LFA Youth Interleague
Round 3
Wicklow 1
Wexford 3
Credit Union Park
Eoin Horkan
A strong rearguard performance from Wicklow, marshalled superbly by goalkeeper Tristan Newsome, ultimately wasn’t enough to prevent their near neighbours from claiming a two-goal victory on a brisk Wednesday night in Arklow.
From the opening whistle, Wexford asserted themselves, forcing Wicklow onto the back foot and immediately calling Newsome into action. The Wicklow netminder produced a stunning early double save—first parrying a close-range strike and then reacting sharply to smother the rebound—before his defenders scrambled the ball off the line. The visitors continued to dictate possession during the early exchanges, yet it was the home side who struck first against the run of play.
With twenty minutes on the clock, Wicklow won a long-range free that Jack Conyard delivered expertly into the danger area. Rising highest, Conor Martin met the teasing delivery with a glancing header that looped beyond the advancing goalkeeper, sending the home supporters into full voice.
Wexford responded by tightening their grip on the middle third, driven by the industrious Stephen Murphy. The midfielder carved open a rare gap through the centre and forced Newsome into another smart stop before his follow-up effort sailed narrowly over the crossbar. Their pressure soon told, and within five minutes the sides were level. A surging solo run down the right wing by Stephen Wallace stretched the Wicklow defence, and his cut-back found Andrew Kelly, who finished clinically into the bottom corner.
From there, the remainder of the half belonged firmly to the visitors. Wave after wave of attacks tested the resilience of the Wicklow back line, with Murphy, Danny Piero Doyle and Wallace all threatening to nudge their side in front. Each time, however, Newsome was equal to the challenge, producing a string of confident saves to keep Wicklow in contention as the interval approached.
While Wicklow’s defensive grit—and particularly Newsome’s standout display—kept the score level at the break, the mounting pressure hinted that the hosts would face an uphill battle in the second half.
Within ten minutes of the restart the lead had changed hands again as a bouncing ball in the home side's box resulted in a penalty. This time it was Murphy who got the better of Newsome with a well taken penalty.
After this early setback Wicklow did battle back and were awarded a free which goalscorer Martin fired wide from long range.
The final thirty minutes saw an onslaught on the goal of the home side.
The first chance to double the tally fell to Piero Doyle but that man Newsome along with his defenders managed to scramble the ball away. With both teams tiring and twenty left on the clock the ball landed at the feet of Alex Devereux but with the goal at his mercy a tackle form Newsome ensured his side would only need a goal.
With four minutes left on the clock Wallace finally managed to find the net after he finished well from yet another save from the formidable Newsome.
This result means Wicklow will now play Kilkenny in a plate final on St Stephens day.
Wicklow:Tristan Newsome,Sam Aedepas,Abdul Mohames,Jamal Abdool.Conor Martin,Sebastian Galeano,Rian Daye,Jack Conyard,Sean Lawlor,Aaron Parle Kinsella,Alex Ward Dunne.
Subs Used:George Nichols for Alex Ward Dunne,Cathal Jayawardeni for Sebastian Galeano,Kyle Chase for Sean Lawlor,Naoise Delaney for Jack Conyard.
Wexford Wexford Football League: Kenny Murphy,Sean Stamp,Rian O'Grady,Ryan Dempsey, Noah Byrne,Ryan Wycherley,Danny Peiro-Doyle,Stephen Murphy,Andrew Kelly,Brian Ivers,Stephen Wallace.
Subs Used:Alex Devereux for Andrew Kelly,Aaron Hattersley for Ryan Dempsey, Conor Meehan for Ryan Wycherley,Coby Byrne for Sean Stamp.Harry Fenlon for Ryan Dempsey.
Referee Mark Wynne.
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