Fine U-17 win in cup derby
Ten men upset Waterford
WEXFORD F.C. WATERFORD F.C. 2 1
FOUR DAYS earlier you were held by the worst team in the Under-17 Airtricity League, and now you need a response.
Your opposition in the second round of the Mark Farren Memorial Cup are the current holders and your fiercest local rivals, Waterford F.C.
After a dream first-half you are two goals to the good, but a questionable red card and an even more questionable penalty awarded against you pile the pressure on. Can you show the character which was clearly lacking just a few days earlier?
Wexford F.C. certainly did show the character, along with the determination and resilience, required to book themselves a place in the quarter-finals in Ferrycarrig Park on Tuesday.
The aforementioned incidents certainly made this a game of two halves. The first was a very impressive Wexford performance.
Brody Murphy was back to his best, as he terrorised the Waterford centre-back pairing and had scored twice in the opening 20 minutes.
His first from the penalty spot was created by a surging Seán Smithers run, with Murphy scoring the rebound after Brendan Kirwan had guessed correctly.
His second was a far more vintage Murphy goal. His pace allowed him to latch on to Robert Bulmer’s flick on before placing past the Blues ‘keeper from a tight angle.
Wexford were good value for their two-goal lead at the break and it could have been even more had Killian Griffin been able to turn Smithers’ cross towards goal.
Yet, despite looking relatively comfortable in the 20 minutes after half-time, Waterford were given a lifeline.
It started with Seán O’Brien-Murphy’s second yellow card. It was awarded when a melee ensued after a strong Caellum Devlin-Travers tackle on the edge of the box, but there was no contact from O’Brien-Murphy on an opposition player which would warrant such a punishment.
Moments later referee Brian Fenlon was pointing towards the spot. Kyle Scallan’s miscontrolled touch with his chest had popped down and struck his arm. Niall O’Keeffe then sent Seán Maher the wrong way and Waterford were back in it.
The Ferrycarrig boys, now a man light and defending deep in their own half, were forced into a change as they switched to a 5-3-1.
They defended heroically, with midfielders Travers-Devlin, Ethan O’Neill and Bulmer running themselves to exhaustion and the back five clearing all which came their way.
Caelin Rooney’s volley onto the top of the crossbar was as close as Waterford went before he received two yellow cards and his marching orders.
Wexford have been drawn away to Cabinteely in the quarter-final and having already drawn in Dublin against their league counterparts, they will feel that this is a game which they are more than capable of winning.
Wexford F.C.: Seán Maher; Seán O’Brien-Murphy, Kyle Scallan (capt.), Kevin Murphy, Killian Griffin; Dylan Whelan, Graham O’Reilly, Ethan O’Neill, Robert Bulmer, Seán Smithers; Brody Murphy. Subs. - Caellum Devlin-Travers for Whelan (51), Daniel Bruce for O’Reilly (68), Brian Byrne for Murphy (90), also Aaron Hall, Darragh Levingston, Killian Flynn, Shane Gibson.
Waterford F.C.: Brendan Kirwan; Leven Sarafin, Tega Agberhiere, Reece Murphy, Torik Adegoke; Ethan Flynn, Greg Waters (capt.), Cian Foley, Alex Phelan; Seán Tracey, Caelin Rooney. Subs. - Sam Dwyer for Agberhiere (34), Charlie Heffernan for Kirwan (46), Niall O’Keeffe for Adegoke (46), Mike Nzongong for Phelan (57), also Cian Browne.
Referee: Brian Fenlon (Wexford).