Under 17 Soccer

Wexford C.B.S. ...2  Colaiste Bhride, Carnew. ...3

On Tuesday 15^th of January the under 17 soccer side of Wexford CBS bowed out of the Wicklow Wexford league at the ¼ final stage. The Boker boys had home advantage and will be bitterly disappointed after this defeat. The game started very brightly for the home side as they completely dominated for the opening 25 minutes of the first half, playing some lovely football in the process, as they tested Carnew on a number of occasions. This pressure resulted in Cian Doyle giving the CBS the lead after about 10 minutes. Eoghan Whitty started the move from the right back position as he switched the play with a lovely cross field pass which found Mark Doyle who then switched the play back to the right again with a ball over the top which Eoin MacDonald ran onto, he turned and laid the ball into the path of Cian Doyle who, with some lovely footwork beat two Carnew defenders before firing a shot to the roof of the net to give the CBS a well-deserved lead and finish off a great team move with a fine goal. CBS continued to dominate proceedings and were guilty of pushing too far forward on occasion, Carnew punished them for this as they counter-attacked with a ball over the top and their pacey centre forward ran onto it and was one on one with Shane McGrath and he finished with a well-placed shot to the bottom corner of the net 1-1. Carnew now began to find their way into the game and really got stuck in and made a game of it as they began to put CBS under pressure. The away side attacked down the left and their winger out-muscled Eoghan Whitty and followed through into another one on one position and finished past Shane McGrath via the post to give Carnew a 2-1 lead at half time.

The second half saw a rejuvenated CBS side look to take the game to their opponents, as they began to move the ball around with real purpose. Jessie Farrell attempted a pass back towards the centre of defence but this was intercepted and Carnew’s number 9 really made Wexford pay for a lapse in concentration with a stunning finish from outside the box into the top corner of the net to make the score 3-1 and leave the CBS with a mountain to climb. The CBS almost had an immediate response as straight from the kick-off as some good one touch football from Eoin MacDonald and Cian Doyle played in Jessie Farrell who finished well but unfortunately saw his effort ruled out for offside. CBS now began to pile on the pressure and Carnew soaked this up well as they defended in large numbers and always looked to hit on the counter-attack. CBS were pushing forward and urged on by captain Richie Kearney. Shane McGrath’s long ball caught out Carnew as Jessie Farrell raced in to finish well to make the score 3-2. The CBS now threw everything forward but Carnew were defending resolutely. Captain Richie Kearney was taken down in the box, but no penalty was awarded. With now only minutes remaining the CBS were throwing everything forward as they looked to find an equaliser. Substitute Dylan Dixon met Jessie Farrell’s cross well in the air but saw his header crash off the crossbar and come back out. Dylan Dixon found space in the box again and hit a volley which clipped the cprssbar again before going over. George Cullen saw his shot spilled by the keeper and fall to Jessie Farrell who attempted a backheel which was somehow blocked down by a Carnew defender on the line. Richie Kearney was again taken down in the box but again no penalty was awarded in what was a frantic finish as Carnew hit on the counter-attack and forced Shane McGrath into making an outstanding save as he tipped a rocket of a shot over the bar. With time now running out for the CBS substitute Tadhg Dunleavy saw his deflected free kick hit the post before running out for a corner kick. Unfortunately for the CBS the final whistle came too soon. The CBS will be bitterly disappointed at going out at this stage as they were the reiging under 16 champions from last year, but credit to Carnew who defended very well and took their chances when they came. It finished as a season of what if’s for this CBS side. Best on the day for the CBS were Cian Doyle, Mark Doyle and John Hamilton.

Wexford CBS: Shane McGrath (Wexford Albion), Eoghan Whitty (Forth Celtic), Richie Kearny Cpt. (North End), Lar Stoutt (North End), Emmet Sinnot (North End), John Hamilton (Forth Celtic), Darragh Rossiter (Forth Celtic), Eoin MacDonald (Wexford Celtic), Cian Doyle (Wexford Celtic), Mark Doyle (Wexford Celtic), Jessie Farrell (North End) Subs: George Cullen (North End) for Sinnot, Dylan Dixon (Curracloe) for Whitty, Tadhg Dunleavy (North End) for MacDonald, Eoin Doyle (New Ross Celtic) for Mark Doyle also Emmett Ryan (Wexford Celtic), Alan Larkin (Wexford Celtic)