Doyle seals EA Sports cup win over Wexford

Wexford FC 1 Bray Wanderers 2 (after extra time)

Ferrycarrig Park, 10 March 2020, EA Sports Cup

Super sub Joe Doyle came off the bench as Wanderers came from behind to advance to the second round of the EA Sports cup with this extra time win over Wexford FC.

Wanderers made 10 changes to the starting team from the side that defeated Wexford in the league in their last game. Only Tristan Noack-Hofmann remained in the starting team.

In a lively game, Noack-Hofmann headed over from a Dean O’Shea corner from the left on three minutes. A minute later, Conor Behan was inches away from connecting with a Jake Ellis cross from the right. Dean O’Shea drove a shot range shot wide in the 13th minute.

Glen Hollywood was next to go close, turning on the edge of the area and shooting just wide. Just after the half hour Darragh Lynch twice went close within a minute. Firstly, he got in on the left and forced Feeney into a save. Then, he chipped Feeney only to see his effort come back off the crossbar. Brandon McCann forced Feeney into another save on 40 minutes.

While Wanderers were on top in the first half Wexford improved in the second and opened the scoring on the hour mark. After a good move down the right Janabi Amour was at the back post to sweep home to the net. Cian Kavanagh headed just over for Wexford five minutes from time.

Three minutes into added time Joe Doyle raced clear to a through ball and roundo Feeney to force extra time. Doyle forced Feeney into a great save five minutes into extra time. Darragh Gibbons was penalised for a foul on the edge of the area on 98 minutes. Cian Kavanagh drove the resulting free kick over the bar. Two minutes into the second period of extra time, Doyle found himself clear following a pass from Paul Keegan and scored low past Feeney. Paul Keegan forced Feeney into another save on 110 minutes with a shot from the edge of the area.  Wanderers survived a goalmouth scramble three minutes from time to hold out for the victory

Wexford FC: Colum Feeney, Karl Fitzsimons, James Carroll, Conor Crowley, Kaleem Strawbridge-Simon, Janabi Amour, Lee Costello, Patrick O’Sullivan, Kristian Crawford, Sean Roche, Paul Cleary. Subs: Jack Lydon, Daniel Tobin (for Roche, 91), Azeez Yusuff, Cian Kavanagh (for Amour, 81), Conor English (for Strawbridge-Simo, 62), Karl Manahan (for O’Sullivan, 68), Charlie Smith.

Bray Wanderers: Adam Hayden, Cian Maher, Dean O’Shea, Darragh Gibbons, Tristan Noack-Hofmann, Jack Watson, Brandan McCann, Conor Behan, Glen Hollywood, Jake Ellis, Darragh Lynch. Subs: Brian Maher (gk), John Ross Wilson (for Watson, 111), Paul Keegan (for Lynch, 82), Joe Doyle (for Ellis, 69), Luka Lovic (for Hollywood, 83), Cian Walsh.

Match report: Michael Duffy