Wexford Youths 1-3 Derry City
Well-taken second half goals from Lucas Schubert and Barry McNamee completed Derry City’s come-from-behind victory to see them deservedly through to the semi-finals of the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup at Ferrycarrig Park.
Though Eric Molloy gave Wexford an early, Derry stormed back with strikes from Rory Patterson and Schubert before McNamee sealed it late on.
Wexford christened their debut in the quarters-finals of the competition with a confident start that resulted in their taking the lead with a delightful goal six minutes in.
Ex-Derry midfielder Jonny Bonner won the ball to feed it to Paul Murphy who treaded a perfect pass through for the run of Molloy.
The winger raced into the area to calmly side-foot past the advancing Ger Doherty for a composed finish.
Derry, five-times winners of the trophy, responded with Youths’ keeper and captain Graham Doyle forced into a terrific save on 22 minutes.
Ronan Curtis’ cross from the left wasn’t cut out by the home defence as Schubert’s low drive brought a superb one-handed save from Doyle.
Derry continued to press to get back into the game and weren’t far off equalising on 35 minutes.
Schubert whipped over their seventh corner of the game which defender Niclas Vemmelund headed narrowly wide.
The visitors’ pressure finally told with literally the last kick of the first half.
Having collected Conor McDermott’s pass on the edge of the area, Patterson turned cleverly to see his shot deflect off Gary Delaney to fly into the corner of the net.
Remarkably, Youths wasted a guilt-edged chance to regain the lead just 12 seconds into the second half.
Murphy was left totally unmarked as he rose to meet Molloy’s right flank cross only to plant his header over the bar when he should have scored.
But it was Doyle at the other end who kept his side in the game with a brace of saves inside a minute.
First Doyle thwarted Patterson who had been put in on goal by Dean Jarvis.
The Youths keeper was then there again to save once more with his feet from Barry McNamee’s drive after Patterson nodded down impressive teenage right-back McDermott’s cross.
Dominant Derry deservedly went ahead on 67 minutes when man-of-the-match Aaron McEneff’s free kick came back off a post.
Midfielder Schubert reacted first to the rebound only to see his header parried by Doyle. But the ball fell kindly back at the Austrian’s feet for him to sweep it home with his right foot.
McNamee then sealed Derry’s merited win on 84 minutes when turning in the box to shoot home their third goal.
Wexford Youths: Graham Doyle; Aidan Friel, Gary Delaney, Lee Grace, Craig McCabe; Eric Molloy, Chris Kenny (Peter Higgins 82), Jonny Bonner, Aidan Keenan; Shane Dunne (Andy Mulligan 74; Paul Murphy.
Derry City: Gary Doherty; Conor McDermott, Niclas Vemmelund, Dean Jarvis, Ben Doherty; Aaron McEneff (Keith Ward 89), Conor McCormack; Lucas Schubert (Nathan Boyle 89), Barry McNamee, Ronan Curtis (Josh Daniels 64); Rory Patterson.
