Dramatic finish as Bolger point secures replay for Wexford against Dublin

The Slaneysiders had conceded six points in twelve minutes as things appeared to be slipping away late on, but Rathnure’s Kayla Reddy had other ideas, taking on the ball from Katie Bolger’s assist before rattling past Mia Farrell.

Wexford still needed one more point and it was probably no surprise that the pick of their forwards on the day, Bolger, stepped up to the plate and delivered.

Six minutes of normal time remained and Willie Hayden’s side had the momentum, but the winner wouldn’t come.

While there were chances to get it done on the afternoon, Wexford would have taken the replay all day long with eight minutes left on the clock. This team can have flat spots in games, and this one was nearly a killer.

However, things should be different the next day. Wexford lost star midfielder Layla Stafford in the 18th minute after the Glynn-Barntown player and team-mate Kate Flood collided in midfield.

It was a knee injury for Stafford, who came back on for the last eight minutes, giving her side a massive psychological boost.

Her availability this coming weekend for the replay will be hugely important for Wexford as the Slaneysiders simply don’t have a replacement of her quality.

Jane Murphy battled away in her place but they are different types of player, and Wexford moved Lucia Goggins back to midfield to deputise.

However, Stafford’s injury was not the only issue Wexford encountered. While very strong down the other side, they got fleeced down their left, Dublin’s right, with almost all the scoring done on that side of the field.

They will get a chance to fix that and will need to make adjustments, as a repeat in the replay would likely be fatal.

They also struggled to get consistency in front of the posts from their forwards. Dublin were far more economical than Wexford and, while that’s not a new issue, they will need a few more girls to step up and get two or three scores the next day.

There is clearly very little between these sides and while Wexford have some decisions to make with their team selection next week, so do Dublin, with the introduction of Caitlin McKenna providing a serious spark to a team that was drifting through the match.

Dublin got the opening point on the board through Liadh Murray, but Eirin O’Brien dealt well with that considerable threat thereafter.

Wexford had missed three opportunities to get on the scoresheet before Bolger levelled the scores in the fifth minute.

Moments later Robyn Kinsella broke into space in the middle of the field and flighted over but again Dublin responded, this time through the dangerous Emma Moran. A short time later Stafford picked up her injury after colliding with Flood.

The Glynn-Barntown midfielder attempted to play on but succumbed to injury in the 18th minute.

She was on the field when Wexford went three points ahead, with Shauna Mac Sweeney reacting superbly to Bolger’s effort being batted into her goalmouth by Farrell.

Wexford survived a scare when Moran got in and flashed across goal and wide in the 21st minute. They went down the other end and moved 1-3 to 0-2 ahead on the back of Karen Hayden’s sole point.

Beth Maguire scored Dublin’s first point for 16 minutes to stop the rot, and they were back on level terms when Moran got in behind Leagh Maddock and smashed to the net.

Despite the concession, Wexford did go in at the interval ahead, with Abbie Doyle pointing from Jane Murphy’s assist in additional time (1-4 to 1-3).

Wexford had a couple of chances to embellish their interval advantage after the resumption, with Hayden missing a telling touch at the back post before Kinsella shot off the frame of the goal in the 33rd minute.

Still in the ascendancy, a Mac Sweeney free put the Slaneysiders two points up, but Dublin began a run after McKenna’s introduction that saw them score six points in a row, with the new arrival (two), Eimear Kehoe and Maguire (three) on target.

In the middle of that spurt Wexford chose to introduce Kayla Reddy, and it was a prudent call even before the goal gave full justification for it. Dublin were winning inside and the injection of extra pace in that area just gave them a different question to answer.

At the other end the Dubs chose to withdraw Moran, which was probably a great relief for the Wexford bench and defence. It felt like a strange move looking on from the press box as every ball that went to the strong number 14 spelt danger.

The critical goal wasn’t an easy finish for Reddy but she’s arguably the cleanest striker of a ball in the squad when in space and going towards goal, and she was never likely to miss.

Bolger’s equaliser came a minute later and Dublin also had to survive a scramble in their goalmouth in the 59th minute.

The Metropolitans had one chance to win it themselves, when an injury-time effort by McKenna just stayed outside the right upright.

Overall it would have been harsh on either side to lose it late on, with a replay - fixed for Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow on Sunday at 2 p.m. - a favourable outcome.

Wexford: Jane Duggan (Glynn-Barntown); Emma O’Leary (Glynn-Barntown), Leagh Maddock (St. Martin’s, joint-capt.), Kate Flood (Cloughbawn); Róisín McGonigle (Tara Rocks), Eirin O’Brien (Blackwater), Róisín Egan (Buffers Alley); Layla Stafford (Glynn-Barntown), Orla O’Rourke (Kilrush); Katie Bolger (Ballygarrett, 0-2), Robyn Kinsella (Buffers Alley, 0-1), Lucia Goggins (St. Martin’s); Karen Hayden (Oylegate-Glenbrien, joint-capt., 0-1), Shauna Mac Sweeney (Kilrush, 1-1, 0-1 free), Abbie Doyle (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy, 0-1). Subs. - Jane Murphy (Glynn-Barntown) for Stafford, inj. (18), Kayla Reddy (Rathnure, 1-0) for Mac Sweeney (44), Grace O’Connor (St. Martin’s) for Flood (51), Stafford for Kinsella (53), also Ellie O’Connell (Rathnure), Caoimhe Tobin (St. Ibar’s/Shelmalier), Aisling Hughes (Ballygarrett), Erin McDonald (Cloughbawn), Mary Byrne (Ferns St. Aidan’s), Rachel Cullen (Glynn-Barntown), Chloe Whelan (St. Ibar’s/Shelmalier), Ciara Kavanagh (Buffers Alley), Ella Jones (Tara Rocks), Ailbe Oakes (Marshalstown), Anna Hughes (Tara Rocks), Anna Tomkins (Kilrush).

Dublin: Mia Farrell; Aoife Kane, Seodhna Ó Riain, Eile Caffrey; Ava O’Shea, Anna Marie Durkan (capt.), Emma Maher; Eve Pennie, Éabha Gannon; Eimear Kehoe (0-1), Liadh Murray (0-1), Ella O’Connell; Beth Maguire (0-4), Emma Moran (1-1), Gemma Connolly. Subs. - Caitlin McKenna (0-2, 1 free) for Gannon (38), Ruby Davis for O’Connell (44), Ailbhe Garvey for Moran (52).

Referee: Karol Collins (Galway).