Sporting Fingal 2 - 3 Wexford Youths

Sporting Fingal could not have started much better, with Doyle latching on to a Peter Hynes through ball to calmly slot home with just two minutes ten seconds on the clock. Less than sixty seconds previous Doyle had the ball in the net from an identical set up, however the strike was ruled out for offside.

They should have doubled their lead after twelve minutes when Colm James played Doyle down the wing, however Peter Hynes volleyed his cross just wide with the keeper well beaten. Wexford got forward for the first time in the fifteenth minute when Gavin Doyle controlled a very awkward ball near the corner flag and then elegantly cut the ball back to Danny Furlong, but his shot was easily saved.

After that the game settled into a pretty poor standard, with neither side creating many good chances. The equaliser was surprising for two reasons: Firstly, the game had gotten ridiculously boring; Secondly, because Wexford had been rubbish up until the thirty third minute.

But in their first quality passage of play, John Flynn-O’Connor exchanged passes with Richie Fitzgerald down the left, resulting in the former powering into the Sporting box. He rolled the ball back to the unmarked Paul Murphy who side-footed into the far corner.

Again the game got boring, but again Wexford scored, right on half time. After a few misplaced passes around the Sporting area, Gavin Doyle played a one-two to Richie Fitzgerald. Somehow, Doyle emerged unmarked on the edge of the area and he smashed in a fine goal to give the visitors a narrow lead at half time.

Wexford were on the back-foot from the restart as Sporting played a very high line and poured forward when possible. Fingal’s equaliser, Robbie Doyle’s second strike of the game, was a screamer. Brian Gannon passed to Doyle thirty yards out, he looked up, and with little or no back lift smashed the ball into the top corner, leaving Pa Doyle with no chance.

Wexford attacked immediately though and Gavin Doyle’s cross found Marty Kelly rising highest in the box. But after his header powered back off the bar, Keith Kearney’s follow up went wide.

Both sides counter attacked each other from then on, with neither midfield fulfilling its defensive duties, as both sides seemed desperate for a win. The chirpy yet sparse following of 317 then witnessed football of the lowest possible standard with five minutes to go.

First of all, Brian Gannon passed the ball back to his goalkeeper…who was beside him…as was Wexford’s Danny Furlong…twenty yards out. But despite Furlong’s pressure, the hosts got away with it. Then second of all, four seconds later, Barry Ferguson gave the ball to Anto Russell. With Sporting’s two man defence really in trouble now, Russell ran at the goal and coolly curled it passed Brendan Clarke to give Wexford a late late winner.

Danny Furlong got behind the high line of the Sporting defence twice more in the next two minutes and should really have scored from one of the chances, but didn’t. Robbie Doyle, Sporting’s super striker, had been replaced through injury earlier in the half, and it seemed his finishing was sorely missed as the home side could not break down the men in pink.

Sporting Fingal: Brendan Clarke; Derek Tyrell, Chris Deans, Barry Ferguson, Brian Gannon; Conan Byrne, Colm James, Paul Caffrey (Jim Crawford 70), Brian Morrisroe; Peter Hynes (Dinny Corcoran 58), Robbie Doyle (Paul Byrne 70).
Subs not used: Steve Williams, Philip Byrne.

Wexford Youths: Pa Doyle; Keith Kearney, Paul Rossiter, Marty Kelly, Johnny Flynn-O’Connor; Conor Sinnott, Anto Russell, Richie Fitzgerald (Gareth Wallace 90), Gavin Doyle; Paul Murphy (Joey Wadding 64), Danny Furlong.
Subs not used: Dave Miller, Shane Sinnott, Warren Broaders.

Referee: Neil Doyle.

Attendance: 317

Man of the match: No-one.