Knock to the ankle for Tadhg in easy win
Furlong wins his 47th cap
WEXFORD’S TADHG Furlong was one of four Ireland players being assessed for injuries yesterday (Monday) after the team recorded its first Six Nations win from three attempts at the expense of lowly Italy.
It was a first start in the competition for the front row from Campile, who missed out on the action in green for the best part of a year as a result of back and calf injuries respectively.
After being eased back as a replacement in losses to Wales and France respectively, Furlong was in the first fifteen on this occasion for his 47th cap and ‘served a reminder of his class’ according to Rúaidhrí O’Connor in his ‘Irish Independent’ match report.
Ireland won 48-10 in Rome, with tries scored by Will Connors (two), Keith Earls, CJ Stander, Hugo Keenan and Garry Ringrose respectively, while Johnny Sexton weighed in with six conversions and two penalties.
Furlong was replaced in the 47th minute by Andrew Porter and, after a full eleven months on the sidelines, his club and country mentors will be hoping that the ankle injury he picked up isn’t particularly serious.
A press release issued by the IRFU yesterday (Monday) confirmed the four players who sustained knocks over the weekend – Furlong, Jordan Larmour (hip), Dave Kilcoyne (HIA) and Rónan Kelleher (ankle) – have continued their recovery under the supervision of the national medical team and will be further assessed later in the week.
The Ireland coaching group will retain a 23-man panel – with Furlong included – for the two-day mini-camp on Thursday and Friday at the IRFU High Performance Centre at the Sport Ireland Campus.
The squad dispersed upon return to the country on Saturday evening following the win over Italy, and the focus switches back to the Guinness PRO14 inter-provincial action this coming weekend.
Thirteen players have returned to their club bubbles to avail of game time in the competition: Leinster quartet Ed Byrne, Ross Byrne, Rhys Ruddock and Josh van der Flier; Connacht trio Bundee Aki, Ultan Dillane and Dave Heffernan; Munster’s Craig Casey, Andrew Conway, Shane Daly and Chris Farrell; and Ulster duo Stuart McCloskey and Tom O’Toole.
ST. PATRICK’S ATHLETIC 4 WEXFORD FC 0
WEXFORD FC’S pre-season continued with a tough game against Premier Division challengers St. Patrick’s Athletic in Richmond Park on Friday evening.
Brian O’Sullivan’s side showed plenty of promise in their opening friendly against Drogheda five days earlier, but this was a much tougher assignment against a team expected to be in contention for the title.
The Wexford boss has been busy adding bodies to the squad in the past week, with Alex O’Hanlon, Paul Fox and Harry Groome all thrust straight into the starting line-up days after putting pen to paper for the 2021 season.
They began on the back foot in this game. The hosts knocked the ball around comfortably, like a team who had a more complete pre-season together, and went close when Darragh Burns fizzed a shot across goal and wide in the fourth minute.
Wexford came close to creating an opening a minute later when Conor Crowley pinged a low ball across the edge of the area, but Harry Groome’s touch was heavy and the opportunity quickly disappeared.
Pressing from the front, the Dublin side allowed the visitors very little easy possession.
Pat’s went close to opening the scoring in the ninth minute when Matty Smith headed a left-wing cross narrowly past Jimmy Corcoran’s post.
Despite the lack of time on the ball, Wexford did try to pass it around on the deck.
They won a left-wing free-kick in the twelfth minute but the ball into the box was too deep and the chance to put some pressure on came and went.
St. Pat’s should have taken the lead when they picked out Billy King at the back post in the 17th minute, but his header flew just over the crossbar.
At the other end James Carroll rose highest to nod over a deadball from eight yards out.
Three minutes later the hosts were in front. Corcoran initially made a solid save from a sharp header at the back post, but the ball fell to Ben McCormack and he fired home the rebound from ten yards out.
One should have doubled to two in the 28th minute when Smith drilled into the side-netting, but the second did follow moments later when awful Wexford defending allowed Chris Forrester in to tap home a second.
Another defensive error almost gifted Darragh Burns a third, and the hosts did net again in the 37th minute when Jamie Lennon’s long-range shot found its way past Jimmy Corcoran a little too easily.
Down by three at the interval, Wexford’s task for the second-half was to ensure they had a bit more of the football.
They showed initial promise when substitute Kyle Robinson got away down the left and flashed a shot over the crossbar.
However, after that fleeting chance St. Patrick’s got back on the front foot and dominated the next spell. Tom Murphy, off the bench at the break, made a few good saves, especially low down to deny Matty Smith.
Jack Larkin sent in a 60th-minute looping header that Vitezslav Jaros was able to save after back-pedalling.
Just a minute later the hosts had their fourth when Billy King’s thumping shot under no duress flew low past Tom Murphy.
The Dublin club made wholesale changes after the fourth goal and while they were still on top, Wexford were able to restrict further damage.
Set-piece delivery continued to be poor for the Ferrycarrig Park club in the second-half and will need to be worked on in the coming weeks.
St. Patrick’s almost added the fifth with five minutes left. John Mountney cut into the box from the right and fired low across Tom Murphy with his left boot, but the Wexford ’keeper got down well to turn the ball behind.
All in all it was a super work-out for Brian O’Sullivan’s side. They won’t face a team in Division 1 at this level of quality and they won’t face a side that pressures possession more aggressively than St. Patrick’s Athletic.
Next up for Wexford is another friendly on the road, this time against Shelbourne next Tuesday (March 9) in Tolka Park.
After failing to score in their opening two pre-season games, Wexford will be hoping for a little more in the attacking half of the field against weaker opposition.
Wexford FC: Jimmy Corcoran, Karl Fitzsimons, Alex O’Hanlon, James Carroll, Kevin McEvoy, Karl Manahan, Jack Connolly, Conor Crowley, Success Edogun, Paul Fox, Harry Groome. Subs. - Tom Murphy, Evan Farrell, Jack Larkin, Kyle Robinson, Cameron Power, Daniel Dobbin, Charlie Smith, Luke Turner.
St. Patrick’s Athletic: Vitezslav Jaros, Ian Bermingham, Cian Kelly, Lee Desmond, Shane Griffin, Jamie Lennon, Chris Forrester, Ben McCormack, Darragh Burns, Billy King, Matty Smith. Subs. - Josh Keeley, John Mountney, Daniel Norris, Kian Corbally, Robbie Benson, Jamie Whelan, Jason McClelland.