Wallace on Lucky Escape
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Wexford Youths Manager Mick Wallace proved a relieved but pensive character after seeing a Roy of the Rovers style strike from talismanic front man Gavin Doyle in the third minute of added time salvage a draw at home to Longford Town Sunday evening in the FAI Cup. ‘We were lucky in the end, it was a very difficult game for us the way it turned out and we didn’t play well but all credit to Longford. They made sure that we didn’t play and full credit to them as we didn’t at all – they’re well organised and Cronin has clearly done very well with them very quickly, he only moved in this week and it’s a great credit to him that he was able to put shape on them so quickly, they had a game plan and it worked very well for them.’
‘They’ll probably consider themselves unfortunate considering they were two up but obviously we would consider ourselves unfortunate to go two down. Both goals were disappointing from our end, from a defensive point of view they were disappointing but we were finding it hard to get at their goal and didn’t really trouble their keeper during the game so all told I thought we were lucky to get a draw.’
Sub Adrian Murphy playing up front had two good chances to make it three in the last ten minutes after Doyle’s penalty but it didn’t happen for Town and Wallace spoke of how his team ‘didn’t look like scoring most of the time; we weren’t threatening enough in front of their goal. We had the better of the play in a few areas of the field but we weren’t really making an impact and great credit to them again that they didn’t let us. We would be disappointed with our overall performance but relieved that we’re still in the cup.’
One of the clubs many young players Shane Dempsey played well, in place of the suspended Patsey Malone in midfield and the Youths Man was quick to praise the midfielder while mentioning the areas where he felt his side lacked in Sunday’s game, ‘He did, he had a very good game and he’s been training really well, minding himself, he’s in good condition and it was great to see him do well. If we had done as well in other areas – we struggled on the flanks a bit and at full back. It’s difficult if you’re full backs and wide players are not on their game, I think its hard to make things happen.’ The Youths will have a chance a making amends Wednesday as the reply takes place in Longford, the second game between the two out of three in a week.
‘They’ll probably consider themselves unfortunate considering they were two up but obviously we would consider ourselves unfortunate to go two down. Both goals were disappointing from our end, from a defensive point of view they were disappointing but we were finding it hard to get at their goal and didn’t really trouble their keeper during the game so all told I thought we were lucky to get a draw.’
Sub Adrian Murphy playing up front had two good chances to make it three in the last ten minutes after Doyle’s penalty but it didn’t happen for Town and Wallace spoke of how his team ‘didn’t look like scoring most of the time; we weren’t threatening enough in front of their goal. We had the better of the play in a few areas of the field but we weren’t really making an impact and great credit to them again that they didn’t let us. We would be disappointed with our overall performance but relieved that we’re still in the cup.’
One of the clubs many young players Shane Dempsey played well, in place of the suspended Patsey Malone in midfield and the Youths Man was quick to praise the midfielder while mentioning the areas where he felt his side lacked in Sunday’s game, ‘He did, he had a very good game and he’s been training really well, minding himself, he’s in good condition and it was great to see him do well. If we had done as well in other areas – we struggled on the flanks a bit and at full back. It’s difficult if you’re full backs and wide players are not on their game, I think its hard to make things happen.’ The Youths will have a chance a making amends Wednesday as the reply takes place in Longford, the second game between the two out of three in a week.
