Wexford Youths -v- Bohemians

• Conor Meagher
• Tue, May 19 2009


Cup Finalist Versus League Champions
League Champions Bohemians visit Ferrycarrig Park on Tuesday in an EA Sports League Cup Quarter Final to face last year’s beaten finalists Wexford Youths. The home team put in a solid display against Mervue on Friday last and came away with all three points via a second half strike from defender David Breen. The margin should have been more but for some heroics from away keeper Eoin Martin and some lacklustre finishing from The Youths. The Gypsies will be looking to bounce back from two successive defeats on the road, against Shamrock Rovers and Derry City, in the league and have to look back to the 4-3 win versus Wexford’s next league opponents Shelbourne in the last round of the Cup for their last win in all competitions.

Eight from Nine in All Wexford come into the came with doubts over some key players but having seen his side beat the likes of Cork and Limerick recently with weakened line-ups, manager Mick Wallace can surely now start to feel his squad has begun to take shape and look like being capable of challenging the top four in the league. Gavin Doyle and Captain Conor Sinnott will be assessed closer to the match to see if they can make the tie, while sub Garry Sheahan will be looking for a start after impressing in the later stages against Mervue last Friday night. Keith Kearney, Marty Kelly and David Breen, the match winner against Mervue, will sit this match out while long-term injured players Tim McGrath, Kyle Dempsey, Danny Furlong, Paul Murphy and Lee Aust are yet to feature although some are at least training. Rossiter, McCurtain and Shane Demspey will come in to balance out the side considering the absentees listed after good displays all season when called on.

Wallace spoke of his excitement to be playing Bohs in the Cup, while erring on the side of caution with the Shels match on Friday coming as a chance to cement the sides challenge to the top four. “I’m excited about Tuesday night, but then again I get excited about all of our games - It’s a big test for us and we’re really looking forward to it, but with all respect to the cup competitions, Friday night against Shelbourne is a bigger game for us, we need a positive result on Friday to keep the pressure on Shelbourne, so we’ll probably make a few changes on Tuesday night. The guys on the bench on Friday will get some game time, just to freshen things up” Wallace said.

Missing Men Bohs will roll down Slaneyside with their usual boisterous support Tuesday but will have the last round’s narrow win against Shels and their own stuttering form of late in the League at the back of their mind. Another away trip after playing Shels and Derry last would surely be the last thing needed as the season’s hectic middle section gains momentum. Key forward Glen Crowe is out while Gary Deegan has fallen afoul to the same hamstring related injury as Crowe and will miss the tie. Some A Team players will be given another chance to get some senior competitive action after impressing in previous matches which means Ryan McEvoy and Mark Hughes will get more game time Tuesday.

Extratime.ie Prediction: Common sense would dictate a prediction of an away win, but this is the Cup and Wexford have become a hard team to beat at any level over the course of this season – Youths to win on penalties.