Wicklow Youths dream lives on despite defeat
COMBINED COUNTIES WICKLOW YOUTHS 2 0
THE Wicklow Youths team travelled to Leah Victoria Park in Tullamore to take on the Combined Counties outfir (CCFL) in the FAI New Balance Interleague Youths tournament last Saturday afternoon knowing that anything other than a 3-0 defeat or worse would secure them a spot in the last eight of the comnpetition.
Backboned by players from the thriving Avonmore Youths team, this young band of brothers put the recent upheaval of seeing their manager step aside behind them and put on a very decent show only for their failures in front of goal to come back and bite them as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at the midlands venue.
The Wicklow Youths team were by far the better side in the opening half and could have been 3-0 up at the break but for spurned chances, the first as early as the 20-second mark when the flying Oisin McGraynor pulled a shot just wide with his left boot.
Wicklow asked plenty of questions in that opening period. Ryan Kenny almost got on the end of a Callum Busher corner after three minutes when the well floated kick put CCFL’s keeper under pressure and he slapped at the ball but Kenny could only watch as the ball trailed harmlessly wide.
While Wicklow Youths did look the sharper of the two sides in the opening half, CCFL always looked to have potential on the counter and from set pieces; Craig Farrell’s snap shot sailing over Paddy Reynolds’ crossbar after five minutes being the first real sign of what they were capable of.
A mistake at the back from CCFL provided Oisin McGraynor with a chance but the lofty attacker pulled his shot wide of the post when he might have taken a few more seconds to steady himself.
Wicklow had plenty of good performers in that opening half. Paddy Reynolds proved capable in the goals, punching several dangerous balls clear and catching well from a dangerous free kick. Aaron Tuke, Callum Busher and Ryan Kenny were all very busy and committed while Zach Cullen put in a mighty shift.
Wicklow’s best chance arrived after 31 minutes when Oisin McGraynor was played through with a delicate ball but the Avonmore FC man’s shot was saved by the CCFL keeper much to McGraynor’s frustration. The subsequent corner was cleared initially but the ball eventually came to McGraynor but his shot from outside the box was blocked. It then spilled to Ross Ward who laid it off sweetly for Jamie Byrne and his excellent shot was saved by Metzack.
A foul by Craig Farrell on McGraynor gave Ross Ward the chance from outside the box from a free but the accurate strike was gathered easily by Metzack.
CCFL were always dangerous though and only for some superb defending from Zach Cullen they might have been in for their opener late in the first half.
That opener did come early in the second half, however. Three minutes in and a mistake in the Wicklow midfield allowed Stephen O’Connor the chance of a strike from distance and he sent a screamer home past Paddy Reynolds.
CCFL added a second after 76 minutes from substitute Bryan Rohan and despite creating some chances over the course of the second half, that was how iit stayed at the end when Wicklow Youths had done enough to progress through to the last eight of the competition.
They will have to be far more clinical in front of goal from here on in and more energy will be needed in their performances if a spot in the last four is to be secured.
1. Paddy Reynolds, 2. Aaron Tuke, 3. Callum Busher,
4. Ryan Kenny, 5. Zach Cullen, 6. Jack Manley, 7. Ross Ward, 8. Jamie Byrne,
9. Oisin McGraynor, 10. Ruaidhri Fallon Verburgan, 11. Nathan Sullivan. Subs:
12. Sean Leonard, 13. Declan Breslin,
14. Eric Olahan, 15. Antonion Alonso,
16. Dave O’Connor, 17. Nathan Doyle,
18. Aidan Murray.