Youths holding the aces
Wexford see off Limerick ahead of Shels showdown
WEXFORD Youths maintained their six-point advantage on chasers Shelbourne with a comfortable victory over a limited Limerick eleven in the Continental Tyres Women’s National League at Ferrycarrig Park on Saturday evening.
Tom Elmes’ side now need just thirteen points from their final six games to claim their fourth title in five seasons.
However, that total could change dramatically when they host the North Dublin club on Saturday evening.
A victory in the top of the table clash would mean Youths could coast in with seven points from their last five games but a loss will reignite the race for the title and give Shelbourne a huge boost.
This was always going to be a tough fixture to get up for, having finished off their UEFA Champions League campaign just five days earlier.
Wexford didn’t always look great doing it but they handled the job and took the spoils without too many nervy moments.
The boss saw this as a chance to give a couple of the old guard a well-earned rest so Nicola Sinnott and Edel Kennedy dropped to the bench allowing Doireann Fahey and Katrina Parrock to move into the starting eleven.
It was Parrock, left out of the team after the game against Ajax, who looked most likely to create something in a lethargic first period. There could hardly be a better time for the former Wexford camogie star to find her form.
With Aisling Frawley limping off at half-time in this contest, there’s even more pressure on whoever fills the slot on the opposite wing.
Despite an excellent 45 minutes from McKenna Davidson, Parrock has had more game time recently and will know what to expect from Shelbourne.
She also has the benefit of being a big game player.
This is a stage made for Parrock, she’s not afraid to create the headlines, she doesn’t play with fear of the unknown and she is certainly someone who can change a game.
She hasn’t yet done it for ninety minute against a big team for Youths - this is her chance.
While Parrock was influencing play on the wing, once again it was Lauren Dwyer bossing things at the back.
The Carlow native was as busy bailing out others as she was doing her own work, it was a completely unflustered and serene performance from the centre-half.
Wexford took just four minutes to take the lead. On the stretch Emma Hansberry released Rianna Jarrett into the clear, stand-in ‘keeper Karen Connolly half-stopped her poked attempt but the Wexford striker simply tapped in the rebound.
Limerick actually won a few set-pieces in the early stages as the hosts got used to a new back-four.
However, it was one of those days where Sophie Lenehan could have used a padded jersey to keep her warm, she had very little to do but was completely in control when she was called upon.
Jarrett missed the target two minutes later when Parrock picked her out while Doireann Fahey was next to shoot wide after more good work by the two Wexford wingers.
Parrock tested Connolly with a stabbed effort in the 25th minute before Jarrett headed wide a short time later.
The game was meandering along until Jarrett whipped in a right wing cross that Therese Hartley volleyed into her own net in the 37th minute.
She almost repeated the trick in the same circumstances two minutes later.
It was evident for a while that Aisling Frawley wasn’t fit to continue after picking up an early injury and she was eventually replaced at half-time by Davidson.
The Hawaiian immediately picked Jarrett out with a square pass but the striker thumped wide from distance.
After she was fouled, Jarrett flashed over the crossbar from a 30 yard free-kick.
Parrock won possession, cut inside and missed the target with a curled shot in the 57th minute. Limerick were showing no signs of coming out of their shell as the half wore on and Youths continued their attempts to pick holes.
From Jarrett’s cross, Emma Hansberry brought a smart save out of Connolly at her near post. However, there was nothing the Limerick stopper could do in the 70th minute when Davidson got to the byline, pulled back to Jarrett and she curled home her second.
Sylvia Gee hit the target for Limerick with fourteen minutes remaining but Lenehan gobbled it up.
Parrock forced Connolly into a save in the 82nd minute but didn’t miss with a close range header after Hansberry landed a corner in the six yard box to complete the scoring.
With all due respect to the Champions League, Youths now head into their biggest game of the season against Shelbourne at Ferrycarrig Park on Saturday evening.
It might sound strange having won 17 out of 18 games domestically this season but it all counts for nothing if you don’t finish the job.
This is Wexford first and best chance to drive the dagger home.
Outside of their match-ups against each other, Youths run-in is considerably more difficult so this is the time to crush any growing belief coming out of the captial.