Player of the month Rianna in super form
Another double for striker
WEXFORD YOUTHS 3 U.C.D. WAVES 0
ON THE week the second best striker in the Continental Tyres Women’s National League headed to England, Rianna Jarrett reminded everyone why she’s top of the ladder with another brace as Wexford Youths won again on Saturday.
This Ferrycarrig Park success, against a U.C.D. Waves side that struggled to beat Kilkenny last time out, was Wexford’s twelfth in 13 league games, and their 14th in 15 games in all competitions this season.
The victory keeps the champions six points ahead of Shelbourne, with Peamount, who have played a game less, four points further back. With just eight league games now remaining, the countdown is well and truly on.
Wexford boss Tom Elmes made two changes from the team that comfortably dispatched Cork the previous week. Doireann Fahey came into the defence in place of Becky Cassin, after returning from international duty with the Ireland Under-19s.
Without Becky Conroy and Aisling Frawley, another away with the national team last week, Orla Casey, also came into the starting eleven. However, it was someone at the other end of the age scale that made an immediate impact.
With less than five minutes on the clock, Kylie Murphy nodded home an Emma Hansberry corner from close range to get the hosts off to the best possible start. U.C.D. had a few sighters of goal but failed to trouble a composted Sophie Lenehan.
An Orla Casey strike from the edge of the area tested Erica Turner in the Waves goal, but Wexford did add to their lead at the start of the second quarter when Rianna Jarrett scored her first after tireless work by Katrina Parrock saw her win back possession high up the field.
Edel Kennedy missed a good chance to pad the lead when firing wide before the break, and the hosts might have rued that miss had U.C.D. been able to make the most of their period of probing play after the break.
With the next goal clearly crucial, Youths found it when Jarrett rose high to head home Nicola Sinnott’s right-wing cross with 25 minutes left.
Kennedy, Parrock and Emma Hansberry all had chances to add further gloss to the scoreline but three was plenty to ensure another fantastic Wexford win.
Youths are back in action on Saturday when they welcome Galway to Ferrycarrig Park for the League Cup semi-final. The next scheduled league fixture is seven days later against Shelbourne, but previous Champions League representatives have not played three days before their first tournament game.
Wexford Youths: Sophie Lenehan; Nicola Sinnott, Lauren Dwyer, Orlaith Conlon, Doireann Fahey; Kylie Murphy; Emma Hansberry, Edel Kennedy, Orla Casey, Katrina Parrock; Rianna Jarrett. Subs. - Aoife Slattery for Casey, Ciara Delaney for Dwyer, Becky Cassin for Sinnott, also Ciamh Dollard, Cliodhna Ní Shé.
U.C.D. Waves: Erica Turner, Rachel Doyle, Orla Haran, Aisling Spillane, Keelin McEntee, Kerri Letmon, Chloe Mustaki, Sinéad Gaynor, Amy Guilfoyle, Dearbhaile Beirne, Naima Chemaou. Subs. - Aisling Dunbar for Guilfoyle, Sophie O’Donoghue for Letmon, Paula Doran for Haran.
Referee: Nicky Boland (Wexford).