to repel Yaw Aboagye’s shot on the turn.
With the game finely balanced, Eoghan Rea headed wide from a free header in the 86th minute before Aboagye missed the target from Paige’s through ball at the other end.
Quinlan put Wexford ahead but it wasn’t to be in the end as Griffin netted twice to win it. Wexford were back in action against Shamrock Rovers in the league last night (Monday).
Wexford F.C.: Colum Feeney; Craig O’Reilly, Danny Bruce, Ger Murray, Ciarán Paige; Adham Masood, Cian Larkin (capt.), Mick Gardiner, Shane Cahill; Yaw Aboagye; Vincent Quinlan. Subs. - Kelan Gaffney for Feeney, inj. (47), Ciarán Murphy for Cahill (91), also Adam Feeney, Seán Murphy.
Waterford F.C.: Noel Heffernan; Kallum Broaders, Lee Costello, Darryl Walsh, Eoghan Rea, Dean Beresford, Jack Larkin, Shane Griffin (capt.), Jack O’Donnell, Seán Roche, Cameron Power. Subs. - Darragh Power for C. Power (34), Paul Martin for Heffernan (46), Niall O’Keeffe for Walsh (90), also Alex Phelan, Colm Whelan, Regix Madika, Adam Conway.
Referee: Seán Grant (Wexford).