U-17s beaten in cup derby
WEXFORD F.C. put in a battling performance against Waterford in the Mark Farren Under-17 Cup at the R.S.C. on Wednesday but still slipped out of the competition to three late goals from the hosts.
Coming on the back of a morale-boosting first victory of the season at the weekend, hopes were high for the Ferrycarrig Park side going into the mini south-east El Clasico. However, it was the hosts who made the all-important breakthrough on the hour mark before going on to victory.
Waterford, who boast former Wexford Youths Women’s boss Gary Hunt as assistant manager of their side, started on the front foot. Visiting ‘keeper Colum Feeney made an excellent early save from Jack Larkin’s header in the tenth minute.
Slowly growing in confidence, Wexford’s Brandon Deady fired in a shot from the left edge of the area but former North End goalkeeper Charlie Heffernan was untroubled.
Just before the break two more former United players combined, Liam Berry and Kyle Kennedy, but the latter’s shot whizzed over the crossbar as their former colleague scrambled to cover.
Level at the interval, the visitors were in a good position to push on in the second-half. However, the hosts took the lead on the hour mark when Ciarán Brennan swung in a cross that attacker Oisín Knox diverted to the net.
Wexford turned up the tempo after falling behind and nearly grabbed an equaliser. Home stopper Heffernan had to be at his very best to tip substitute Adham Masood’s effort onto the crossbar in the 68th minute.
Colm Whelan almost doubled the Waterford lead, only for Feeney to make a super save. There was nothing the Wexford goalkeeper could do to deny Jack Larkin the hosts’ second 13 minutes from time though when he fired home after Brennan’s initial effort was blocked.
Liam Berry went close with a header for Wexford with ten minutes remaining but Waterford secured their place in the next round when Regix Madika tapped home to complete the victory in the 84th minute.
All in all there was very little in the game but Waterford got that crucial first goal. Reece Murphy and Jack Gallagher preformed well for the visitors and Kyle Kennedy had his moments in the attacking third.
Wexford didn’t have long to dwell on this disappointment, meeting Bray Wanderers in Ferrycarrig Park four days later as they aimed to put back-to-back league wins together.
And they succeeded in style with a 3-1 success thanks to goals from Liam Berry, Kyle Kennedy and Caellum Travers-Devlin, with all three assists coming from Adham Masood.
Wexford F.C.: Colum Feeney, Jack Gallagher, Jason Daly, Cian Foley, Reece Murphy, Paddy Barron, Kyle Kennedy, Caellum Travers-Devlin, Liam Berry (capt.), Oscar Smith, Brandon Deady. Subs. - Adham Masood for Deady (51), Ciarán Paige for Smith (63), Nathan O’Connor for Barron (63), Conor Signorelli for Daly (81), James Esser for Kennedy (88), also Michael Walsh, Kian Kerr.
Waterford F.C.: Noel Heffernan, Kallum Broaders, Adam Conway, Torik Adegao, Darragh Power, Jack Larkin, Dean Beresford, Ciarán Brennan, Colm Whelan, Regix Madika, Oisín Knox. Subs. - Greg Waters for Conway (30), Lee Costello for Adegao (41), Mike Nzongong for Broaders (71), Jack O’Donnell for Brennan (83), also Brendan Kirwan, Andrew Farrell, Seán Tracey.