22-Mar-2008

County earn first point of season at Ferrycarrig

Wexford Youths    1   Kildare County  1

I would imagine that there are two things that the travelling County supporters will not forget about their trip to Ferrycarrig Park last (Friday) night and neither had anything to do with the game itself.

 

 Firstly one has to admire the strides made by Michael Wallace and his board and management team in developing what is fast becoming a very impressive facility and secondly was the bitter gale force wind that made it almost impossible to play constructive football and even more difficult for the patrons to enjoy the game.

 

In the absence of the affable hirsute Wexford manager Mick Wallace, who is in Italy with his under 17 Wexford side, the side was managed by Noel O’Connor and Pat Dolan. The evening did not start well  for the Thoroughbreds as Philly Gorman’s late fitness test on a hamstring problem ruled him out and centre back Michael Roche had not fully recovered from a similar problem. Also missing was Willie Tyrell, who was serving an automatic ban for his red card received against Shelbourne as well as long term absentees Stephen Cooling and Austin O'Neill.

 

The absence of Gorman forced John Ryan to go with just Ger Robinson up front. Experienced new signing Colin Fortune made his debut in midfield and showed flashes of the brilliance he displayed at his former clubs Galway United and Athlone Town. It was Fortune who had County’s first chance after four minutes but his shot from outside the box was too high to trouble keeper Russell.

 

Wexford’s first chance came after twelve minutes when Richie FitzGerald beat Alan Clarke but Charlie Treacy easing dealt with his weakly struck effort. One minute later Ciaran Kilduff almost broke the deadlock but his goalbound snapshot from the edge of the box was somehow deflected over for a corner.

 

The Thoroughbreds, were now on top and Ciaran Harte skipped past Paul Malone and Gavin Doyle but unfortunately steered his shot inches wide. On the half hour County won a free when Anthony Russell fouled Kilduff about 24 yards out Kieran Harte’s effort was well struck but keeper Russell was well placed to gather.

 

Wexford’s  Murphy and Conor Sinnott then combined to create a chance for Marty Kelly but he failed to get his shot on target. Kildare took the lead five minutes from the break when a Colin Fortune free was deflected out for a corner by Larkin. Harte’s back post corner was flicked back across goal by Fortune for John Brophy to slot home from six yards.

 

Just before the break Barry Slattery almost doubled County’s advantage but his goal-bound shot was hacked off the line by centre back Lawlor.

The second half did not do much to warm the hearts of either set of supporters as goalmouth action was a rarity.

 

Marty Kelly had a free header, which ended up in the side netting, from a Sinnott free after fifty-six minutes. The Youths equalised ten minutes later when a weak defensive header from another Sinnott corner dropped to Anthony Russell, who took one touch and then shot low to the bottom left corner, with the help of a deflection.

 

Charlie Treacy then did well to push the ball around for a corner from a low shot from substitute Liam O’Loughlin with eleven minutes remaining.

 

Wexford Youths: J Russell, Hawkins, Lawlor, Larkin, Kelly, Sinnott, Doyle (O’Loughlin77), Malone, Murphy (Dempsey 85), FitzGerald, A Russell: Subs not used: Rissiter, Browne, McGuire.

Kildare County: Treacy, Clarke, Donnelly, Brophy, Clancy, Brady, Harte (Broderick 82), Fortune (Kavanagh 90), Slattery, Kilduff, Robinson: Subs not used: Cassidy, Berrigan, Morgan.

Referee: M Gough (Limerick)    

 

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