Luck deserting U-19 side

WITH A third of the SSE Airtricity Under-19 Southern Elite section season now complete, Wexford F.C. will feel a little aggrieved by their bottom three position in the table after four decent performances in a row have led to four defeats.

They travelled north to the U.C.D. Bowl on Monday of last week, a fixture moved up five days, to play the league-leading hosts. While they had plenty of the game, and the better chances, they came away without anything to show for their efforts.

They got off to a disappointing start and were always playing catch-up. Within twelve minutes the hosts took the lead from the penalty spot through Ben Hanrahan’s coolly-taken low effort that sent Jason McGuire the wrong way.

The goalscorer won the spotkick himself, cutting in on the left, but Owen McCormack looked to have some justification to feel aggrieved at the award of the penalty as he seemed to get the ball as well as the man, despite the challenge looking clumsy.

Wexford settled and looked dangerous with diagonal balls from deep to first team regular Craig Hayes. On one such occasion Vinny Quinlan picked him out and Hayes controlled, but slashed his shot over the crossbar.

Then, later in the first-half, the same duo combined and Hayes fed across goal for Dean George. With only the ‘keeper to beat, George missed the target with his left-foot shot and U.C.D. survived. Just before the break, Cian Doyle volleyed over the crossbar.

It was more of the same in the second-half with the visitors dictating play. When Kyle Doherty was fouled 25 yards from goal, George warmed Conor Kearns’ hands with a crisply-struck freekick.

Owen McCormack went close as the half wore on, heading wide from a left wing-corner, and later the Wexford defender saw his shot drift over as time expired on the visitors’ challenge.

Next up for Wexford is a trip to Cobh on Saturday to face hosts Ramblers at St. Colman’s Park, and they follow that with a visit to the Carlisle Grounds to meet Bray Wanderers ten days later.

Wexford F.C.: Jason McGuire, Adam Rochford, Jack Bates, Cian Doyle, Kyle Doherty, Vinny Quinlan, Eoin Donnelly, Craig Hayes, Yaw Aboagye, Owen McCormack, Dean George. Subs. - Cormac Kehoe for Aboagye, Dylan Bradley for Doherty, Adam Doyle for C. Doyle, also Adam Dempsey, Leon Nolan, Eoin Curran.

U.CD.: Conor Kearns, Evan Farrell, Darragh Corcoran, Joseph Manley, Mark Dignam, Andrew O’Reilly, Seán McDonald, Luka Lovic, Yousef Mahdy, Seán Quinn, Ben Hanrahan. Subs. - Conor Crowley for Hanrahan, Kevin Coffey for Mahdy, Dylan Rowe for Lovic, Cian Ryan for Quinn, John O’Keane for McDonald, also Finn McGowan, Esteban McVilly-Brown.

Referee: Adam Patchell.