First Year Soccer - All-Ireland Semi Final

Wexford CBS 2-1 Douglas Community School

THREE goals in the last six minutes made for a dramatic finale as Wexford CBS defeated Munster Champions, Douglas Community School in the Bank of Ireland FAI Schools First Year Boys National Cup Semi Final at Kilrush Park, the home of Dungarvan United AFC yesterday (May 11)

Having dominated the first half and creating the vast majority of the goal chances, they were still goalless at the break, and it was six minutes from time, before they hit the front on an excellent playing surface.

Midfielder Eoin Hartigan forced the ball home on the line after Kyle Clancy’s header on the end of Jack Foley’s corner crashed off the underside of the bar, but to be fair, it was a goal the all-purple clad Wexford boys deserved.

The goal had been coming for a long time but once in the lead the Wexford boys were unable to hold on to it, and inside five minutes of Hartigan’s goal, it was 1-1 and the possibility of extra-time came into the equation for the first time.

Douglas were back to parity when a free kick near the half-way line was flighted deep into the penalty area and the unfortunate Darragh Carley at centre-half headed the ball into his own net.

A minute later and in a welter of excitement, Douglas goalkeeper Michael O’Neill made a brilliant one-on-on save to deny Jack Wilde but the CBS boys clinched it at the death with a second goal.

Full-back Foley’s cross near the corner flag was touched on by Wilde for Aaron Roche to bundle home the winner and the golden goal to take Wexford to the National Cup Final on May 17.

They snatched the win at the death, despite Douglas having the better of the second half, but it was a deserved victory for the John Nolan-Padraig Whitty managed Wexford side.

A strong wind made conditions difficult as Wexford settled into their stride with Roche twice, Jack Wilde and Jack Foley all going close before JP Linehan’s 20th minute shot for Douglas was saved.

Skipper Oran Crowe who plays his club football with Midleton had a half chance go wide and then he set up Sweeney but the Douglas striker poked the ball wide.

Jacob Jackson was off target with another effort nearing the break but the Cork side had a big let-off on 28 minutes when O’Neill dropped the ball in the box but Wilde was unable to apply the finish.

Linehan had another shot go over before Douglas produced their best opening of the first half when Luke O’Leary’s cross was headed off target by Crowe and the ball fell to Linehan whose rising shot carried over the bar.

Best for the winners were left back Jack Foley, John Hoare in midfield and Aaron Roche in attack while Deri Delma and Eoin Nash did well in defence for Douglas CS and Oran Crowe and JP Linehan also impressed.

DOUGLAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL | Michael O’Neill; Dylan Cotter, Deri Delma, Conor Sheehy;  Luke O’Leary, Jacob Jackson, Oran Crowe (capt), Oscar McCarthy; Ger Sweeney, JP Linehan.

SUBS | Stephen St. Ledger for Sweeney (48), Ugo Okonkwo for Cotter (55), Cotter for Okonkow (60), Guillaime Lucas & Gary Farakas, Fionn Crowley



WEXFORD CBS | Cian Roche; John O’Sullivan, Callum Corcoran (capt), Darragh Carley, Jack Foley; John Hoare,  Eoin Hartigan, Michael Mackey, Kyle Clancy; Jack Wilde, Aaron Roche,

SUBS | Josh Howlin for Wilde (48), Jack Mullan, Jack Dempsey, Eoin Doyle & Tommy Gallagher



REFEREE | John Ferncombe (Waterford)