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You are > Home > Wolfe grabs injury-time leveller for resilient Youths
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Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wolfe grabs injury-time leveller for resilient Youths
Athlone Town 1 Wexford Youths 1
NO POST-MATCH interview needed to gauge the frustration of Brendan Place.
The Athlone Town manager’s voice permeated the closed door of the home dressing room and he had every reason to raise it.
Two minutes into injury time and Youths midfielder Shane Sinnott takes possession just inside the Athlone half and sets himself, unchallenged, to deliver a perfectly-judged ball into the penalty area where, with the home defence in complete disarray, the indefatigable Anto Russell gets a header onward for Anthony Wolfe, in turn, to head on and wide of Slingermann.
For Wexford the equaliser was a reward for resilience, for never letting the game get away despite the overall dominance of a new-look Athlone side whose performance belied their League position.
They started with three players making their debut and one of them, Under-21 international Shane Fitzgerald from UCD, soon showed skill, pace and crossing ability from the left flank, combining with Hughes to set up an early chance for Watson.
Then Gary Sheahan contrived something out of nothing for Keohane but his shot was charged down at close quarters.
At the other end, the impressive McEvoy brought Holden to his knees with a vicious shot that skipped off the turf in front of him.
Considering this was the fourth match in five days on it, the pitch was a credit to the groundsman.
It was no eight-goal thriller like the dismissal of Limerick last week but an engrossing encounter nevertheless, with both keepers commanding.
Wexford came nearest to a goal in the 18th minute when a gifted clearance from Collins gave Sheahan a shooting opportunity from 25 yards.
His beautifully struck shot curled over the keeper but flew to safety via the crossbar.
At the other end Watson forced Holden into a fine diving save.
Athlone went ahead four minutes into the second half, Denis Moran’s free kick from long range curling round the wall into the net behind it.
Deflection?
Packie Holden’s reaction seemed to suggest as much but it may have been the split second evacuation of the two home players tagged on to the end of the barricade that confused him. Either way it was exquisite execution.
Town were worthy of the lead but there was to be no consolidation.
Watson should have made it safe but headed tamely into Holden’s hands, Sinnott was on hand for a goalmouth clearance later and the Wexford keeper had a justified slice of luck when making a late full length save he failed to hold the ball and saw it squeeze past the post.
So to the dramatic finale, and it was fitting that defenders should secure the point for Youths for this was a night for no compromise at the back.
Young Aidan McCann looks more the real deal with every game and in Anto Russell Wexford have a genuine folk hero, arguably the first product of the local development system to achieve senior status alongside the imports brought in to season the side since its league debut.
Athlone Town: Michael Slingermann; Niall Scullion, Paddy Collins, Des Hope, Eoghan O’Shea; Richie O’Hanlon, Denis Moran, Ryan McEvoy, Shane Fitzgerald (Dean Marshall 72); Jason Hughes (Kevin Williamson 83), Gordon Watson.
Wexford Youths: Packie Holden; Anthony Wolfe, Anto Russell, Aidan McCann (Shane Nolan 84), Chris Kenny; Dean Broaders (Muzzi Mullen 65), Shane Sinnott; Jimmy Keohane, Shane Dempsey, Danny Furlong, Gary Sheahan.
Referee: John McLaughlin. • Wexford Youths FC coaching staff thank Sports Active Wexford for their assistance in securing recent grant aid funding.
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