Rianna returns in Wexford win
Galway beaten by two goals
WEXFORD YOUTHS GALWAY WFC
FIFTEEN MONTHS after tearing an ACL for the third time, Rianna Jarrett returned for Wexford Youths on Saturday as her side rebounded from a slump in form to see off Galway at the UL Bowl in the Continental Tyres Women’s National League.
Irish international Jarrett came on in the 64th minute to a huge ovation from the sizeable Gaynor Cup contingent that stayed around to watch the senior game, and she had several chances to make a dream scoring return.
Opportunities came and went for the Youths star but in the cold light of day those misses matter little as goals from Claire O’Riordan and Orla Casey were more than enough to see a wasteful Wexford easily past the mediocre westerners.
The mid-season break obviously gave manager Laura Heffernan time for reflection and the result of that was the long overdue return of Jess Gleeson to the centre of the Youths defence.
With Linda Douglas absent, that decision was probably an easier one but there’s no doubt that it benefited Wexford in more ways than one. It allowed the midfield to be a little more balanced and fluid, particularly the longer the game wore on.
Whether the Becky Cassin/Orla Casey pairing in the deep-lying slots is the way forward for Wexford is yet to be determined. They performed well against Galway but bigger tests are around the corner.
As important as it was to bring football back into the heart of midfield, Youths had been leaking goals with this ‘defensive’ system. Gleeson’s commanding return to the centre of defence saw the ever-reliable Nicola Sinnott move out to the right to the spot vacated by Douglas.
As a result Galway created nothing; they probed at times in the first half but couldn’t penetrate the Wexford defence.
Sophie Lenehan had no serious saves to make but completely commanded her area in a performance laced with uncharacteristic self-confidence.
Should the tireless Douglas’ return to an attacking spot on the wing in weeks to come be mixed in with Katrina Parrock’s impending arrival and returns from injury for Jarrett, Edel Kennedy and Emma Hansberry, then Wexford, currently second in the league, could become the team to beat.
The first-half saw ‘hosts’ Galway do the usual, run around like mad, closing down, huffing and puffing but rarely worrying Wexford. Their energy in the middle of the park made it tough for the new-look Youths midfield to settle but they gradually grew into their task.
In the early stages Wexford’s best openings came on the flanks. Nicola Sinnott, enjoying the licence to get forward, crossed for Aoibhín Webb to head weakly at goal and it was easily cleared to safety.
A powerful defensive Gleeson header found O’Riordan in the Galway half in the 13th minute. She got blocked out but the ball fell to Webb who sent a powerful drive, while being fouled, that Tina Hughes needed to dive full length to keep out of the net.
Then, three minutes later livewire O’Riordan latched onto a misplaced Galway pass, rounded Hughes, then the last defender and sent a composed finish past the covering player on the line to open the scoring.
A Méabh De Burca pot-shot from distance was well held by Lenehan in the 20th minute. In Galway’s best spell, midway through the first-half, De Burca and Lisa Casserly combined to pick out Sadbh Doyle on the edge of the area but the midfielder sliced well over. A minute later a dangerous Sinéad Taylor free-kick to the near post was well claimed by Lenehan.
After taking the early chance, O’Riordan went on to miss several decent opportunities to grab a second. The first of those came on the half-hour mark when Webb, who probably had her best game in the wide position, picked out Kylie Murphy on the edge of the area. She laid off to the onrushing O’Riordan but her shot was denied by Hughes’ outstretched toe.
Two minutes later Webb’s corner from the right was headed towards Casey by Nicola Sinnott but the youngster sliced her shot well wide. Taylor scooped an effort over the bar at the other end before Wexford went two up in the 39th minute.
Again it was Webb looking for the clever pass, splitting the Galway defence with the ball. Orla Casey ghosted in to head past Hughes and then followed up to bundle the ball over the line from close range under intense pressure.
Gleeson almost made it three with a rocket that skimmed over the crossbar from the edge of the centre-circle. Just before the interval Wexford almost got caught with a poorly-executed short corner but Galway fluffed their lines with players over on the break.
There was no real Galway response after the interval as Wexford completely controlled the game, played it at their pace and smothered the life out of their opponents. In fact, it was as composed a 45-minute performance as Youths have put in this season.
A tackle ’ keepers tend to get away with, a two-footed lunge at the ball by Hughes, stopped O’Riordan getting in on Aisling Frawley’s through-pass in the 49th minute. Seven minutes later Lenehan sent long and O’Riordan beat Fox in the air to release Murphy, but she scuffed her shot.
In the 58th minute Wexford won a corner that Webb and Casey worked short. The former got in the cross that Keara Cormican nodded up in the air, and Gleeson powered down a header that Hughes did brilliantly to save.
Kylie Murphy headed a Webb corner over on the hour mark. Four minutes later Orlaith Conlon sent O’Riordan away with a long ball over the top but the Youths striker hit Hughes with only the ‘keeper to beat.
Immediately after that miss Jarrett was introduced to loud applause, with a somewhat unimpressed looking O’Riordan told to drop back between the lines. Within two minutes the returning Jarrett got her first sniff, volleying over O’Riordan’s flick-on to Frawley’s cross.
Galway almost broke clear when Casserly and substitute Aoife Brennan combined but Nicola Sinnott did superbly one-on-one to see out the danger. With 15 minutes to go good link-up play between Jarrett and Frawley ended with a powerful O’Riordan shot being deflected behind.
More solid work by Lenehan saw the Wexford stopper come out over attackers to claim Jenny Byrne’s looping header in the 79th minute. At the other end Murphy forced the ball into Jarrett who tried to cut back on Cormican, but the ball got caught-up and Galway cleared.
In the 85th minute Jarrett had an even better chance. Fantastic football in the build-up, involving herself, Webb and O’Riordan saw the returning heroine drill in a shot that Hughes superbly saved. She was thwarted again moments later and sent an 89th-minute header wide from Frawley’s cross.
The game finished with a couple of Galway corners but Lenehan fittingly came to claim the last one under her crossbar to complete an excellent evening for her side. Wexford are back in action on Saturday in Ferrycarrig Park (7.30 p.m.) against bottom-dwellers Kilkenny.
Wexford Youths: Sophie Lenehan; Nicola Sinnott, Jess Gleeson, Orlaith Conlon, Lauren Dwyer; Becky Cassin, Orla Casey; Aisling Frawley, Kylie Murphy (capt.), Aoibhín Webb; Claire O’Riordan. Subs. - Rianna Jarrett for Casey (64), Ally O’Keeffe for Dwyer (86), also Tamara Furlong, Jenny O’Keeffe, Rachel Hutchinson, Chelsee Snell, Siobhán Doolan.
Galway: Tina Hughes; Jenny Byrne, Shauna Fox, Keara Cormican, Alina Cheatham; Méabh De Búrca (capt), Sadbh Doyle; Rachel Baynes, Lynsey McKey, Lisa Casserly; Sinéad Taylor. Subs. - Aoife Brennan for Baynes (61), also Louise Craven, Aoife Walsh, Jenny Chambers, Megan Carroll.
Referee: Emma Cleary (Sligo).