- Andrew Dempsey
- Fri, May 28 2021
Andrew Dempsey reports from Stradbrook Road
Wexford secured their first league win of the 2021 season as they ran out comfortable 2-0 winners over Cabinteely at Stradbrook Road.
Goals in either half from Kyle Robinson and Jack Doherty secured a well-earned three points for the visitors who stunned the hosts who remain in the playoff positions for the time being.
With their manager Pat Devlin returning to the dugout after serving a touchline ban, the Green and White’s made four changes from that win over the Shannonsiders.
The Slaneysiders made one change from last weekend’s defeat at Ferrycarrig Park, as Lorcan Fitzgerald came in for last season’s top scorer Karl Fitzsimons.
Ian Ryan’s charges took an early lead however, through St Patrick’s Athletic loanee Kyle Robinson who headed home in the 5th minute.
Devlin’s side were undone on the break after Kevin Knight’s appeal for a penalty fell on dear ears.
Robinson powered home with a superb header from Paul Fox’s inviting cross into the six-yard box, leaving Harry Halwax with no chance.
Minutes later, Wexford had a penalty claim of their own turned down. Jack Doherty caused a number of problems holding the ball up, before he was hauled down by a Cabo defender.
However, referee Rob Dowling waved away the protests despite the frustration of the Wexford backroom team.
Cabo were then denied another spot-kick of their own, as Kieran Marty Waters was felled by Luke Turner’s trip.
That near-miss jolted the visitors into life, as Conor Crowley – a former Cabinteely midfielder – missed a one-on-one with Halwax who stood tall to deny the ex-UCD playmaker.
The experienced Lorcan Fitzgerald then saw his curling free-kick crash off the post, with Vilius Labutis left scrambling to hack the ball away on the rebound.
Labutis was forced into another superb block to deny Robinson after a Wexford corner-kick caused a litany of problems in the host’s defence.
Turner saw his close-range header saved by the agile Halwax, but the Derby County loanee knew little of the follow-up as Robinson’s fierce shot was blocked on the line, before Fox then had his chance stopped before he could pull the trigger.
Wexford had a few more chances to double their lead before the break – but the lively Robinson and Crowley were unable to see their efforts yield rewards.
After a limp opening half, Cabinteely went close to levelling just two minutes into the second period, but Jem Campion just headed wide from a Keith Dalton cross.
Kevin Knight then saw his header cannon off the post from a Dalton corner – and the rebound was cleared by the Wexford defence eventually.
But Wexford soon grabbed control of the game once more – and really should have made it two through Fox.
Fox had his effort blocked off the line after a combination of good work from Halwax and Luke McWilliams on the line to deny the ex-Cabo winger.
Although, their wait for a second ended not long after that chance as Doherty prodded home at the back post.
Robinson beat Halwax to the ball and dinked it over the onrushing Derby loanee, with Doherty nodding home into an empty net.
Wexford did have to hold out with ten-men however, as Paul Fox was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence as he caught Zak O’Neill with a late challenge.
But Cabo were unable to make their advantage count – as they fell to their second home league defeat of the season against a Wexford side who picked up their first win since October 2020.
Cabinteely: Harry Halwax; Luke McWilliams, Kevin Knight, Mitchell Byrne (Niall Barnes 56), Daniel Blackbyrne (c); Zak O'Neill (Ben Hanrahan 76), Vilius Labutis (Luke Clucas 76), Keith Dalton (Eoin Massey 68), Alex Aspil; Jem Campion (Jordan Payne 56), Marty Waters.
Subs not used: Jack O'Reilly, Conor Knight, Joe Hyland, Lloyd Buckley, Kajus Aksamitas.
Booked: Kevin Knight (64), Jordan Payne (69), Eoin Massey (83), Marty Waters (88).
Wexford: Jimmy Corcoran; Lorcan Fitzgerald, Paul Cleary, James Carroll; Luke Turner, Karl Manahan (c) (Jack Larkin 82), Paul Fox, Conor Crowley, Jack Connolly (Kevin McEvoy 81); Kyle Robinson (Evan Farrell 68), Jack Doherty (Charlie Smith 76).
Subs not used: Sean Martin, Harry Groome, Karl Fitzsimons, Success Edogun, Anthony Dolan.
Booked: Kyle Robinson (19) ,Conor Crowley (41) ,Paul Fox (49) ,Jack Doherty (70) ,Jack Connolly (73) Paul Fox (73).
Sent off: Paul Fox (73).
Referee: Robert Dowling
ExtraTime.ie Player of the Match: Kyle Robinson (Wexford).
