Katrina makes waves
Parrock gets vital goal as women reach Aviva
KATRINA PARROCK fired home an 83rd-minute winner as Wexford Youths ground down a resolute U.C.D. Waves to book their final place in the Continental Tyres FAI Women’s Cup in Ferrycarrig Park on Wednesday.
The goal was the result of pure persistence, as the hosts battered the Waves defence continuously after the break but struggled to pick apart their gallant but cautious visitors.
If it was going to happen for Youths, it always seemed likely that Aisling Frawley would be involved. Leading the line is a different proposition for the sprightly winger, but she is a match-up nightmare for any defender in a one-on-one situation.
In that sense, the goal was a picture perfect example of how manager Tom Elmes would have drawn it up.
McKenna Davidson’s quick left-footed ball that cut out the deep U.C.D. midfield and isolated Róisín McGovern on Frawley was something Wexford lacked for much of the contest.
In that situation, with the ball at Frawley’s feet and the Waves defender going back towards her own goal, there was only one winner. The Youths attacker found that sweet spot on the byline, pulled the ball back to an area near the penalty spot, and Parrock did the rest with a cool right-footed finish to the opposite corner.
With the bend but not break approach of U.C.D. shattered, they offered nothing in response.
Wexford were able to coast through the final minutes and, in fact, almost added a second when Ciara Delaney curled a 25-yard effort onto Erica Turner’s crossbar deep into stoppage time.
If there’s a test Wexford rarely fail, it’s a test of attitude. When you head into a cup semi-final against an inferior team, with a place at the Aviva Stadium on the line, you have to anticipate that your opponent is going to empty the tank in a bid to fulfil their own dreams.
Youths have too much experience in their ranks to not recognise that fact. In fairness to U.C.D., they ran themselves ragged in the first-half trying to making something happen, Wexford just needed to manage the game and they did it splendidly.
Would Wexford have liked to be ahead? Of course. Could they have done more, maybe moved the ball quicker into wide areas where the space existed? Naturally, but the key here was undoubtedly game management.
For all their guts, their high press and their bundles of energy in that first-half, U.C.D. failed to even come close to breaking Wexford down.
The closest they came to a goal was a crisp 30-yarder from former Youth Sinéad Gaynor that might have caught out less competent ‘keepers than Sophie Lenehan.
Otherwise it was business as usual for the Wexford defence. The outcome meant Youths had conceded just two goals in five games, had allowed just one goal from open play in 480 minutes, and seldom looked like gifting opponents anything easy.
While injuries have struck further forward, Tom Elmes has been lucky to have his choice of back four pretty much always available in the last few months and they have only become a more cohesive unit the longer the season has gone on.
Further forward there has been a bit of upheaval recently. With Rianna Jarrett, Orla Casey and Emma Hansberry all out of this game, Aoife Slattery got another start in midfield and the youngster had a quietly effective night in front of the back four.
However, it was her midfield partner, Kylie Murphy, who had the first half-decent opportunity, heading Doireann Fahey’s corner narrowly wide in the sixth minute.
Leanne Payne missed the target with a more difficult header at the other end two minutes later as the sides sparred.
The first and only gilt-edged opportunity of the opening period minutes fell to Youths in the 18th minute. Lauren Dwyer’s ball from deep was perfectly executed, as was Edel Kennedy’s run to beat the offside trap.
However, her finish didn’t match the quality of the run, Turner made the save and Parrock volleyed the rebound wide with Waves defenders scrambling to get back on their goal-line.
Apart from Gaynor’s strike from distance, Payne did flash one effort over the top but it was honours even at the interval.
Lenehan held a Sophie O’Donoghue shot from distance in the 50th minute but was rarely called into action again as Wexford started to turn the screw and the intensity started to seep out of the U.C.D. charge.
Runs from deep threatened U.C.D., with both Dwyer and Davidson acting as provider but too often the final shot or pass just went astray.
Katrina Parrock had the ball in the net in the 65th minute but Nicola Sinnott was offside from Kennedy’s flick in the build-up and the goal was chalked out.
Slowly but surely, with Wexford continuing to be patient and sticking to their gameplan, the gaps started to appear.
Murphy missed the target with a shot, while Kennedy slightly overhit a through ball with three in support and was then inches away from connecting with Sinnott’s right wing cross.
Waves were dealt a blow when Chloe Mustaki was forced off and the gaps only increased.
Lauren Dwyer saw a free-kick blocked by the wall in the 80th minute but Wexford finally got their winning goal when Parrock netted three minutes later.
Youths will face Peamount in the final at the Aviva Stadium on November 4, a game that will precede the men’s decider between Cork City and Dundalk. The Dublin side beat Shelbourne 2-1 in Tolka Park to advance to the showpiece final.
Wexford Youths: Sophie Lenehan; Nicola Sinnott, Lauren Dwyer, Orlaith Conlon, Becky Cassin; Aoife Slattery, Kylie Murphy (capt.); Katrina Parrock, Edel Kennedy, Doireann Fahey; Aisling Frawley. Subs. - McKenna Davidson for Cassin, inj. (30), Rachel Hutchinson for Kennedy (87), Ciara Delaney for Frawley (90+1), also Ciamh Dollard, Cliodhna Ní Shé, Orla Casey.
U.C.D. Waves: Erica Turner (capt.); Keelan McEntee, Ally O’Keeffe, Róisín McGovern, Katie Burdis; Sinéad Gaynor, Chloe Mustaki; Rachel Doyle, Sophie O’Donoghue, Naima Chemaou; Leanne Payne. Subs. - Kerri Letmon for Mustaki, inj. (77), Jess Morrissey for O’Donoghue (88), Aisling Spillane for Doyle (88), also Aisling Dunbar, Orla Hackett, Amy Guilfoyle, Caroline Healy.
Referee: Michelle O’Neill (Wexford).