U15 DEADLOCK
No goals in south-east derby
WEXFORD F.C. had to settle for a share of the spoils as they were held by Carlow/Kilkenny in Group 3 of the SSE Airtricity Under-15 National League in Ferrycarrig Park on Sunday.
Both sides looked to get forward at every opportunity, with the hosts attacking relentlessly in the second-half, but clearcut chances were few and far between.
The sides cancelled each other out in the opening half, with the first effort on target not coming until the 25th minute when Wexford’s Patryk Remiasz tigerishly won back possession, but his 20-yard shot was straight at goalkeeper Mark McCarthy.
Five minutes later the lively Evan Farrell did well to make space for himself on the edge of the area, but his shot was always rising over the top.
Seconds later Carlow/Kilkenny carved open the Wexford defence with Rory O’Dowd, Eamon Lalor and Oscar Brennan combining, and when Brennan squared the ball back to O’Dowd, who had started the move, he fluffed the chance from six yards out.
The hosts began to turn the screw as the half wore on, with Dylan McEvoy shooting over from a tight angle, before Liam Doyle manufactured a chance for himself.
He picked up the ball on the right wing and did well to make it to the byline, and when his attempted cross fortuitously ricocheted back into his path, he scooped his effort over the bar.
McEvoy again threatened just before the interval when he got his head to a Seán Redmond cross, but the Carlow/Kilkenny goalkeeper gathered comfortably.
Wexford carried that impetus through to the second-half, and Evan Farrell again warmed the goalkeeper’s gloves eight minutes after the turnaround.
Eight minutes later Adam Gourlay steered a Harry Curtis free-kick goalwards, but the netminder showed a safe pair of hands to gather at the near post.
Wexford continued to press without really troubling the goalkeeper, with Remiasz twice trying his luck, first having an effort well held by McCarthy and then seeing a deflected shot going narrowly wide.
Carlow’s Oscar Brennan and Rory O’Dowd were both narrowly off target with 30-yard free-kicks, while Zach Hammond got on the end of a fine O’Dowd cross from the right wing late on but fired his shot over the crossbar as the stalemate continued.
Wexford F.C.: Aaron Phelan, Dylan Casey, Darragh McGuire, Adam Gourlay, Seán Redmond, Liam Doyle, Patryk Remiasz, Evan Connolly, Micheál Quinlan, Evan Farrell, Dylan McEvoy. Subs. (rolling) - Luke Murphy, Eoin Murphy, Conor Carew, Luke O’Rourke, Paddy Redmond, Harry Curtis, Rian Fitzpatrick, Alex Kelleher.
Carlow/Kilkenny: Mark McCarthy, Noah Quinlan, Niall Rowe, Fionn McCaffrey, Darren Lawler, Oscar Brennan, Jack O’Neill, Timmy Clifford, Zach Hammond, Eamon Lalor, Rory O’Dowd. Subs. (rolling) - Ben Goodwin, Jake French, Daryl Ntumba, David Olubewale.
Referee: John Diskin.