U-17s share the honours
GALWAY UNITED WEXFORD F.C. 1 1
A REMARKABLE Darragh Levingston strike before half-time was cancelled by Galway sharpshooter Colin Kelly as Wexford were held by the high-flying westerners in the SSE Airtricity League Under-17 Southern Elite Division in Castle Park on Saturday.
Levingston’s goal, from inside his own half, looked like it would be enough to give Wexford their second shock win in just seven days, after beating leaders Shamrock Rovers the previous weekend.
Galway dominated possession for the majority of the game but Wexford consistently looked more dangerous on the counter.
After Jack O’Neill’s sixth-minute header was disallowed for a foul on Wexford full-back Shane Gibson, the Ferrycarrig boys created the better opportunities until half-time.
O’Reilly had a volley saved before Levingston stepped over a free-kick five yards inside his own half. Spotting the goalkeeper off his line, his perfectly weighted strike flew above Sam O’Gorman’s reach and nestled into the top left corner.
Kevin Murphy headed Smithers’ cross over the bar before Luke Greene kept O’Gorman’s hands warm with a well driven shot at the Galway goal as Wexford searched for a second before the break.
The second-half was far more entertaining for the neutral.
It was end-to-end, especially after Galway United found their equaliser.
Before this, James Dowling missed a golden opportunity to put the game to bed, when Smithers’ low cross was somehow lifted above the bar from five yards out.
Pressure was beginning to mount on the Wexford defence and gaps were starting to form as legs tired. Donal Higgins shot wide before Liam Horkan pulled an amazing save from Wexford netminder Seán Maher.
Eventually Galway found the key to unlock Wexford’s rearguard. It came from an attacking set-piece for the Ferrycarrig boys, as Galway countered and Kelly finished expertly for his 24th goal of the 20-game season.
The final 15 minutes were constant attacking football, as both teams searched for a second, winning goal.
Brian Byrne almost capitalised on a poor backwards header but O’Gorman leapt on the ball in the nick of time.
The goal then appeared to be gaping for Dowling as he was teed up by Greene, but the winger waited just moments too long to get his shot off from twelve yards.
Brody Murphy wrestled his way into the box before being denied from point-blank range by O’Gorman prior to Maher expertly stoping Kelly’s injury time shot on goal.
That draw marks the end of the league season for the Model boys, but Wexford will play on Saturday away to Shelbourne in the first round of the Airtricity League Under-17 Shield - a competition they will be quietly confident of going far in.
Wexford F.C.: Seán Maher; Dylan Whelan, Kevin Murphy, Darragh Levingston, Shane Gibson; Luke Greene, Graham O’Reilly, Ethan O’Neill, James Dowling, Brody Murphy; Seán Smithers. Subs. - Killian Griffin for Whelan (40), Brian Byrne for Smithers (70), Caellum Travers-Devlin for O’Reilly (70), Robert Bulmer for Dowling (84), also Aaron Hall.
Galway United: Sam O’Gorman; Liam Corcoran, Ben Molloy, Ben O’Gorman, Liam Horkan; Jack O’Neill, Donal Higgins, Adam Farrell, Oleg Vysochan, Dara Costello; Colin Kelly. Subs. - Dean Murphy for O’Neill (60), Aidan Halloran for Vysochan (64), Darragh Byrne for Higgins (78), Charlie Concannon for Farrell (84), Eoin McSweeney for Molloy (86), also, Harry O’Gorman, Cian O’Brien.
Referee: Marc Lynch (Galway).