Hansberry books final place
Sligo native goals from long range to see off Galway
WEXFORD YOUTHS 2 GALWAY W.F.C. 1
AN UNCONVINCING Wexford Youths had Emma Hansberry to thank for pulling her side out of a tailspin and sending them forward into the Continental Tyres Women’s National League Cup final at Ferrycarrig Park on Saturday.
With Galway unloading everything they had on Youths, the hosts were on the ropes as the game moved into the final ten minutes, but if there’s one mistake you can’t make, it’s to give Hansberry a free shot at goal.
Down wind, Wexford came out after half-time and Hansberry seemed to be considering the shot direct from the kick-off.
It was a brief thought, as Tina Hughes has seen it all before and she was rooted to her goal-line as the hosts tipped off.
However, 82 minutes in the wind can scatter even the most focused of minds. Hughes, who is not the biggest goalkeeper in the league, was well off her line when Sligo native Hansberry picked up possession 45 yards from goal, strode forward, set herself and pinged the winning goal over her head.
The celebrations were a picture of joy meshed with relief. This was hard work for Wexford, as they didn’t play particularly well, individually or as a team. They looked a little jaded, almost a little bored.
These challenges by the also-rans of the league don’t seem to get the juices flowing.
Maybe there’s a wandering eye on the Champions League, which is now just seven days away, a competition that presents Wexford with a level of competition they will relish.
Whatever the reason, it was all laboured, no more so than at the back. Lauren Dwyer and Orlaith Conlon have been rock solid this season, one of the main reasons why Youths have won 15 of 16 games in all competitions, drawing the other one.
However, they went close to committing harikari back there on numerous occasions in this game. It wasn’t that Galway possessed the weapons to continually break the hosts down, they didn’t, it’s just that being relaxed on the ball at the back can quickly become lax.
Wexford struggled to create clearcut chances at the other end too. Orla Casey had a couple of early chances, one that Hughes smothered, and one that whizzed over the crossbar, but there was very little in the early exchanges.
Doireann Fahey did well to get to the byline and pull back for Edel Kennedy to force Hughes into a smart low save. From the resulting Hansberry corner, an off balance Rianna Jarrett prodded wide when the ball surprised her at the back post.
Jarrett had a shot blocked when Hughes fumbled Hansberry’s ball into the box in the 24th minute.
Wexford created their best chance of the half ten minutes later. This time Jarrett turned provider with a lovely ball to pick out Casey but she volleyed over from eight yards out.
A short corner between Hansberry and Casey began a game of pinball in the box, once it finally arrived, but Galway survived to head in at the break on level terms. As set-pieces continued to look the most likely route to goal, both sides had opportunities after the interval.
Kennedy’s volley from Hansberry’s free was clutched at the second attempt by Hughes before Ciamh Dollard gratefully collected when an unmarked Chloe Singleton dribbled a weak shot at her from Lynsey McKey’s searching free-kick.
Three minutes later Wexford took the lead. It was Orla Casey’s shot which forced Hughes to deflect into the side-netting, Hansberry sent in the corner from the left, and Katrina Parrock rose to nod home from six yards out.
Jarrett miscontrolled Aisling Frawley’s right wing cross to let Galway off the hook two minutes later, and soon the hosts were struggling. McKey’s free-kick looped off Edel Kennedy’s body and over Dollard to the net in the 65th minute.
Dollard superbly tipped a McKey free-kick onto the bar after Orlaith Conlon got caught in pos- session and fouled the Galway attacker.
Substitute Lucia Lobato got away in similar circumstances and cracked the underside of the crossbar with eight minutes left.
Wexford broke straight up the field and Hansberry netted the winner.
McKenna Davidson came on for her home debut with five minutes left and put in the sort of delivery that Jarrett, whom she replaced, hadn’t seen all evening but would ordinarily have gobbled up on the edge of the six-yard box.
Aisling Frawley got away on the inside right deep into injury time, but her finish flew across goal and harmlessly wide.
Galway had used up all their energy reserves by then though, and Wexford comfortably held on. The League Cup final, against Peamount, will take place on the week ending September 16.
With potentially 17 games remaining this season (not including the possibility of advancing to the knockout stages of the Champions League), Youths have pulled off a masterstroke by bringing their league game against Kilkenny forward to tomorrow (Wednesday) evening.
It gets what should be a uncomplicated game out of the way and helps avoid a nightmare run-in with games every few days. The Kilkenny match is the last before Wexford begin their European adventure against Ajax in Belfast next Tuesday.
Wexford Youths: Ciamh Dollard; Nicola Sinnott, Lauren Dwyer, Orlaith Conlon, Doireann Fahey; Kylie Murphy (capt.); Katrina Parrock, Edel Kennedy, Emma Hansberry, Orla Casey; Rianna Jarrett. Subs. - Aisling Frawley for Casey (58), Becky Conroy for Parrock (75), McKenna Davidson for Jarrett (85), also Sophie Lenehan, Aoife Slattery, Becky Cassin, Ciara Delaney.
Galway W.F.C.: Tina Hughes; Rachel Baynes, Shauna Fox, Méabh De Búrca, Carlie Schecht; Emma Starr; Aislinn Meaney, Chloe Singleton, Tessa Mullins, Sadhbh Doyle; Lynsey McKey. Subs. - Lucia Lobato for Meaney (68), Aoife Thompson for Mullins (85), also Louise Creaven, Aoife Walsh, Sinéad Donovan, Sarah Baynes.
Referee: Mick Farrell (Wexford).