U-15s hold off big comeback
Kerry provide late scare
WEXFORD F.C. 3 KERRY 2
WEXFORD WITHSTOOD a spirited Kerry fightback to take the points in their SSE Airtricity League Under-15 Group 3 clash in Ramstown on Saturday.
The hosts were cruising at 3-0 up heading into the last ten minutes but gifted the Munster lads a way back into the game with a couple of defensive mix-ups.
There were a few nervy moments in the closing exchanges but Wexford eventually took the win their performance deserved.
For the most part it wasn’t a game of endless goalmouth action but it was one that Wexford played at their pace.
Patryk Remiasz led by example in midfield, with Tyler Dunphy proving just too awkward for the visitors to contain up front.
Probing and picking for holes in the Kerry defence, Wexford set their stall out early to take the game to their opponents.
However, it was Caolan O’Connell who powered a header narrowly wide for the Kingdom kids in the tenth minute.
Just as the end of the first quarter approached, Mark Doran’s side took the lead. Seán Redmond launched a throw into the box, Dunphy did enough to force the ball into the path of Evan Farrell, and he lifted the finish past Ryan Guerin to open the scoring.
Kerry had barely come to terms with falling behind and it was two. This time it was all about Dunphy, as he won a challenge in the centre circle and it sprung him clear, before beating the last defender and drilling home low from outside the box.
Farrell almost made it three just before the break but his effort from Remiasz’s pass was hooked off the line.
Early in the second-half Darragh McGuire did similarly to stop Rob Vasiu’s corner from finding the net.
Wexford broke straight up the field and made it three.
After great work from Seán Fitzpatrick and Dylan McEvoy, the ball fell to Kyle Clancy at the back post and he fired past Guerin.
There was no real sign of what was to come in the last ten minutes, as Aaron Phelan made a solid save from Vasiu but he wasn’t unduly troubled.
Then, with eight minutes left, a nothing long ball over the top caused panic between the Wexford defence and goalkeeper, and Cian Brosnan nipped in to score.
He nearly did the same two minutes later in similar circumstances but his shot from a tight angle missed the target.
Proving Mark Doran and his side have something to work on in training this week, another hopeful ball forward had them at sixes and sevens in the 75th minute and again Brosnan pounced to make it 3-2.
Penalties don’t come much softer than the one Evan Farrell won in the 80th minute, as visiting ‘keeper Ryan Guerin not only got the ball, he came away from the challenge with it.
Justice was done when he saved Farrell’s spot-kick.
Wexford round out the first phase of the competition with a trip to Cobh on Sunday week.
They are now on the verge of finishing a commendable fourth in the table, which was the goal for this squad after their slow start to the season.
Wexford F.C.: Aaron Phelan; Darragh McGuire, Dylan Casey, Seán Redmond; Evan Connolly; Seán Fitzpatrick, James Cullen, Patryk Remiasz, Paddy Redmond; Evan Farrell (capt.); Tyler Dunphy. Subs. (rolling) - Seán Adam Gourley, Harry Curtis, Conor Carew, Kyle Clancy, Dylan McEvoy, Kyle Rankin, Luke Murphy.
Kerry: Ryan Guerin; Eoin McGrath, Zac Behan, Caolan O’Connell (capt.), Seán O’Connell; Cian Clancy; Rob Vasiu, Cian Wright, Cian Brosnan, Seán Kedzierski; Ronan Teahan. Subs. (rolling) - Cillian O’Shea, Seán Moran, Ciarán Cooney, Andy Rogers.
Referee: Kevin Murphy (Wexford).