Wexford the only team trying to play football in first win

DELVING INTO the record books, it would be difficult to come across an occasion when a side was last held scoreless from play in an Allianz Football League game. Much has been said and written about Carlow’s defensive approach and ability to counter-attack, but on this occasion they were unable to go that extra step as they were held scoreless from play in their 2-10 to 1-6 Division 4 defeat to Wexford at Chadwicks Wexford Park on Saturday.

Perhaps the lesson to be learned from this defeat is that it takes much more than a defensive formation to fashion a victory, even against a side such as Wexford seeking their first success this season under new manager Paul Galvin.

To add to the debate, Carlow played out the final two minutes of normal time plus the seven additional minutes minus a goalkeeper as manager Turlough O’Brien moved ‘keeper Robert Sansom into attack.

However, the Ballinabranna netminder failed to get the scores they needed, while Wexford were still unable to add to their firsthalf goal tally, despite playing into a vacant goal for those closing nine minutes.

But it all added little to the values of football – a side held scoreless from play for 70-plus minutes, while the opposition failed to add to their goal tally playing into a vacant goal for nine closing minutes, with Wexford substitute Michael Molloy missing out on a late goal chance to the astonishment of the few hundred supporters.

This is a Carlow display that should not be glorified in any way, because our game deserves much better.

Spectators came to enjoy a competitive game of football but, while the strong downfield wind into the town goal did not help matters, one did not expect to see it take the visitors some 18 minutes to seriously emerge beyond their own halfway line when playing into the elements.

Wexford, to their credit, tried to play a direct, composed style of football, but they came up against a packed defence.

Carlow - despite an abundance of possession - deciding to play keep ball, with passing sideways and backwards but with little forward momentum or penetration, with the result that it was a gruelling game to watch.

One had heard so much about a Carlow resurgence, but memories can be short, as having been promoted they spent just one season in Division 3, before returning to Division 4 for the current campaign.

Given that we had heard so much and read so much from their manager Turlough O’Brien, one expected much more, but they were simply terrible.

I have never witnessed such negativity from an inter-county side, leaving one to ponder the question: how do they expect to win games? The only person with an answer is O’Brien. One might be even excused for not wanting to hear the answer.

Given the Carlow negativity, it was pleasing to see this young Wexford side keep their shape, never panicking, and with experienced duo Ben Brosnan and Jonathan Bealin leading the way with well-executed goals, they lifted the cloud hanging over Wexford football with a first win of the season.

Paul Galvin has spoken repeatedly of bringing together a young set of players, and laying down a gameplan to build a side for the future.

One could witness his preference of play already evolving as it’s somewhat to the Kerry style.

Wexford adopt a quick, direct approach, playing the wings, with the quick ball down the flanks, before switching back to the inrushing half-forwards, an approach that helped set up both goals, as it stretched even a twelve-man Carlow defensive set-up.

This is by no means the same old Wexford. There is no great expectation of seeing the whole picture anyway soon, but this looks like a group of players determined to take the Galvin gameplan on. This game suggests that many building blocks were put in place, as over recent seasons we have struggled against Carlow both in league and championship.

This was a performance of fizzing energy, passion and no little organisation, that gave a glimpse of what Paul Galvin has planned for them.