Wexford put dent in Blues’ promotion hopes

Wexford Youths deservedly won this south east derby at the RSC last night to end Waterford United’s chances of automatic promotion to the Airtricity League of Ireland Premier Division.

Two goals from Danny Furlong gave the men in pink all three points despite the home side grabbing a late conciliation through Jack Doherty.

Cork referee Keith Callanan’s sending off of Waterford captain Seamus Long for a second yellow was the main talking point of a scoreless first-half.

Wexford went in front on 48 minutes when Aidan Kennan ghosted in from the left and, after his shot came back off the butt of the post, Danny Furlong fired the close range rebound to the corner of the net.

Waterford were denied an equaliser three minutes later when Peter Keegan set up winger Paul Phelan but his deflected left-footed shot from 16 yards came back off the inside of the right-hand post.

Furlong made sure of all three points for the Youths 10 minutes from time when he raced onto a pass from Joey Mulcahy before slipping the ball past Holden before Doherty grabbed a last gasp goal for the home side in injury time.

WATERFORD UNITED: Holden; Carey (Breen [77), Burns, Long, Mernagh; S. Mulcahy, Dempsey, Higgins (McGrath [68), Phelan (Doherty [60); Maguire, Keegan

WEXFORD YOUTHS: Doyle; Scallon, Carr, Browne (Molloy [85), Corcoran; B. Nolan (S. Nolan [75), Wall (Croke [12), Malone, Kennan; Furlong, J. Mulcahy

Referee: Keith Callanan (Cork).

SD Galway 3 Athlone Town 0

By Bill Kiely

SD Galway secured successive wins for the first time when they were too strong for an Athlone Town side who have not won now in six games.

Their cause was made more difficult at Eamon Deacy Park in Galway when striker Sean Kelly was red-carded for an off the ball incident after just 20 minutes.

SD Galway hit the front after 50 minutes when Eugene Greaney blasted home a fine shot after good pressure. They made it two after 66 minutes when Brian Gaffney fired home a free-kick after Athlone midfielder Niall Scullion was dismissed after chopping down Gaffney.

Gaffney created the third goal for Mixie Harty eight minutes from time.

SD GALWAY: Keane; Fadden, Greaney, Horgan, Quinlan; Conlon, Enubele (Molloy, 80), Geraghty (O’Reilly, 78), Harty (McConnell, 88); Gaffney, Tomanica.

ATHLONE TOWN: Jennings; Wiliamson, Rushe, Molloy (Sherlock, 53), McCarthy; Walsh, Scullion, O’Mahony (McGee, 53), McGoldrick, Dunne; Skelly.

Referee: R Harvey.