Mayo vs Wexford Inter league semi final ( Mayo News)

 All Ireland U16 Semi Final

Wexford 0

Mayo 1

C Carley O.G 25

Eoin Horkan

Bunclody AFC

 

Mayo’s  U16s girls narrowly defeated Wexford in the sunny southeast Sunday afternoon meaning they will play either Kerry or near neighbours Sligo/ Leitrim in an All-Ireland final in May.

The home side who produced the opening chance inside the opening  minutes when Izzy Walsh collected the ball on the edge of the Mayo box before firing  her effort wide of the upright. Wexford couldn’t make much of there early control of the game as the Mayo defence stood strong any time they made inroads into the final third .Mayo’s first half chance of the game came from a long high ball which caused consternation in the Wexford defence as the ball was heading towards the goal Bea Clancy managed to get back into her goal before clearing the danger.

Both sides were finding it difficult to trouble either goal up until halfway through the half when Wexford fashioned a corner which landed  at the feet of Farrin Wolohan whose goal bound effort went over the crossbar. The home side kept pilling on the pressure as the half went on. It was against the run of play that the deadlock was broken as Isobel Phillips  broke down the wing after a quick free kick  before firing in a  sumptuous cross in the box which was diverted into her own net by Caoimhe Carley. Leaving the away side a goal up at the interval.

After the break Mayo started to control possession in the middle as Kayla Doherty along with Muireann Nolan managed to gain a foothold. It was this control that resulted in a  Doherty effort that was saved by Clancy. Wexford almost levelled  the tie fifteen minutes into the half as Lucia Donohue broke through the Mayo rear-guard  as she was about to pull the trigger and level the tie Isobel Phillips expertly disposed her and came away with the ball. In the next attack Wolohan controlled a ball from a corner but her angled effort flew wide of the far post. The home sides created another guilt edge chance as Walsh broke through again, but as Heffernan advanced from her goal line the pressure paid off as Walsh’s effort narrowly missed the top of the net.

This was the last  goal bound effort in the tie as the westerners held firm. The final ten minutes of the game were expertly managed by the away side. With minutes left in the tie a corner was floated to the edge of the box, the ball ended up with Emily Jennings but her well timed volley flew back of the crossbar.

 

 

Wexford

Bea Clancy, Caoimhe Carley, Abbie Gaffney, Farrin Wolohan, Jorja Hennell, Layla Stafford, Lucia Donohue, Eva O’ Gorman, Ebony Harris Burke, Izzy Walsh, Keelin Barron

Subs: Laura McCarthy, Ava Wallace

 

Mayo

Sarah Heaney, Isobel Phillips, Emma Walsh, Emily Jennings, Rebecca Moran, Muireann Nolan, Maura Hughes, Kayla Doherty, Ashleagh Salmon, Kate Brennan, Christina McEvilly.

Subs Used: Naoise Heffernan ,Alyssa Murphy Roisín Horkan, Helen Murphy

Ref: Ger Morris.