Cork Women's FC 0 - 2 Wexford Youths

Wexford Youths Women’s AFC earned their first victory of the campaign at CIT Sunday afternoon as Cork Women’s FC slumped to a third defeat in the Bus Éireann FAI Women’s National League.

The Cork players and management bemoaned the surface was not conducive to the stylish football they intend to play however it did seem to suit Wexford’s policy of harassing Cork in possession and forcing them into errors, the visitors’ work ethic admirable to say the least on the day.

Yet Cork’s insipid performance cannot be solely attributed to the playing surface. The hosts, on the back of much improvement, appeared relatively lethargic on this occasion.

Following the first round of games it is apparent that Dave Bell’s youthful unit lacks a ruthless edge.

There are positives of course, plenty of them in fact but at this unforgiving level you need to be clinical when opportunities present themselves as Wexford were scoring twice, once in each half from very few chances created by them, particularly so in the second period despite John Flood’s team dominating the early exchanges after the half-time interval in particular.
 

Tellingly, Cork’s goalscoring record thus far is unfortunately a concern.

In five league matches they have scored just four times, drawn a blank on two occasions and have scored more than once in only one game, that a 2-2 draw at home to Castlebar Celtic FC.

However, Cork did engineer numerous goalscoring opportunities but found Wexford goalkeeper Charlotte McCormack, arguably the game’s best performer, in supreme form.

Wexford orchestrated their first goal on the road via a Maria Delahunty corner after nine minutes which also set them on their way to a first victory in the section and for collective effort a well deserved one at that.

Delahunty’s in-swinger from the right was not dealt with sufficiently by Cork net-minder Rachel Mullins and Wexford captain Kylie Murphy, scoring her third goal in two matches to complement a magnificent display of midfield dominance, bundled the ball over the line giving the visitors an advantage.

A neat move on 23 minutes whereby Cork’s Lynsey McKey and Jenny Critchley combined before the former struck at goal forced McCormack into action, the goalkeeper getting behind the ball well to save.

Two minutes later Wexford’s goalscorer Murphy nearly doubled their lead as her effort shaved the outside of Mullins’ post following an intelligent lay-off by Irish U19 international striker Rianna Jarrett, Wexford’s would-be second goalscorer.

McCormack was called into action again on 28 minutes to deny McKey from eight yards after the attacker struck a volley at goal.

Murphy, Wexford’s driving force, got a shot off on 32 minutes which Mullins comfortably saved.

Irish U17 international captain Clare Shine was introduced at half-time for Critchley for Cork in an attempt to give the hosts’ attack a different option going forward however it was Wexford that were the livelier side, Jarrett’s testing header and Delahunty’s shot, both on target, testament to that.

Cork’s first worthwhile attack of the half occurred on 57 minutes when Lauren Murphy’s excellent defending, cushioned pass to McKey and the striker’s sweeping pass to the right set Shine away however her shot hit the side-netting.

Three minutes later Jarrett extended Wexford’s lead with a superb header from the edge of the six-yard box, albeit under the pretence that she was possibly a fraction offside when meeting the inventive Delahunty’s cross from the right.

Cork went close to levelling on 71 minutes when Shine’s free-kick outside the area, thunderously struck, was brilliantly saved by McCormack following a foul on the industrious Susan Donovan.

And moments later a perfectly-weighted through ball from Irish senior international Denise O’Sullivan afforded McKey the scope to pick a spot beyond the advancing McCormack however she powered her shot past the post and wide.

McKey was subsequently denied from point blank range by Jessica Gleeson, the central defender producing an excellent block to deny her at the last second.

Time eventually ran out on Cork and now the Leesiders will face into the new year second from bottom with four points from a possible 15.

However, Wexford, moving into fourth, will be understandably pleased to get off the winning mark.

CORK WOMEN’S FC: Rachel Mullins, Orla Barry, Lauren Murphy, Sylvia Gee, Marie Curtin, Laura Lynch, Jenny Critchley, Susan Donovan, Lynsey McKey, Denise O’Sullivan (capt), Claudia Hudner.

Subs: Clare Shine for Critchley (45), Valerie Mulcahy for Lynch (65), Amanda Parkes for Barry (80).

WEXFORD YOUTHS WOMEN’S AFC: Charlotte McCormack, Linda Douglas, Trish Cleary, Jessica Gleeson, Clare Conlon, Nicola Dunphy, Kylie Murphy (capt), Ciara O’Brien, Rianna Jarrett, Maria Delahunty, Sadie Murphy.

Subs: Brianne O’Connor for Murphy (63), Celine Slye for Conlon (84), Keeley Clayden for Jarrett (89).

Referee: Chrissie Buckley (Cork).