League Report: Cabinteely 2 - 0 Wexford Youths

The home faithful were celebrating at Stradbrook as Cabinteely picked up their first league points of the season. Cabo dominated and ran out comfortable 2-0 winners courtesy of a first-half Joe Doyle brace.

Doyle put his side in front just two minutes into the contest. The striker didn’t make perfect contact with Karl Byrne’s right-wing cross but his delivery was enough to beat Graham Doyle from inside the six-yard box. Wexford’s defence was marked absent.

Doyle scored again just before the half hour. The impressive Kieran Marty Waters played Doyle in with a header. The Wexford keeper Graham Doyle committed himself early and Doyle forced the ball in from close range.

It might have been different for Wexford had a 12^th minute Adam Hanlon screamer been inches lower. His shot hit the underside of the bar yet didn’t cross the line with home netminder Michael Kelly beaten.

But with Victor Ekanem and Conor Keely very solid at the back for Cabinteely, Waters prompting from midfield and Joe Doyle clinical up front there was only going to be one winner. Pat Devlin and his backroom team will be delighted to be up and running after two false starts.

The home side could have added to their tally in the second half. A highlight was a 45-yard effort by Waters that flashed just past the post with Doyle scrambling to retrieve. However, they’ll settle for 2-0 as they move forward to Longford next weekend with renewed confidence.

Some of Wexford’s optimism after the away draw in Cobh will have dissipated. Hanlon’s shot apart, it was difficult to see where goals would have come from. Damian Locke and his men will be hoping to get something from their next match, at home to UCD on St. Patrick’s Day.

Cabinteely: Michael Kelly; Karl Byrne, Victor Ekanem, Conor Keely, Kevin Knight; Christian Lotefa (Rob Duggan 96), Evan Galvin, Anthony Dolan (Andre Jordan 93), Jack Watson, Kieran Marty Waters; Joe Doyle (Paul Fox 90).

Subs not used: Dean Mahon, Andre McGovern, Steven Ball, Cian Lynch

Booked: Christian Lotefa, Jack Watson, Evan Galvin, Victor Ekanem.

Wexford: Graham Doyle; Ricky Fox (Lee Duffy 74), Ross Kenny, Craig McCabe, Andrew O’Connor; Shane Dunne; John McKeown (Thomas Croke 65), Sean Hurley (Liam Donnelly 61), Craig Wall, Adam Hanlon, Craig Hayes.

Subs not used: Owen McCormack, Jamie Fox, Conor Sutton, Corey Chambers.

Booked: Ricky Fox, Craig Hayes.

Referee: David Keeler

Attendance: 150 (Estimate)

ExtraTime.ie Man of the Match: Joe Doyle (Cabinteely)