Wexford Youths  0 - 2  Limerick FC

Limerick FC Scorers: Colin Scanlan (29), Paul Walsh (86 pen)

Friday 10^th April 2009

Wexford welcomed Limerick to a clear but cold and windy Crossabeg on Friday night and it was the away team who left with the 3 points and, crucially, a win in the first of two quick matches between the two sides. Limerick, in their all green kit took the rising wind out of The Youths midway through the first half through a neat finish from Colin Scanlan following a crafted pass by Paul Walsh. Walsh took a high ball on with his back heel into the path of the onrushing striker Scanlan who’s weighted lob left home keeper Holden in no mans land and dropped into the empty net.

Despite being presented with a dropped ball by keeper Ryan, Peter White couldn’t control the ball to finish into an unguarded net for Wexford just before half-time. Wexford’s Sinnott and White could have earlier equalised but for a tame shot and misguided corner from a header while Mart Kelly received a yellow for chopping down the industrious Dave Ryan of Limerick.

The second half saw Limerick kick off through Colbert and the goal scorer Scanlan and not much happened until midway through when Deady was booked for fouling Miller. The introduction of John Flynn O’Connor for Miller, closely followed by Shane Dempsey coming on for Marty Kelly, allowed a greater sense of purpose in the home side. Captain Purcell was yellow carded with half an hour to go for clipping Fitzgerald after a mazy run had taken the winger within shooting distance of the away goals.

Limerick keeper Ryan almost helped Wexford to equalise when he clipped a ball up the pitch away from Fitzgerald only for Dempsey to lob a well placed effort a yard wide of the exposed goal Limerick net from 40 yards. The lively Fitzgerald then flicked a header wide from a Sinnott free that would’ve deservedly drawn the tie only for White to lose Lyons in the box wide and clip the forward in an attempt to regain the lost ground. Paul Walsh stepped up to smash home the penalty and end the game as the game played itself out the last seven minutes.

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Limerick’s Captain, Pat Purcell

Wexford Youths: Packie Holden, Keith Kearney, Anto Russell, David Breen, Conor Sinnott (Capt.), Peter White, Ritchie Fitzgerald (O’Loughlin 87), Marty Kelly (Dempsey 78), Patsey Malone, David Miller (Flynn-O'Connor, 69), Gavin Doyle
Subs: Garret McCurtain, Shane Dempsey, Liam o’Loughlin, John Flynn-O’Connor, Paul Rossiter

Limerick: Dave Ryan, Jamie Wunsch, Martin Deady, Paul Danaher, Pat Purcell, Tommy Barrett, Paul Walsh, Brendan Daly, Colin Scanlan, Wayne Colbert (Goggins, 77), Dave Ryan (Lyons, 75)
Subs: Derek Daly, Stephen Goggin, Chimka Manjor, Thomas Lyons, Brian Collopy

Referee: Paraic Sutton

Attendance: 498

Match Report courtesy of www.extratime.ie