EirGrid Leinster U20 Football Championship Group Game.
Westmeath 2-12 Wexford 1-12
Cusack Park Mullingar Monday 28th May
Wexford’s U20 Footballers did well to recover from a totally inept opening 30 minutes to get within a goal of the home team Westmeath at the final whistle in a warm Cusack Park.
20 minutes into the game Westmeath had a commanding 9 points to 2 lead with full forward Sean Pettit kicking 6, midfielder John Tomulty scoring 2 and the other coming from the boot of Finbar Coyle. Wexford were literally pulled asunder by the home team and struggled in almost every area of the pitch. The 1st Wexford point was scored by Robbie Brooks after 15 minutes and Sean Nolan kicked the 2nd.
A chink of daylight appeared 6minutes from the half time break when the home teams James Maxwell was adjudged to have put in a foot block on Mickie Dwyer and referee James Maguire pointed to the spot. Centre back Darragh Lyons made no mistake and suddenly there was just 4 points between the teams but then disaster before the break when Sean Pettit was given way too much room to score a goal and to make matters worse a minute into the 2nd half, James Maxwell scored another goal to stretch the home teams lead 11 points and it appeared to be game set and match but to their credit Wexford staged a remarkable recovery.
Peter Barry (St Martin’s) was introduced at half time and he made a massive impact. Wexford regrouped and moved both Jamie Meyler and Mickie Dwyer in to the full forward line and they by and large led the home sides defence a merry dance.
Wexford were still wasteful with possession as Darragh Lyon’s, Jamie Meyler and goalie Ivan Meegan scored points to reduce the deficit. James Roche and Kyle Firman came off the bench and made a big difference too.
10 minutes from the end Mickey Dwyer won a 2nd penalty after another foot block on his goal bound shot but Darragh Lyons did not hit the kick well and goalie Jordan Nugent knocked the ball away for a 45 which was scored by goalie Ivan Meegan.
Wexford were now in full flight Sean Nolan (2) and Jamie Meyer (3) brought Wexford within a goal.
They missed 2 further chances to close the gap and the desire to get the crucial equalising goal proved costly at the end.
The poor start came back to haunt Wexford and they knew at the final whistle that it was a game left behind and as they face Longford on Bank Holiday Monday the selectors have a headache because they finished with a stronger and better team than they started with.
They kicked 5 balls into the goalkeepers hand and wasted an awful lot of chances and they desperately need a free kicker.
Team: Ivan Meegan, David O’Keeffe (Frank Roche 35min), Mark O’Neill. Martin O’Connor, Quinn Saunders (Kyle Firman half time), Darragh Lyons, Gavin Sheehan, Richie Waters (Peter Barry half time), Ronan Devereaux, Dylan Furlong (Luke Sinnott 47mins), Mickie Dwyer, Jamie Meyler, Cathal Devereaux (Sam Wall 47mins), Robbie Brooks (Ben Trainer 55 mins), Sean Noland (Cathal Walshe 58 mins). Subs not used: Darragh Brooks, John Dunne, Josh Martin.
Manager Brendan Kehoe, selectors PJ Banville, Eric Bradley, Kevin Reilly, Gavin Morris, Kevin Doyle.
Wexford play Longford on next Monday in Innovate Wexford Park at 3pm.
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