Wilson inspires Crossabeg win
WEXFORD CELTIC CROSSABEG 2 0 A PERFECTLY struck ninth-minute Joe Wilson free-kick inspired Crossabeg to all three points at the expense of Wexford Celtic in their Wexford League Division 2 clash at Sinnottstown Lane.
Wilson was the player who lit up his side all through with a dominant midfield display from start to finish, and his early strike inspired confidence as they continued their impressive start to the season.
Wilson’s opening goal came as the result of consistent pressure through the opening minutes.
Having forced a free-kick some 25 metres out to the right centre of goal, Wilson lifted a superb ball over the wall high into the righthand corner of the net, leaving it 1-0 on nine minutes.
It had looked as if the home side would struggle, but their back four eventually came to terms with the game, holding out despite the intense pressure.
However, they struggled in midfield with the result they were given little opportunity up front, failing to get a direct shot on goal through the opening 45 minutes.
While there was a high-octane start to the game, chances were limited but it was Crossabeg who came closest when Jamie Creane saw a superb 25-metre shot tipped over for a corner by Donal O’Connor, but the score remained 1-0 to the interval.
Both sides pressed very hard in the early stages of the second-half without a real chance of note until the 60th minute when Mark Hayes saw his effort from inside the penalty area well held by ’keeper O’Connor, while at the opposite end Celtic eventually got a shot on target with Stuart Hayden testing ’keeper Conor Keeling with a 20-metre effort from edge of the area.
Two minutes from the end Celtic’s Stuart Hayden saw his penalty rebound off the crossbar, but a goal from Alex Wilson wrapped up the points for Crossabeg.
WEXFORD CELTIC: Donal O’Connor, Ethan Lahiff, Steven Healy, Seán Carmody, John MManus, James Quinn, Willie Lambert, Stuart Hayden, Cian Doyle, Wayne Carty, Evan Reck. Subs. - Keith Keeling, Brian Sweetman, Anton Lindwig.
CROSSABEG: Conor Keeling, Mark Crosbie, David Clarke, Cian Boggan, Paddy Devereux, Joe Wilson, David Berney, Jamie Creane, Conor Maddock, Mark Hayes, Niall Kelly. Subs. - Mark Kavanagh, Oisín O’Connor, Alex Wilson.
REFEREE: Kieran Dunne.