Wexford Youths 0 - 3 Peamount United

League leaders Peamount United were forced to use all their experience and guile to break down a very impressive and in form Wexford Youths to advance to the semi finals of the National League Cup.

The visitors had already beaten the home side twice in the league, scoring thirteen goals between both games, so they would have naturally expected to have negotiated this match with much more ease.

Wexford started the much more energetic and Edel Kennedy was unlucky not to get to a through ball from Cherelle Khassal just four minutes in, forcing Aine Genocky to come off her line to clear.

It was the home side who enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the opening twenty minutes with Sadie Murphy and Linda Douglas both causing the visitors problems down both wings with Dora Gorman and Louise Quinn being called on to defend strongly. Probably the best chance of that period came when Khassal worked her way into the penalty area and pulled her across back across goal but no one was following up and the ball was comfortably cleared.

Disaster struck for Wexford on twenty nine minutes when a well angled pass from Dora Gorman put Sara Lawlor into space on the left and she calmly lofted the ball over the advancing Charlotte McCormack who could do nothing to prevent the ball bouncing into an empty net. This goal against the run of play did not upset the fluency or rhythm of the home side as they came in search of an equaliser.

Maria Delahunty saw her shot just go over the crossbar after Sadie Murphy had crossed from the left. Almost everyone in Ferrycarrig Park thought the elusive equaliser had come when Khassal swivelled just outside the area and her shot just clipped the outside of the post with Genocky in the Peamount goal well beaten.

Just as referee Noel O Connor was looking at his watch to blow for half time, Peamount were awarded a corner which was floated in on top of the Wexford defence and Claire Kinsella was waiting at the back post to put the ball in the net to lead two nil.

Rachel Hutchinson replaced Clare Conlon for Wexford at the break as the home side changed formation in a bid to attack the well marshalled Peamount defence and just four minutes in, Edel Kennedy brought a good save from Genocky who was looking more and more comfortable as the game progressed.

She was once again called into action ten minutes later when she pushed a Khassal chip just wide of the post for a corner. Peamount were showing great composure as they never panicked although the home side enjoyed most of the possession and while Wexford were unlucky not to have found the net at least once, the league leaders looked well in control.

On sixty five minutes a Maria Delahunty corner came back off the Peamount post and minutes later Stephanie Roche was awarded a free just outside the box which she sent to the back off the net as her swerving shot went in off the post. This goal killed off the game as a contest and showed why Peamount are in the position they are in as their clinical finishing killed off a brave effort from a home side who have now shown they are finding their feet at this level.

Both sides made changes as the game played out the final fifteen minutes with Celine Slye and Alysha Cullen both livening up a Wexford defence who had been excellent all through and after three minutes injury time, Noel O Connor brought a very entertaining cup tie to a conclusion.

Peamount will be happy with their performance and showed their strength in a match which could have been a potential banana skin for them while although disappointed to go out of the cup, Wexford will be more than pleased with their performance and can justifiably feel unlucky not to have at least got a goal in this game

Wexford Youths Women: Charlotte McCormack, Clare Conlon (Rachel Hutchinson), Jessica Gleeson (Celine Slye), Kylie Murphy, Linda Douglas, Ciara O Brien, Maria Delahunty, Edel Kennedy (Alysha Cullen), Chrelle Khassal, Nicola Dunphy, Sadie Murphy Amy Devereux, Laura Heffernan

Peamount United: Aine Genocky, Wendy McGlone, Lauren Cavanagh, Emma Donohoe (Caroline Thorpe), Susan Byrne, Dora Gorman, Emily Cahill, Louise Quinn, Clare Kinsella, Stephanie Roche (Jenny Ferrari), Sara Lawlor, Linda Meehan, Ruth Comerford, Jenny Critchley, Caroline Healy

Referee: Noel O Connor
Assistants: Jimmy Kelly and Darren Ennis

Attendance: 120