Filip fires Albion to success
Fabulous five goals from top scorer decides derby tie
WEXFORD ALBION A NORTH END UNITED A
WEXFORD ALBION A experienced the two sides of sport in the space of four days, as they bounced back from a bitter disappointment midweek to produce a fine display when overcoming town rivals North End A in the third and fourth place play-off at the Mini World Cup finals in Kennedy Park on Sunday.
The competition, in its 47th year, is now named after the late Albion stalwart Jack Carthy, and the boys did him proud in their response to bowing out of the semi-final proper to Forth Celtic B on Wednesday.
That game was a cracking contest, generally regarded as the best of the 32 played since this all-action competition commenced on May 26.
After finishing 0-0 at the end of normal time, and then 1-1 following extra-time, Albion were heartbroken to bow out 2-1 on penalties, but they recovered in the best possible manner.
And it was a game to remember in particular for speedy left-sided attacker Filip Wasilewski, as his five-goal haul saw him complete a notable double.
After winning the top goalscorer award for the tournament last season in the colours of Legia F.C., the talented newcomer to Albion ranks repeated the dose and received a well-deserved trophy for his scoring exploits from sponsor Seánie Fenlon.
Logan Byrne also chipped in with a second-half brace despite the best efforts of North End, who had the bare minimum of seven players from their squad of ten to choose from.
The Sky Blues offered stout resistance in the opening ten minutes, although Albion were creating enough chances to suggest that they would finally break the deadlock.
Logan Byrne directed a low early shot left and wide, while a Darragh McLaughlin effort was knocked out for a corner by North End captain and netminder Callum Leacy in the sixth minute.
Seán O’Connor then had an attempt blocked before Byrne directed a dangerous low ball across the goalmouth.
The pressure continued as a Filip Wasilewski shot was well defended by J.J. Quinn, while Logan Byrne headed wide from the home side’s fourth corner of the half.
North End had given their all in holding out up to that point, but the opener finally arrived in the twelfth minute when a Darragh McLaughlin shot struck a colleague and fell invitingly for Wasilewski who made no mistake.
The first opportunity for North End arrived just over 90 seconds later when their skilful playmaker, Kaylem Harnett, tried his luck from distance but his effort flew over.
And Albion wasted little time in doubling their lead, as a Seán O’Connor cross was expertly tucked away by Wasilewski in the 14th minute.
After a combination of bad luck and superb Forth Celtic defending had denied them a goal in the first 40 minutes of the semi-final, it came as a welcome relief to Albion supporters that their team’s scoring touch was re-discovered.
And Wasilewski almost completed his hat-trick just before halftime, but Callum Leacy brought off a tremendous save.
Another long-ranger from Kaylem Harnett wasn’t too far away from the roof of the net on the re-start, but that third goal for the prolific Wasilewski did arrive two minutes into the half.
Rory O’Connor started an attack by getting his head on a North End throw-in out of defence, with the ball finding Darragh Mallon who rolled it to his left for Wasilewski to finish in style.
Kaylem Harnett continued to offer the main threat for North End, and he struck a free-kick slightly too high before Seán O’Connor and Logan Byrne had decent attempts at the other end.
The best chance for the Belvedere Road side to pull one back fell to striker Andrew Kelly in the 31st minute, but his shot was saved superbly by Adam Furlong who had moved between the posts at the interval.
Albion were in the mood for more goals, and they made their advantage count with four more in the closing eight minutes.
Wasilewski - later named player of the match - was simply unstoppable, with his fourth stroked calmly into the top right corner from a Logan Byrne pass.
Then captain James Kirby directed an inch-perfect free-kick from deep in defence into his path, and he did the rest to extend the lead to 5-0.
A neat Darragh McLaughlin pass over the top gave Logan Byrne the room and time to make it six, and the assist for the latter’s second in under four minutes was provided by Darragh Mallon.
Adam Codd shot wide in between for North End, and they deserve credit for sticking gamely to their task even though they were under pressure from an early stage.
A special mention is reserved for Mika Lawlor who kept the female flag flying and was very composed on the ball, definitely a name to keep an eye on in women’s football in future years.
Conor Shortall took off his goalie’s gloves for Albion at half-time and played a big part with his strength in defence thereafter as they finished the campaign on a high note.
It was the completion of a treble for many of the same players who had played in Division 1 of the Under-11 league throughout the season, having beaten North End 1-0 in Drinagh before Christmas thanks to a Logan Byrne goal.
The return meeting was held last month in Kennedy Park, with an early Darragh McLaughlin goal putting Albion on the road to a 6-1 success.
Seán O’Connor, Logan Byrne (two) and a brace from Callum Fowler, who was over-age for the Mini World Cup, completed their tally on that occasion, with Kaylem Harnett drilling home the North End response.
It was interesting to note, too, that some of the victorious Albion squad had been rivals in the corresponding third and fourth place play-off last year when an A team featuring Conor Shortall, Seán O’Connor and James Kirby beat the B side captained by Darragh McLaughlin and also including Logan Byrne 5-0.
And there was a further boost for the winners at the presentations when captain Kirby accepted the tournament’s fair play award for his team’s sporting reaction to that semi-final defeat to Forth Celtic.
Wexford Albion A: Conor Shortall, James Kirby (capt.), Adam Furlong, Darragh McLaughlin, Logan Byrne, Seán O’Connor, Filip Wasilewski, Darragh Mallon, Rory O’Connor, also Eoghan McCleane.
North End A: Callum Leacy (capt.), Mika Lawlor, J.J. Quinn, Conor Doocey, Kaylem Harnett, Adam Codd, Andrew Kelly, also John Gallagher, Max Beary, Tommy Hillis.
Referee: Jimmy Kelly.