Share of spoils for U-19 squad
Scoreless draw in Ferrycarrig
WEXFORD F.C. WATERFORD F.C.
WEXFORD F.C. put in a commendable display to earn a share of the spoils against their local rivals in their SSE Airtricity League Under-19 Southern Elite Division clash in Ferrycarrig Park on Sunday.
The hosts looked like they had it all to do when Cian Doyle was shown a red card with 32 minutes on the clock, but over the next hour or so they showed great commitment and application to deservedly come away with a point.
The Blues tried to get at Wexford from the off, with Shane Griffin firing a decent strike narrowly over the bar in the third minute and Justin Croke blazing an effort well off target four minutes later.
However, the Slaneysiders grew into the game as the half wore on and were giving as good as they got, although in the 24th minute goalkeeper Alan Maher-Broderick had to be alert to gather an Owen Wall shot from the edge of the area, after he had been teed up by Eoghan Rea.
Four minutes later Wexford threatened, when the hard-working Adam Feeney whipped in a great cross from the right wing which Dylan Bradley met with a firm header, but his effort went wide of the left upright.
Wexford were then dealt a severe blow when Seán Roche touched the ball into the path of Shane Griffin and as he headed for goal he was dragged back by Cian Doyle.
Referee Seán Grant was quick to reach for the red card and Wexford were really up against it, a man down with almost two-thirds of the contest to be played.
They coped with the setback well though and came within inches of plundering an unlikely lead four minutes into the second-half when Danny Doyle saw his curling effort from just outside the box strike the inside of the far post and bounce to safety.
Wexford goalkeeper Maherwas called into action on 56 minutes when Justin Croke played a through ball to Seán Roche, but the netminder did well to get an outstretched arm to the striker’s shot, his last significant contribution before having to go off injured moments later, with Adam Dempsey taking his place between the sticks.
Waterford jangled a few nerves again on 68 minutes when Owen Wall wriggled free in the area but saw his rising shot strike the crossbar, and seconds later Edward Black played in Justin Croke, but his effort was blocked by a determined home defence.
It was Wexford’s turn to rattle the woodwork three minutes later, when Danny Doyle played a clever flick to open up space for Yaw Aboagye on the right wing, and his whipped cross came back off the crossbar.
Waterford caused a couple of anxious moments late on, with Eoghan Rea failing to get enough power on his header from a Shane Griffin cross and Owen Wall’s dangerous delivery evading everybody, but the hosts held firm for a fully-merited point.
Wexford F.C.: Alan Maher-Broderick, Adam Feeney, Adam Rochford, Martin O’Connor (capt.), Michael Gardiner, Cian Doyle, Dean George, Dylan Bradley, Yaw Aboagye, Danny Doyle, Robbie Kane. Subs. - Adam Dempsey for Maher-Broderick, inj., Michael Murphy for Aboagye, Craig O’Reilly for Kane, also Dion Murphy, Jack Gallagher, Liam Berry.
Waterford F.C.: Paul Martin; Tumise Sobowale, Darragh Corcoran, Darryl Walsh, Eoghan Rea, Shane Griffin, Justin Croke, Edward Black, Michael Carroll, Owen Wall, Seán Roche. Subs. - Darrach O’Connor for Walsh, inj., Niall O’Keeffe for Carroll, Dara Keane for Croke, also Kallum Broaders, Jack Dolan.
Referee: Seán Grant.