City title party delayed despite Wexford win

By Donncha Noonan | Photo: Kevin Barry Dorney

After a tumultuous tie with Treaty United last Friday night, City returned to the Cross knowing they could wrap the title up with a win over Wexford, as well as both Bray and UCD dropping points. City did their job with a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Cillian Murphy and Seani Maguire, but a last minute UCD winner to grab a 5-4 win delayed the celebrations.

Barry Robson made two changes to the team that drew in the Market’s Field, with Harry Nevin and Conor Drinan making way for Seani Maguire and Charlie Lyons.

As for Wexford, Stephen Elliott also made two changes to his side that lost to Athlone last week. Max Murphy and Robbie McCourt both came out, with Ryan Butler and Liam Shuntaro Doyle coming in.

The first action of the game came in the thirteenth minute, and it went the way of the visitors. Jamie Wynne did well down the left wing before flicking the ball centrally to Gavin Hodgins, who played it one more to Jake Doyle. He shifted it further right for the oncoming Mikie Rowe, who fired a low shot towards the far corner, but Conor Brann did well to get down and parry the ball away.

City were well in the game still, and went close six minutes after Rowe’s shot. A long ball forward caused havoc at the edge of the Wexford box, with no defender being able to fully get rid of it. It fell to Ruairi Keating at the edge of the box, who angled for a shot and was able to fire one goalwards, but Paul Martin batted the effort away.

The Wexicans were finding some good pockets to get at City, and had a great chance to open the scoring on the half hour mark. Ryan Ritchie picked the ball up in midfield and played a lovely ball in behind the Wexford defence, which Jake Doyle latched onto. The strike raced through on goal and tried to slide the ball past Conor Brann, but the City keeper denied him.

City got their closest to a goal in the first half on the stroke of half time. A dangerous delivery from Cillian Murphy off a corner caused trouble as it bounced across the six yard box. It went past the face of Paul Martin, where the leg of Ryan Ritchie deflected it towards goal, but Paul Martin reacted quickly to claim it.

That was that for the first half, as neither side really fully asserted themselves, leaving an open game there for the taking.

With that being said, it only took three minutes for a team to do so in the second half, and it was the hosts. Niall O’Keeffe fired a ball down the left channel for Seani Maguire, who got to the byline and tried to put a ball across goal. Paul Martin parried the cross into the path of Cillian Murphy, who diverted the rebound into the back of the net to give his side the lead.

City began dominating after this leaving no real chance for Wexford to get back in the game, and they further killed that chance with a second goal in the seventy-fourth minute. A brilliant corner delivery from Cillian Murphy found the head of a wide open Seani Maguire in the box, who nodded the ball home from close range to double his side’s advantage.

City were truly cruising now, but Conor Brann was called into action one more time in the eighty-first minute. Mikie Rowe released Zak O‘Sullivan down the right wing, who barrelled towards the side line and delivered a deflected cross, which forced Conor Brann into an awkward tip over the bar to prevent a bizarre goal.

That would be all for this one, as despite both their own and Bray’s result going City’s way, they would be made to wait to be crowned champions as UCD snatched a 5-4 win at home to Finn Harps. Far better second half than first for City, who were far more assured once they found that goal through Murphy. It would have been nice to secure the title in front of home fans, but ultimately most of the fanbase will feel fairly indifferent to this title, as next year is all that matters.

My Man of the Match goes to Seani Maguire. There were a couple of City players in contention, but Maguire oozed class all game and looked head and shoulders above the standard. He had some nice intricate touches and flicks that brought something different to City that they’ve missed in the last few games.

City now turn to Friday, with a win in Bray, or UCD failing to win being enough to clinch the First Division title. As for Wexford they are once again on the road as they head to Limerick to face Treaty United.