A third win in four for U-19s
Bray leap-frogged on table
WEXFORD’S IMPROVED form continued as they leap-frogged Bray Wanderers courtesy of 2-0 victory in the SSE Airtricity League Under-19 Southern Elite Division in Ferrycarrig Park on Friday.
The hosts’ third win in four games saw them jump out of last place and sent their Wicklow opponents to their old position at the foot of the table.
Wexford were forced to be patient as they went in search of goals, but their approach work eventually paid dividends as Dean George and Danny Doyle both struck in the final quarter of an hour.
In truth the game started very slowly, as you would expect of a clash between the league’s bottom two sides.
The first sniff either team had at a shot was around the quarter-hour mark. It was Luke Rossiter who sailed Bray’s first opportunity well over the crossbar while Adam Feeney saw his tame header from Dylan Bradley’s pull back easily saved.
The visitors arguably shaded an opening 45 minutes where both sides squandered possession easily as medium to long-range passes seemed to be the order of the day.
Rossiter crashed a free-kick into the Wexford wall moments before Adam Dempsey needed to be on his toes to dive on the ball after a positive run by Bray winger David Gilsenan.
At the other end Dean George was looking most dangerous. He found himself in shooting positions on a number of occasions but lacked the composure to get a decent strike away.
The two closest shaves came towards the end of the half. Bray’s Gavin Howard swivelled and saw his shot cannon off the back stanchion from the edge of the box, while Vincent Quinlan almost fired Wexford ahead on the stroke of half-time, shooting inches wide from 25 yards after Bradley’s short free.
After the interval the game started very evenly once again, but as the half progressed it was clear that the home side were the ones pushing for a winner.
Feeney and Daniel Madaghjian both wasted chances for their sides early on while Neil Murphy made an important tackle to deny Gilsenan on the hour mark.
Gilsenan was involved again minutes later when he linked up with Rossiter to feed Madaghjian, who pulled a good save from Dempsey in the Wexford goal.
Wexford were getting closer themselves as the clock ticked into the 70s. Quinlan had a good effort denied at the near post before Doyle’s header clipped the outside of the post and flew harmlessly wide.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 77th minute and the part played by goalkeeper Adam Dempsey cannot be ignored. His quick thinking from an opposition corner set Doyle away on goal before the winger was brought down on the edge of the box.
Dean George stepped up and sent his free through a gap in the wall and into the bottom right corner of the net.
The win was assured ten minutes later from another set-piece. Bradley’s corner was met powerfully by Doyle and, despite some late Bray pressure, Wexford held out for a hard-earned clean sheet and three points.
Waterford visit Ferrycarrig next on September 17 as Wexford will be looking to make it four wins from five in their final game of the regular season.
Wexford F.C.: Adam Dempsey; Vincent Quinlan, Adam Rochford, Martin O’Connor (capt.), Neil Murphy; Michael Gardiner, Cian Doyle, Dean George, Dylan Bradley, Danny Doyle; Adam Feeney. Subs. - Robbie Kane for Doyle (69), Yaw Aboagye for George (80), Jack Healy for Quinlan (85), also Alan Maher-Broderick, Liam Berry, Caellum Travers-Devlin.
Bray Wanderers: Malachy Doyle; Luke Clucas, Aaron Hennessy, Jack Whelan, Dylan Hennessy; Gavin Howard, Luke Rossiter (capt.), David Gilsenan, Cormac Kelly, Stephen Morley; Daniel Madaghjian. Sub. Nathan Wolohan.
Referee: Seamus Kelly (Wexford). WEXFORD WERE comprehensively beaten by ten-man Cork City in the SSE Airtricity League Under-17 Southern Elite Division in Ferrycarrig Park on Saturday.
After Jamie O’Sullivan’s red card in the 36th minute it looked as if Wexford might seize control and earn a valuable win, but three Cork goals inside the final 15 minutes has made Wexford’s quest for a top four finish look all the more bleak.
Cork started the game on top and the travelling side looked dangerous early on down the flanks, with both Dale Holland and Tomás Collins heading wide from crosses.
Daniel Djomo was the next Rebel man to go close, with his shot from outside the area deflected inches wide.
Moments later Conor Bowdren had the ball in the net for Cork but the linesman’s flag prevented the deadlock from being broken at this early stage.
Then, a potential turning point came in the 36th minute when Jamie O’Sullivan picked up his second yellow card for dissent and suddenly from a position of control Cork were down to ten men.
Wexford seemed to have made their extra man count for the first time just before the half-time whistle sounded.
Craig O’Reilly and Liam Berry combined well before the latter saw his one-on-one saved by the toe of Cork ‘keeper Patryk Osinski.
Despite Wexford as expected enjoying more of possession after the re-start, Cork had the best of the early chances when Holland fed Rory Doyle, only for his chip to be well saved by Colum Feeney.
The home side were controversially