Wexford and Shelbourne battled it out for top spot in All-Island Cup Group B at Ferrycarrig on Saturday. In the end the Dublin side took the honours, scoring a stoppage time winner. Both sides go through to the last eight of the competition.
Mia Lenihan, Nicole Nix and Emily Corbet all started for Wexford with Erin Healy the latest player to be called up from the U19s.
The visitors also rested a few regulars for the final game in Group B, Cork’s earlier defeat to Cliftonville all but securing QF spots for both Wexford and Shelbourne.
That made for an open entertaining affair at Ferrycarrig.
The Reds took an early lead, Nadine Clare beating Nix with an unstoppable right foot shot in the 15th minute. Kerri Letmon came close to adding to the lead six minutes later but shot wide.
Wexford were level in the 27th minute, Ellen Molloy scoring her third of the season with a right foot shot into the top corner. Emily Corbet headed an Aoibhean Clancy free kick over in the 37th so the sides went in level at the break.
Shelbourne increased the tempo in the second and the home team had to defend in numbers. A superb Nix save from Rebecca Devereux in the 57th minute kept the score level as the game entered the final fifteen.
17 year old defender Ciara Fitzpatrick came on in the the 85th to make her Wexford Senior debut.
Ceola Bergin had a great chance to win it for Wexford in the 87th but her right foot effort flashed past the post with the keeper beaten. The miss proved costly as the visitors regained their lead in the 92nd minute, Devereux converting from the spot after a handball in the box.
There was still time for drama, Teegan Lynch desperately unlucky to see her right foot volley come back off the Shelbourne crossbar.
The Dublin side hung on for the win to take top spot in the group.
Wexford and Shelbourne will await the Quarter Final draw with games set to take place in June.
Wexford FC Women: Nix, Russell, Tuthill (Fitzpatrick 85′), Sinnott, Conlon, Murphy (c) (Doherty 53′), Clancy, Lenihan (Lynch 46′), Molloy (Walsh 53′), Corbet (De Mange 46′), Bergin.
Subs Not Used: Merren, Williams, Healy,
Shelbourne FC: McQuillan, Keenan, Hannon, Clare (O’Brien 77′), Letmon, Graham (c) (Healy 67′), O’Mahony (Riley 77′), Kavanagh (Dodd 67′), McCarn (McCarthy 77′), Gray, Devereux.
Subs Not Used: Magee, Quinn, O’Rourke, Pierce
