Wexford and Kildare share the spoils

Wexford Youths and Kildare County played out a 1-1 draw at Ferrycarrig Park on Friday night. Kildare took the lead through a John Brophy goal late in the first half, but they couldn’t hold on. Wexford pilled on the pressure in the second half and they got their reward in the 65th minute when their captain smashed the ball home to tie the scores. This tie would have been seen as an ideal game for both sides to get their first win of the season, but in the end they had to be content with the point each.

Both sides came into this fixture pointless and both managers would have been keen to change this. Kildare manager John Ryan put out an extremely defensive team and it was clear to see that he wanted to break on the counter attack and try to snatch a goal, which is exactly what happened. In a first half where chances were few and far between for Kildare, they soaked up a lot of pressure from Wexford. Wexford had the better of the chances and in the 34th minute they nearly made the break through.

A neat build up in midfield between Paul Malone and Conor Sinnott and a cute back heel by Paul Murphy set up Marty Kelly who shot from the edge of the box, but it was saved by Charlie Treacy. Both teams looked like they were going to cancel each other out, but just before half-time, Kildare broke the deadlock. Wexford gave away a cheap corner as Malone let the ball run out thinking it was for a goal kick. The resulting corner was swung in by Ciaran Kilduff and he sent it to the back post where it hit off Cathal Brady and luckily landed at the feet of John Brophy and he smashed the ball into the top corner leaving Jason Russell with no chance.

The second half started where the first half left off. Wexford upped the tempo and again Kildare sat back and tried to defend their lead. Mick Wallace wanted a response from his men in the second half and in the 65th minute, he got it. Sinnott curled in a corner from the right and it caused havoc in the box as Kildare failed to clear. The ball landed on the chest of Wexford captain Anthony Russell. He calmly controlled the ball and on the half volley blasted a shot around two defenders and into the bottom corner, Treacy could only flap at thin air.

Wexford pushed and pushed and created copious chances, the best falling to second half substitute Liam O’Loughlin. The midfielder picked up the ball on the halfway line and jinked his way past five Kildare players and unleashed a rasping shot from outside the box that Treacy had to push around the post.

Kildare offered little in the second half and looked happy with the point. Wallace on the other hand will be disappointed that his team couldn’t push for the winner in the end. Both teams will see this as the start of their fight to avoid relegation.

Wexford Youths: (3-5-2): Jason Russell; Thomas Hawkins, Garrett Larkin, Anto Russell; Stuart Lawlor, Martin Kelly, Conor Sinnott, Gavin Doyle (Liam O’Loughlin 77), Patsy Malone; Paul Murphy (Kyle Dempsey 85), Richard Fitzgerald (Darren Browne 88).
Subs not used: Paul Rossiter, Craig McGuire.

Booked: Murphy (60), Russell (75), Kelly (90).

Kildare County: (4-5-1): Charlie Treacy; Alan Clarke, Colin Fortune (Thomas Morgan 89), John Brophy, Barry Clancy; Kieran Harte (John Broderick 82), Barry Slattery, Paul Donnelly, Cathal Brady, Ger Robinson; Ciaran Kilduff.
Subs not used: Craig Berrigan, Eoin Kavanagh, Colin Cassidy.

Booked: Fortune (55).

Referee: Mark Gough (Limerick).
Attendance: 1,100.
Man of the Match: Thomas Hawkins (Wexford Youths).