Back to bottom of the table
Shortlived stay in ninth spot ended by defeat at home
WEXFORD F.C. CABINTEELY F.C. 0 2
WEXFORD’S SPELL off the bottom of the SSE Airtricity First Division table was shortlived, as Friday’s 2-0 defeat to new leaders Cabinteely in Ferrycarrig Park coupled with results elsewhere saw them leap-frogged by Galway.
This outing marked the last of the nine games in the first of three phases in the campaign, and it has ended with Brian O’Sullivan’s side boasting just one win and one draw.
Series two will commence next Friday with another home clash against Athlone Town, who are five points better off than a struggling Wexford (7.45 p.m.).
A much-improved Cabinteely pounced for their two goals in the opening half, with their rivals left to rue an inability to take their own best chances created in that same period.
Team captain Chris Kenny completed his return after a long injury lay-off with his first start of the season, having appeared off the bench in Limerick seven nights earlier.
However, there was some surprise with his selection as the left-sided centre-back, given that Darragh O’Connor was dropped as a result despite forming an effective partnership with Seán Callan in recent games.
Considering his lack of match sharpness, it was perhaps unsurprising that Kenny struggled to cope with the pace of Kieran Marty Waters at times.
He was eventually forced off with another injury and his place was taken by the unlucky O’Connor, but surely the experienced Enniscorthy man would have a lot more to offer by being selected in a midfield department which has been mediocre at best all season.
An injury to Danny Furlong led to the other enforced change, with Thomas Croke pushed up to a central role just behind main striker Jack Doherty after being used as a right-back thus far this season.
The game was only 37 seconds old when the Waterford man chipped over the bar, and he supplied the through ball in the twelfth minute to create a giltedged chance.
It seemed to fall for the right man too, as Jack Doherty has looked dangerous all season, but this time his shot was well saved by the feet of Cabinteely captain Stephen McGuinness.
The first corner for the visitors ultimately led to their opening goal which arrived in the 16th minute.
Former Wexford player Seán Hurley swung it in with his left peg, with the ball helped on by Jonny Carlin before Chris Kenny headed it out for a throw on the left.
This was taken by Daniel Blackbyrne and added to at the near post by centre-half Conor Keeley, with prolific scorer Rob Manley on hand to direct a low shot into the left corner of the net.
The creative pair of Jack Watson and Kieran Marty Waters combined on the next Cabo attack, only for Blackbyrne to shoot over the bar.
A body check on Vilius Labutis earned a deserved first yellow card for Wexford’s Owen McCormack on a night when some of the abuse hurled at referee Paula Brady from the stand was simply unacceptable.
And the home side’s best chance of an equaliser arrived on their next attack in the 23rd minute when a good long ball from McCormack located Jack Doherty to the right of goal.
His shot was blocked and fell invitingly for Thomas Croke, but his attempt was disappointing as he directed his shot straight at netminder McGuinness and made the save very straightforward.
Croke then found Doherty who headed into the path of Emmet Nugent, but the Kilkenny winger hooked his attempt across goal and wide.
A Croke shot at the near post was blocked for Wexford’s sole corner (Cabo had three) in the 35th minute.
Ryan Nolan’s low delivery was partially cleared to Croke who floated it back into the box, and a glancing header from Chris Kenny forced McGuinness to get down low and make a good save.
Doherty earned and took a long-range free-kick that was comfortably stopped by the netminder, but all of that Wexford pressure was undone in the 40th minute when Cabinteely doubled their lead.
Rob Manley found Kieran Marty Waters whose through ball picked out Jack Watson in acres of space, and his finish was composed as the Wexford players looked in hope towards linesman Brian Fenlon in the mistaken belief that the scorer was offside.
The south Dublin side almost made it three early in the new half when Watson fizzed a low free-kick right and wide after he was fouled by Ryan Nolan on the edge of the box.
Daniel Blackbyrne was booked for dissent after Corey Chambers advanced smartly to cut out his attempted one-two with Kieran Marty Waters, while a struggling Chris Kenny also collected a yellow card shortly before limping gingerly off the field to be replaced by Darragh O’Connor.
Nika Arevadze came into the action too for Thomas Croke, but whatever slim hopes Wexford entertained disappeared completely in the 62nd minute when a late challenge by Owen McCormack saw him dismissed on a second booking.
Manager Brian O’Sullivan hasn’t been happy with the poor discipline from his charges in the campaign to date, but clearly that message isn’t being heeded because this struggling side cannot afford to be losing players in such cheap fashion.
An Emmet Nugent snapshot didn’t trouble netminder McGuinness in the 67th minute, as he was left with no time to sort out his feet after an Arevadze cross.
Jack Watson shot right and wide from distance at the other end before Ryan Nolan was booked, while the final Cabo corner was cleared by Lee Costello.
The closing 20 minutes were largely devoid of goalmouth action as the victors remained fully in control.
Paddy Cahill did send a late free-kick into the box where Darragh O’Connor headed it towards Emmet Nugent, but the ball struck the latter before going harmlessly wide.
Another Wexford old boy, Shane Barnes, made a late appearance for the winners whose progress is a clear sign of what can be achieved if a club can get its act together at this level.
Wexford have never feared Cabo and have a decent record against them both home and away, but while one team in that equation has come on in leaps and bounds, the other continues to struggle.
For the record, a crowd of 305 attended Friday’s game.
Wexford F.C.: Corey Chambers; Owen McCormack, Seán Callan, Chris Kenny (capt.), Lee Costello; Paddy Cahill, Ryan Nolan; Danny Doyle, Thomas Croke, Emmet Nugent; Jack Doherty. Subs. - Darragh O’Connor for Kenny, inj. (54), Nika Arevadze for Croke (61), Seán Roche for Nolan (85), also Joseph Walshe, Andrew Farrell, Torik Adegoke.
Cabinteely F.C.: Stephen McGuinness (capt.); Jack Tuite, Conor Keeley, Jonny Carlin; Daniel Blackbyrne, Zak O’Neill, Jack Watson, Vilius Labutis, Seán Hurley; Kieran Marty Waters, Rob Manley. Subs. - Luke Clucas for Hurley (68), Shane Barnes for Labutis (86), Adam Doyle for Waters (88), also Peter Quinlan, Eoin Massey, Jack Hudson, Seán Fitzpatrick.
Referee: Paula Brady (Dublin).
SSE AIRTRICITY DIVISION 1 TABLE Cabinteely 9 6 1 2 16 11 19 Longford Town 8 5 3 0 11 2 18 Shelbourne 9 5 1 3 14 9 16 Bray W 9 5 0 4 10 7 15 Limerick FC 94329 7 15 Drogheda Utd 9 4 2 3 14 14 14 Cobh Rblers 9 3 1 5 11 13 10 Athlone Town 9 3 0 6 11 19 9 Galway Utd 8 2 0 6 11 9 6 Wexford FC 9 1 1 7 8 24 4