League Preview: Wexford Youths -v- UCD

• Dave Donnelly
• Fri, Mar 17 2017




WEXFORD YOUTHS

Wexford host UCD at Ferrycarrig Park on St Patrick's Night (kick-off 8pm) as they continue to search for their first win of the season following a disappointing opening.

 

Damian Locke has endured a difficult start to life as Shane Keegan's successor, with a loss to Cabinteely last week a particularly low point as Cabo were yet to even score a goal until that point.

 

"To be fair to the group of lads in the dressing room, there is no one passing off the responsibility of us conceding poor goals to date,” Locke told the club's website.

 

On the plus side, the squad is free from injuries and suspensions going into their second home game of the season.

 

 

UCD

UCD will hope to bounce back from last Friday's 2-0 home defeat to title rivals Waterford as they welcome a team short of confidence.

 

The Students tend to start season's slowly, however, and a number of players have been involved in third-level competition, and indeed several were involved with the Colleges and Unversities side that beat the Defence Forces 2-0 during the week.

 

With more or less a full squad to choose from now, and only goalkeeper Conor O'Donnell and captain Gary O'Neill over 21 years of age, the youthful Students side will look to kick on and challenge at the top of the table.

 

 

Referee: Marc Lynch

 

 

MATCH STATS

The sides met four times during Wexford Youths' title-winning season of 2015, before the launch of the truncated Wexford FC.

 

Wexford won three of those four clashes including, crucially, two back-to-back wins (rescheduled due to UCD's Europa League campaign) at the tail-end of the season that practically guaranteed Shane Keegan's side the title.

 

 

BETTING

Wexford 5/2; Draw 23/10; UCD evens.

 

PREDICTION

Wexford 0 – 2 UCD

 

 

Wexford

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

 

UCD

Injured: Unknown.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None