North End are going to Ferrycarrig to face Forth Celtic courtesy of two extra time goals from Shane Dempsey and Eoin Rhodes…
It was a rather tactical, somewhat cagey affair in Patrick Mernagh Park, Enniscorthy, on Thursday night. The game settled into a pattern of both teams playing safe trying not to lose the game rather than trying to win it.
The 90 minutes were extremely cagey with even half chances at a premium and very little action towards either box with the game being bogged down in the midfield in a war of attrition.
Extra time is where we saw the two genuine moments of quality that swung the game in North End’s favour. In the first 10 minute half of extra time, Shane Dempsey rose highest to glance a delicious ball from a corner back across the goal and into the back of the net to send the North End faithful into raptures.
The tie was killed off by Eoin Rhodes in the second period of extra time. Rhodes narrowly beat the offside trap by Ryan Cullen, who had marshalled the prolific striker excellent all evening, and Rhodes does what he does best by putting the ball in the back of the net as he finished calmly past a helpless Cian Browne in the Rangers net to finish the game and punch North End’s ticket to Ferrycarrig for the Wexford Cup final.
The Final will be contested by last years winners Forth Celtic and North End. North End and Gorey Rangers will square off again on Sunday (18/5) with North End holding a 3 point lead with 2 games to go so a win will see them crowned champions yet again.
Forth Celtic will finish the league campaign in 4th place so they will be hoping to repeat as Wexford Cup champions to get their hands on some silverware again this season.
Another season of exciting twists and turns in the Wexford Football League and it is all coming to a head at the business end of the season over the next few weeks. I can’t wait to see it all play out and the drama that follows it, as I’m sure all of you can’t either!
Adam Connor
From Gorey, Adam is a writer with Wexford Weekly. He writes about sports and has a keen interest in the Wexford Football League.
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