Women show admirable grit
Came from behind three times
UCD WAVES WEXFORD YOUTHS 3 4 WEXFORD YOUTHS were forced to come from behind three times before eventually taking the points in a crucial Continental Tyres Women’s National League tie at Jackson Park on Sunday.
Laura Heffernan’s side trailed at the break after conceding three goals in the first-half but showed great heart once again to fight back, take the points and condemn hosts UCD Waves to their first defeat of the season.
The Wexford boss made just one change to the starting line-up from the draw with Shelbourne. Into the team came Aisling Frawley in place of Amy Walsh, with Emma Hansberry switching to the right wing.
The scene of their best win of last season, and one of their most important on the way to the title in the spring of 2016, Jackson Park has become a favourite hunting ground of the Youths women.
However, it didn’t start too well for the visitors with UCD taking the lead inside two minutes when Kerri Letmon’s strike from the right edge of the penalty area flew low into the opposite corner of the net.
Wexford responded well to falling behind, with Claire O’Riordan seeing a shot on target cleared away by the home defence. Soon Youths were level, as Hansberry’s corner was kept alive by Jess Gleeson at the back post and Jenny O’Keeffe arrived to on cue to fire home her first Wexford goal.
Getting a foothold, Youths had another chance in the 18th minute when Linda Douglas released Claire O’Riordan over the top. However, the Wexford striker fired wide of the left post with just Brooke Dunne to beat.
Aine O’Gorman rattled Sophie Lenehan’s crossbar at the other end and Karen Duggan nodded a corner wide. With UCD increasing the tempo, they took the lead when O’Gorman’s corner into the sixyard box caused mayhem and the ball squirmed over the goal-line off a Youths defender.
Their lead didn’t last long again as Emma Hansberry floated a 26th-minute left-wing free-kick into the box which wasn’t dealt with by the home defence, and Kylie Murphy fired home from close-range.
Shortly after O’Riordan narrowly headed a Hansberry cross wide, UCD won a dubious penalty at the other end and Aine O’Gorman fired the resulting spot-kick low to the left bottom corner of the net.
Youths almost grabbed third equaliser then O’Riordan slashed over from Becky Cassin’s clever pass, but the miss left Wexford 3-2 down at the interval, with a lot of work ahead of them in the second-half.
After a lively start to the period, in which UCD saw opportunities for Aine O’Gorman, Karen Duggan and Julie Ann Russell come and go, Youths rolled the dice and made an attacking substitution, sacrificing Cassin for Aoibhín Webb.
Sophie Lenehan made a solid stop from Letmon in the 62nd minute but slowly Wexford started to find their feet again. With 18 minutes remaining a move that started with Jenny O’Keeffe in defence ended with Kylie Murphy firing past Dunne from long-range to equalise for Youths.
Six minutes later the visitors took the lead. A long Linda Douglas ball from the right landed in the penalty area, and it was fought for by Claire O’Riordan and sent into the net by a UCD defender.
Wexford kept the pressure on and O’Riordan nearly added a fifth with a heeled attempt that flew over. O’Gorman had one last chance but Lenehan was up to the challenge, stopping the on-target shot to give her side the points.
The victory moves Youths up to second behind table-toppers Peamount. The Greenogue side visit Ferrycarrig Park this coming Saturday (7.30 p.m. kick-off) in what promises to be an intriguing contest.
Wexford Youths: Sophie Lenehan; Linda Douglas, Nicola Sinnott, Orlaith Conlon, Jenny O’Keeffe; Jess Gleeson, Becky Cassin; Emma Hansberry, Kylie Murphy (capt.), Aisling Frawley; Claire O’Riordan. Subs. - Aoibhín Webb for Cassin, Amy Walsh for Cassin, also Ally O’Keeffe, Siobhán Doolan, Rachel Hutchinson, Chelsee Snell, Amy Wilson.
UCD Waves: Brooke Dunne; Jetta Berrill, Karen Duggan, Rebekah Carroll, Emily Cahill, Julie Ann Russell, Dearbhaile Beirne, Aine O’Gorman (capt.), Orlagh Nolan, Kerri Letmon, Aishling Dunbar. Subs. - Catherine Cronin for Dunbar, also Sinéad Gaynor, Naima Chemaou, Lauren Kelly, Sophie O’Donoghue, Orla Haran, Madie Edwards.
Referee: Deirdre Nolan.