Douglas denied as Broaders rescues Wexford

Dean Broaders came to Wexford Youths’ rescue yesterday as his penalty 16 minutes from time saw the Airtricity League side force a replay against Douglas Hall in their FAI Ford Cup second round tie at Moneygourney.

The MSL outfit looked set to hold on after Derek’s Varian’s super strike three minutes into the second-half put them ahead. However, Shane Keegan’s side battled back and Broaders converted his spot-kick after Shane Nolan was brought down by David Moore to force a replay tomorrow night at Ferrycarrig Park.

Kelvin Flanagan’s side had more of the play in a scrappy opening half but the closest they came to scoring was six minutes before the break when Killian’s Murphy’s shot was saved by Graham Doyle. The second-half was a much better spectacle and Varian put Douglas in front three minutes in when he turned and swivelled on the edge of the box before smashing a superb left footed volley to the net.

Wexford boss Keegan was forced into introducing Broaders and Shane Nolan in a bid to keep his side in the cup. The substitutions worked and man-of-the-match Adrian O’Donovan was forced to make a superb save from Aidan Keenan’s volley on 63 minutes. O’Donovan then made another great stop to deny Shane Clarke before Broaders’ equaliser. Douglas had two chances to nick it but Chris Fox and Brian Wilkinson couldn’t convert.

DOUGLAS: A O’Donovan; Wilkinson, G O’Donovan, Moore; Murphy, Fox, Kelleher, Ryan, Prout, Reardon, Varian.

WEXFORD YOUTHS: Doyle; Clarke, Keogh, Scallan, Corcoran; B Nolan, Yeates (S Nolan 67), Molloy; Keenan, Fennor (Broaders 56), Croke.

Referee: A Mullally (Waterford).