Jarrett nets winner as women make Waves on the road
U.C.D. WAVES 0 WEXFORD YOUTHS 1
IT’S NOW seven unbeaten in all competitions for Wexford Youths as Rianna Jarrett netted a deserved winner to see her side past U.C.D. Waves in Jackson Park on Sunday.
The visitors had created countless chances but had failed to take any until the introduction of Orla Casey, 24 minutes from time, provided the impetus needed to push Youths over the line.
The youngster got herself to the byline on the left, squared the ball across the face of goal and Jarrett fired home from inside the six-yard box to ensure Wexford kept pace with the other winners last weekend, Shelbourne and Peamount.
Jarrett had been one of her side’s better players on the day. Yet again the defence was excellent, with Becky Cassin staking a claim for a regular slot at full-back with another solid display.
At the other end of the field, much of Wexford’s biggest threat came from wide positions, with Aisling Frawley in particular a constant thorn in the side of the Waves defence.
Wexford saw chances for Frawley, Becky Conroy and a long range strike by Kylie Murphy come and go in the opening quarter without breaking the deadlock. Conroy in particular had a great chance but fired wide left from close range.
Frawley and Jarrett saw Erica Turner make back-to-back saves early in the second quarter before Murphy headed wide from a set-piece.
Jarrett then forced the U.C.D. stopper to push over the bar and Orlaith Conlon made her parry a rocket shot from the resulting corner.
Wexford continued to press and Frawley shot onto the crossbar just before the break. Conroy had a chance from the follow up but her strike flew over and the hosts survived again.
Things were a little quieter immediately after the resumption but moments after Conroy hit the side-netting on the hour mark, Frawley’s heavy touch from O’Riordan’s pass saw a great chance come and go.
Lauren Dwyer never seemed to be able to fully recover from blocking a sharp Dearbhaile Beirne strike. However, Wexford did take the lead through Jarrett while the talented defender was still on the field.
Eventually she was replaced by Katrina Parrock and the former camogie All Star was soon involved when overcooking a ball to an unmarked Aisling Frawley.
U.C.D. battled away but a couple of long-range strikes that missed the target from Beirne and Naima Chemaou were as close as they came to an undeserved equaliser.
Things don’t come much bigger for Wexford than a face-off against old foes Shelbourne. The first meeting between the two this season takes place at the A.U.L. at 4 p.m. on Saturday and promises to be a cracker.
Wexford Youths: Sophie Lenehan; Nicola Sinnott, Lauren Dwyer, Orlaith Conlon, Becky Cassin; Edel Kennedy, Kylie Murphy; Aisling Frawley, Rianna Jarrett, Becky Conroy; Claire O’Riordan. Subs. - Orla Casey for Conroy, Katrina Parrock for Dwyer, inj., Amy Walsh for O’Riordan, also Ciara Delaney, Cliodhna Ní Shé, Rachel Hutchinson.
U.C.D. Waves: Erica Turner; Aisling Dunbar, Katie Burdis, Róisín McGovern, Sinéad Gaynor, Dearbhaile Beirne, Chloe Mustaki, Leanne Payne, Chelsee Snell, Naima Chemaou, Sophie O’Donoghue. Subs. - Aisling Spillane for McGovern, Jenny Chambers for O’Donoghue, Keelin McEntee for Burdis, also Caolan Carroll, Carla Moran, Eimear Lafferty, Orla Haran.
Referee: Paula Brady (Dublin).