Under-17 girls fall short of sealing place in semi

WEXFORD YOUTHS Women’s Under-17 team will miss out on a place in the Continental Tyres National League semi-finals after falling to Cork City on their travels.

Alan Browne’s side realistically needed a victory to keep their dreams alive but fell to their talented hosts.

Previously, after getting off to a flying start and picking up five points in their first three games, Wexford hosted Cork in a rainy Ferrycarrig in their fourth outing and put in one of their best performances of the season.

The visitors did hit the foot of Maeve Williams’ post in the early stages but Youths withstood the early advances and took the lead when some hesitancy in the Cork defence allowed Blessing Kingsley in to score her fifth goal of the season.

Wexford pressed and looked for a second goal after the break but couldn’t break down their opponents.

There was one scary moment at the back as the game moved into the final quarter but fantastic defending by Maddy Lawson snuffed out the danger.

Riding high at the top of the table at the mid-point of the shortened season, Wexford hosted Limerick in their fifth contest.

It started pretty well for Alan Browne’s side, with Kira Bates-Crosbie sending Sarah Siggins into the clear to open the scoring with a classy finish.

Aoife Horgan nicked an equaliser in off the foot of Maeve Williams’ post before Aoibheann Clancy drilled home a 25-yard screamer to put the Treaty women into the lead.

However, when Kingsley notched her sixth of the season after Siggins’ shot came back off the bar, it was all knotted up again.

Wexford bossed much of the second-half as they went looking for the lead. Kingsley broke through on a couple of occasions but was denied by some excellent goalkeeping.

In the end Limerick netted a couple of late goals, as Horgan headed home their third and wrapped up the game and her hat-trick with a late strike on the counter-attack.

Greystones have struggled to compete with the best sides in Group 2 but Wexford were determined not to take anything for granted when they travelled north for their sixth outing.

Things got off to a perfect start with Kira Bates-Crosbie sneaking home the opener in the early stages.

Youths completely dominated the game and Kingsley narrowed missed out on doubling the lead when she flashed over from close range.

Wexford did go in at the interval two up thanks to a cracking leftfoot Niamhie Taylor-Hughes strike.

The visitors missed multiple chances to put the game to bed early in the second-half but they did finally grab their third when Kingsley squared for Niamh Tormey to net.

To their credit, Greystones battled away and grabbed a late consolation as the game finished 3-1.

After a weekend off, Youths welcomed U.C.D. to Ferrycarrig Park for a battle of two sides with their eyes firmly fixed on nabbing second spot in the table.

Things got off to the worst possible start for Wexford, with Aoife Glennon firing home an early opener for the Dubliners.

When Maria Keating collected the ball on the edge of the area and curled home U.C.D’s second, Wexford had a mountain to climb.

Kingsley had an effort cleared off the line, then saw her penalty and rebound saved after Siggins was bundled over in the box.

If that wasn’t an indication that it just wasn’t going to be their day, when Kingsley’s free-kick was deflected up and onto the crossbar with the U.C.D. goalkeeper well beaten it pretty much summed up how things were going for Wexford.

The hosts kept pushing for a way back into the game in the second-half and almost got it when Kingsley fired across the face of goal and narrowly wide.

However, there was to be no dramatic comeback and the loss left Youths needing help if they were to be successful with their attempt to reach the knockout stages.

They got a small bit of an aid when U.C.D. and Limerick drew but Youths still needed to get the better of Cork.

Things did not start well for Browne’s side, with Lauren Egbuloniu putting the Leesiders ahead inside ten minutes.

She doubled the lead on the half-hour mark but Wexford battled away and could have got themselves back into the game, with chances for Laura Butler, Niamh Tormey and Kingsley all coming and going.

Youths’ fate was sealed when Meghan Sheehan knocked in the third goal on the hour mark and, despite a consolation goal for Niamhie Taylor-Hughes, there was no way back for Wexford.

They will come up just short of a semi-final place, despite a fine first season in the league by this promising group.

Wexford squad: Marie O’Callaghan, Sarah Martin, Cliodhna Donnelly, Beth Evesson, Kira Bates-Crosbie, Breda Cushen, Molly Crowdle, Melissa Walsh, Rachael Doyle, Blessing Kingsley, Maeve Williams, Sarah Siggins, Niamhie Taylor-Hughes, Hollie Sinnott, Maddy Lawson, Faye Larkin, Shannon McGovern, Niamh Tormey, Eimear Gabbett, Laura Butler.