- Dave Donnelly
- Fri, Jun 26 2015
The league's top scorer Danny Furlong left it until the second minute of injury time to secure a 3-2 win over Cabinteely that puts Wexford Youths clear at the top of the First Division table.
In a game packed with great goals, it was inevitable the winner would be of the scrappy variety as Furlong stole in at the near post to bundle Andy Mulligan's cross past Cabo goalkeeper Evan Whelan and down Cabo in a game they didn't deserve to lose.
Eddie Gormley – reinstated as Cabinteely manager after four weeks of confusion – made one change from the side Andrew Rice led to victory over Athlone Town two weeks ago, with captain John McKeown returning from suspension to replace Evan Finnegan in midfield.
Wexford Youths boss Shane Keegan knew a win here would give his team every chance of moving into top spot with Finn Harps facing a tough trip to Tolka Park, and he made just two suspension-enforced changes, with James Dermody and Eric Molloy in for Craig Wall and Conor English.
The game was barely two minutes old when Keegan's consistent selection was vindicated, as an opening sequence in which the home team barely touched the ball ended with the ball at the feet of striker Eric Molloy, and the Carlow man smashed the ball past goalkeeper Evan Whelan from 25 yards.
Danny Furlong went close to doubling the lead when he stretched to meet Andy Mulligan's deep cross shortly after, and he really should have made it two on 11 minutes when he peeled away from Daniel Campbell at the back post but he couldn't catch his volley cleanly and Cabo scrambled clear.
The teams traded penalty claims as first Cabinteely's Sodiq Oguntola and then Molloy went down under attention from the respective goalkeepers, but both appeared to have gone down without contact and referee Rhona Daly charitably decided against the issue of yellow cards.
The game burst into life after the break as the home side came out much the brighter, and their first real spell of dominance led to a spectacular equaliser just before the hour mark.
Ger Pender showed good strength to hold up the ball on the edge of the Wexford area before cutting inside the challenges of James Dermody and Stephen Last and curling beautifully into the corner to leave Graham Doyle with no chance.
Cabinteely continued to enjoy the better of the play and pushed forward in search of a second, and they had their reward on 70 minutes when Oguntola burst into the box and looped the ball calmly over Doyle to put the home side in the lead.
It wasn't to last long, however, as David Doyle, on as a substitute after a serious-looking injury to captain Aidan Keenan, had the freedom of the box to hit an unstoppable volley past Whelan after Cabo failed to deal with a corner.
Molloy and Mulligan had late chances denied and the game looked destined to end in a frustrating stalemate, until Furlong pounced to ensure Wexford end the night atop the First Division table.
Cabinteely: Evan Whelan; Jamie McGlynn, Victor Ekanem, Kevin Knight, Daniel Campbell; Shane O'Neill, Aaron Brilly, John McKeown, Stephen Hanley; Sadiq Oguntula, Ger Pender.
Subs not used: Sean Hyland (gk), Josh Quinlivan, Jamie Broderick, Ross Broderick, Darren Clarke.
Booked: Sodiq Oguntola (56).
Wexford Youths: Graham Doyle; Craig McCabe, James Dermody, Stephen Last, Gary Delaney; Andy Mulligan, Lee Grace, Peter Higgins (John Peare 50), Aidan Keenan (David Doyle 70); Eric Molloy, Danny Furlong.
Subs not used: Gavin Dowling (gk), Ryan Delaney, Paul Brennan, Dean Broaders.
Booked: Peter Higgins (46).
Referee: Rhona Daly.
Official attendance: 150 (esimate).
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Ger Pender (Cabinteely).
