Wexford Youths 1-1 Shelbourne

• Fintan Cassidy
• Sun, Mar 14 2010


With both sides having a slow start to the season, Wexford Youths and Shelbourne shared the spoils in a mainly uninspiring game at Ferrycarrig Park on Sunday afternoon. The visitors shaded the first half and went into the break with a one goal lead, but the home side fought back after the change to equalise and on balance probably deserved the draw, with neither team doing anything particularly outstanding.

Playing into a low blinding sun coupled with a stiff breeze, Shelbourne created very few chances from the start, while their defence held a high line to limit the Youths to just a couple of speculative long range efforts. The first real chance of the game came on 26 minutes from a Shels corner when Eric Foley connected with a bullet-like header only for keeper Packie Holden to make a point-blank save. Six minutes later the Reds went close again from another corner, this time with a Shiels volley, forcing the Youths goalie into another fine save.

This spell of pressure paid off on thirty five minutes when David Cassidy did well on the right to beat his marker and squeezed in a low-angled shot inside the post to give the Reds the lead. Wexford tried hard to get back into the game but the visitor’s offside trap kept them at bay going into the interval.

The Youths looked a more lively side after the break, with Danny Furlong creating a great chance on 56 minutes when he rounded the advancing Shels keeper Delany only to see his goal-bound shot deflected out by a lunging defender. Two minutes later they levelled the game from a free kick after Whelan had brought down Sheahan just outside the area. Shane Dempsey caught Delany napping and although the Reds keeper scooped the ball out off the post, the linesman adjudged the ball to have fully crossed over the line. The referee who was unsighted, awarded the goal only after consulting with his assistant.

The game then opened up somewhat with both sides having chances to win it – notably from Furlong again for the home side breaking through one-on-one with the keeper only for Delany to foil his shot with his feet, while at the other end with just a minute to go a Kevin Doherty header almost won it for the Reds, but for another great save from Packie Holden.

Wexford Youths: Holden; Kenny, Broaders, Russell (McCann, 90), Malone; Sinnott, Keohane (Byrne, 90), Dempsey, Furlong; Sheahan, Aust (Mullen,72).
Subs not used: Cogley, Doyle.

Shelbourne: Delany; Ryan, Doherty, Whelan, Byrne; Cassidy (O’Brien 82), Shiels, McGill, Foley; Hughes (Corcoran, 82) Forsyth (Gorman, 55).
Subs not used: Scully, Williams.

extratime.ie Man of the Match: Packie Holden –pulled off at least three match-saving stops

Referee: S Templeman (Kerry)

Attendance: 350 (estimate).