Share of the spoils for Under-15 team
WEXFORD F.C. earned a battling draw against a good Cabinteely outfit in an entertaining SSE Airtricity League Under-15 clash at Ferrycarrig Park on Sunday.
After soaking up a lot of pressure in the first-half, the hosts hit the front shortly after the turnaround when Seán Fitzpatrick found the back of the net, but Tariq Al-Mugheiry drew the Dubliners level 16 minutes later to ensure they returned up the N11 with a share of the spoils.
Although Cabinteely were on the front foot for most of the opening half, it was Wexford who were first to threaten, with captain Evan Farrell striking an effort wide of the left post.
However, the Dubliners were quickly in the ascendancy and Roy Byrne steered a Cillian Melwani cross wide in the eighth minute.
Moments later the lively Godswill Chinedum let fly from distance, but Wexford netminder Aaron Phelan was always behind the shot.
Cabinteely’s Seán McClean was presented with a good chance on the half hour mark when he ran on to a pull back from Chinedum, but he lifted his effort over the crossbar.
The visitors were a lick of paint away from taking a lead into the interval when McClean curled in a delightful free-kick in injury time, but it struck the butt of the right post and bounced away to safety.
Wexford F.C. took full advantage of the let-off when they got their noses in front six minutes into the second-half.
Tyler Dunphy ran on to a pass from Evan Farrell and hared down the left wing before cutting inside, and when goalkeeper Kajus Aksamitis got a hand to his cross, Seán Fitzpatrick was lurking and applied a left-footed finish.
Wexford then had a great opportunity to double their advantage, but Kyle Clancy’s shot was always rising over the crossbar, and after knocking on the door a couple of times Cabinteely eventually forced it open midway through the half and got the equaliser their endeavour deserved.
Evan Curran burst forward with real menace and, after goalkeeper Phelan had made a fine save, AlMugheiry was quickest to react and turned the ball home.
Phelan had to be alert to prevent Cabinteely going ahead three minutes later when Chinedum won back possession and tried to squeeze a shot in at the near post, but a deflection took some of the sting out of the strike and the goalkeeper was able to gather.
Neither side rested on their laurels and Wexford threatened twice late on.
First Patryk Remiasz put Tyler Dunphy away but the goalkeeper stood up well to narrow the angle, and Kyle Clancy saw his longrange effort fizz narrowly over.
Cabinteely had one final effort deep into injury time, but Al-Mugheiry’s shot cleared the crossbar and the points were shared.
Wexford F.C.: Aaron Phelan, Darragh McGuire, Dylan Casey, Seán Redmond, Dylan McEvoy, Conor Carew, James Cullen, Patryk Remiasz, Tyler Dunphy, Evan Farrell (capt.), Seán Fitzpatrick. Subs. - Seán Adam Gourlay for Cullen, Kyle Clancy for McEvoy, Harry Curtis for Carew, Paddy Redmond for Fitzpatrick, Rian Fitzpatrick for Farrell, Dylan McEvoy for Redmond, also Kyle Rankin.
Cabinteely: Kajus Aksamitis, Cillian Melwani, Ben Houghton, Joshua Daly, Reece McCormack, Seán McClean, Roy Byrne (capt.), Evan Curran, Godswill Chinedum, Josh McGlone, Tariq Al-Mugheiry. Subs. - Amer Boulbassir for McGlone, Stephen Doran for Melwani, James Bingham for McClean, Ben Feeney for Byrne, Eoghan Murphy for Chinedum.
Referee: Peter O’Rourke.