It was points shared at Ferrycarrig on Saturday night as Wexford were held to a 2-2 draw with Cork City FC in their All-Island Cup Group B opener.
It was probably a fair reflection of how the game went with both sides having periods of dominance.
Hugh Strong made five changes to the starting line up in Tallaght last week with Maeve Williams, Nicola Sinnott, Freya De Mange, Emily Corbet and Abbie Brophy on in place of Jayne Merren, Ceola Bergin, Kylie Murphy, Michaela Lawrence and Méabh Russell.
The visitors had the brighter opening and could have taken an early lead in the fifth minute, Ellie O’Brien’s right foot shot coming back off the post. The flag was next to save Wexford in the 16th minute when O’Brien was marginally offside after finding the net.
That seemed to wake Wexford up and they started to create their own chances – Abbie Brophy had a long distance strike which hit the crossbar, Ellen Molloy blasted over inside the box while Nicola Sinnott saw her header cleared off the line.
The deadlock was broken in the 32nd minute when Orlaith Conlon fired in from close range after a super corner delivery from Aoibheann Clancy.
Cork almost replied immediately but Coleen Kennedy dragged her shot wide with just the keeper to beat.
City did find an equaliser before the break however, Dorothea Greulich slotting home a parried free kick to make it 1-1.
An exciting first half of action finished with another goal, Ciara Rossiter deceiving the keeper with a cross that went over the line after hitting the post. 2-1 to Wexford at half time.
Kennedy levelled the game up for a second time within a minute of the restart, tapping in from close range.
It looked like it was all set up for another barnstorming half of football but that was to be the end of the scoring, defences finally getting on top to eliminate any further chances.
Wexford did have the ball in the net in the 82nd minute but the flag went up again although it was difficult to see where a foul occurred inside a packed box.
In the 61st minute Leah McGrath came on to make her first senior appearance for Wexford, an amazing achievement for the 15 year old striker.
Wexford return to league action next week with a trip to the League champions Peamount United.
Wexford FC Women: Williams, Tuthill, Conlon, Doherty, Clancy, Sinnott (c), Rossiter, De Mange (Murphy 61′), Molloy, Brophy (Lenihan 61′), Corbet (McGrath 61′)
Subs Not Used: Nix, Bergin, Russell, Lawrence, Lynch and Daly.
Cork City FC Women: Fitzgerald, Mackin, Sena, O’Mahony, Mangan, O’Brien (Dring 74′), Shine (J Mendez 69′), Cotter, Kennedy, Greulich (Robinson 74′), A Mendez (Barret Eidson 69′)
Subs Not Used: Walsh, McCarthy, McNamara, Donnelly, O’Brien
