logo
Seán Nolan's early goal sets tone as Wexford overcome Longford challenge

Seán Nolan's early goal sets tone as Wexford overcome Longford challenge

Wexford People
Today at 03:30
Seán Nolan announced his return from a long injury lay-off with a perfect start in Chadwicks Wexford Park on Saturday, and it paved the way for the hosts to begin their Tailteann Cup Group 4 campaign with an ultimately comfortable victory over half-time leaders Longford.
The game was still in its second minute when Shane Pettit's incisive run had the visiting defence in early bother, and he off-loaded to Nolan who hammered the ball to the net with aplomb.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

See all the pictures from Wexford Albion Mini World Cup as New Ross Town and Rosslare Strand take honours
See all the pictures from Wexford Albion Mini World Cup as New Ross Town and Rosslare Strand take honours

Irish Independent

time5 days ago

  • Irish Independent

See all the pictures from Wexford Albion Mini World Cup as New Ross Town and Rosslare Strand take honours

Wexford People Today at 14:30 New Ross Town and Rosslare Strand took the top honours as the wonderful feast of football that is Jack's Mini World Cup came to a thrilling conclusion in Wexford Albion's grounds in Kennedy Park on Sunday. The Barrowsiders edged out a talented North End United side 3-2 on penalties after a tremendous Under-11 final that finished 1-1, with Will Nolan tucking away the decisive spot-kick.

History and Croke Park beckons for Limerick footballers
History and Croke Park beckons for Limerick footballers

Irish Examiner

time6 days ago

  • Irish Examiner

History and Croke Park beckons for Limerick footballers

Táilteann Cup: Limerick 4-21 (4-2-17) Wexford 2-19 (2-6-7). TO-ING, fro-ing, six green flags, eight more in orange, and a sizeable piece of history at the end of all that. Limerick's fourth consecutive win of the Tailteann Cup has them back on the road to Croker. It was Wexford who they also trumped when last visiting GAA HQ on March 29 for the Division 3 League decider. And therein is your piece of history; no Limerick football team has ever visited Croke Park twice in the one season. Limerick's fourth consecutive win of the Tailteann Cup has them on the road to Croke Park for a first championship appearance since the 2011 All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Kerry. Fermanagh, Kildare, and Wicklow and their potential semi-final opponents. And although unverified as of yet, there may be history too in Limerick recording four championship wins on the bounce. That too is believed to be a welcome first. Irrespective of how next Sunday pans out for Jimmy Lee's side, this 2025 season of theirs has already exceeded external expectations and reclaimed the backward steps of a 2024 annus horribilis where they lost 10 of their 13 outings and suffered relegation to the League's basement tier. This ongoing campaign is unrecognisable by comparison. Since Wexford bettered them in the League's second round on February 2, they've recorded nine victories and a draw, and come off second best only once, that to Cork in the Munster quarter-final. A strange and enjoyable first-half. Wexford, with a strong wind, powered five clear inside five minutes. They then fell six behind, only to recover and wipe out that gap for an interval stalemate. Wexford won the first four Limerick restarts. The latter three were promptly returned between the posts. Jack Higgins rose orange, Seán Nolan and Páiric Hughes rose white. Added to the opening kick of Higgins 40 or seconds in and Wexford's smart start had the scoreboard reading 0-5 to 0-0. Limerick's response was to wrestle back control of their kickout, take control also of the Wexford kickout, kick 1-6 without reply in the process, and hold Wexford scoreless for an entire quarter of an hour. James Naughton and Danny Neville were twisting and turning the Wexford defence inside out when cutting in from the Mackey Stand side. Their opening goal on 16 minutes involved Neville taking advantage of a slip to slip inside the cover, offloading across the large parallelogram to where Cillian Fahy palmed home. Neville was provider turned finisher for their second five minutes later. Fahy bagged his second and Limerick's third in 10 minutes on 26 minutes. An 11-point swing, Limerick now six to the good. LEE-DING MAN: Limerick manager Jimmy Lee. Wexford's opening five minutes, as mentioned, produced five points. Their closing five minutes produced 1-5. Higgins to Ben Brosnan to Seán Nolan for the goal. Nolan's two-point equaliser arrived 17 seconds shy of the hooter. It represented his second and Wexford's fifth orange flag of the half. In the 25 minutes between their busy bookending of the half, all they had for sustenance was Niall Hughes and Mark Rossiter kicks from the beyond the arc. Another orange flag pulled back the curtain on the second period, James Naughton supplying Limerick's first of the day. Limerick had further wind billowed into their sails when Wexford half-time sub Seán Ryan was black carded on 43 minutes. The 14-men Model County actually clawed the deficit back to the minimum during Ryan's 10 minutes in the bin, Mark Rossiter barreling his way through before executing a fine finish. 3-13 to 2-15. That was as close as this quarter-final came in the second 35 minutes. Cillian Fahy answered with his second and the Treaty's fourth major. Their lead swelled from there. Goalkeeper Josh Ryan capped the day and continued a restorative season when coming forward for an audacious two-pointer. History at the end of a harum-scarum 70 minutes. Scorers for Limerick: J Naughton (0-9, 0-3 frees, tp free); D Neville (2-2); C Fahy (2-0); E Rigter (0-3); J Ryan (tp), P Maher (0-2 each); M McCarthy, D O'Hagan, R Childs (0-1 each). Scorers for Wexford: S Nolan (1-7, 2 tp, 0-2 frees); M Rossiter (1-3, tp); N Hughes (0-4, 2 tp); J Higgins (0-3, tp); E Porter, P Hughes (0-1 each). LIMERICK: J Ryan; J Hassett, D O'Doherty, M McCarthy; P Maher, I Corbett, T McCarthy; T Childs, D O'Hagan; J Naughton, E Rigter, C Fahy; P Nash, D Neville, K Ryan. Subs: T Ó Siochrú for McCarthy (two mins, inj); R Childs for O'Hagan (50); D Murray for T Childs, R O'Brien for Neville (both 59); C Ó Duinn for Ó Siochrú (65); A Meade for Maher (68). WEXFORD: D Brooks; E Porter, G Sheehan, M Furlong; P Hughes, G Malone, D Furlong; L Coleman, N Hughes; M Kinsella, J Higgins, M Rossiter; S Nolan, R Brooks, B Brosnan. Subs: S Ryan for R Brooks, K O'Grady for B Brosnan (both HT); R Martin for Kinsella, C Walsh for D Furlong (both 59); C Kehoe for Malone (64). Referee: B Griffin (Kerry). ENDS

Jack Taylor: 'I wanted to force myself into the manager's mind'
Jack Taylor: 'I wanted to force myself into the manager's mind'

Irish Examiner

time11-06-2025

  • Irish Examiner

Jack Taylor: 'I wanted to force myself into the manager's mind'

Jack Taylor was the big winner from the summer friendlies with a view to the World Cup qualifiers kicking off in September. In the absence of five regulars — the rested trio of Josh Cullen, Finn Azaz and Mikey Johnston along with injured duo Chiedozie Ogbene and Sammie Szmodics — fringe players were urged to shine. Taylor, a clubmate of the latter pair at Ipswich Town, excelled — both on his first start against Senegal last Friday and by upping the tempo following his introduction away to Luxembourg on Tuesday. Two draws from the friendlies constituted a mixed return, particularly in the Grand Duchy, but when the dust settles the midfielder may recall these low-key end-of-season workouts as his springboard. From delivering a defence-splitting pass for Troy Parrott to nick a goal ruled out for offside or crashing his late 25-yarder off the crossbar, Taylor was a standout performer in a middling game. 'It was always my aim to be a starter,' said the Londoner, eligible through his Longford grandfather, after expanding his international exposure to 147 minutes over five caps. Taylor's fine effort from range crashed off the crossbar. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile 'The lads did very well in previous camps but I've been thinking to myself to impress with every opportunity I get. Hopefully, that start comes in the next window. 'I knew there was a good chance of me starting, especially friendlies, to feed some new lads in who haven't had the opportunity yet. I came in with a strong mindset of forcing myself into the manager's mind.' His versatility is a trait Heimir Hallgrimsson will lean on when the six qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup unravel over 10 weeks from Hungary's visit to Dublin on September 6. Newly-crowned Uefa Nations League champions Portugal and Armenia complete the four-nation group, from which the top team qualifies and runners-up enter the playoffs next March. Taylor started against the Senegalese in the supporting role behind Adam Idah, whereas he was slightly deeper for his 35-minute stint in Luxembourg. 'I can play numerous positions and can do all of them,' he explained. 'I don't really have a set position, just wanting to get the boys playing good, fast-flowing football. 'We like to sit off in a 4-4-2 formation when we are out of possession, so it is a little bit deeper. 'I can adjust to roles quite easily so I don't mind where I am playing. Playing and performing is all that matters.' Momentum is the word being attached to Ireland's run of two wins and two draws but the latest, being scoreless by a team 30 places below in the Fifa's rankings, threatens to decelerate their engine. 'There is context to it,' asserted Taylor, defending the lacklustre display. Ryan Manning, Jack Taylor, Jason Knight and Nathan Collins applaud the travelling fans after the game. Picture: Picture: Ryan Byrne/Inpho 'It's the last day of the season for all the lads. Knowing they are going on holiday the next day comes into play. 'We must take the positives out of it – going away from home against a side on paper you might say we should probably beat but they had some dangerous players. 'We kept a clean sheet but no doubt we definitely must improve.' Relegation means Ipswich begin preparations for Championship early, albeit Taylor and his fellow internationals get dispensation. He'll soon be back on the training pitch with colleagues he'll be ultimately competing with for places in the Ipswich and Ireland teams. 'It was a long, hard season in the Premier League and we'll enjoy the rest,' he outlined. 'But you can't get out of shape. You have to monitor yourself in the off-season. 'Sammie and Chieo are two players the manager (Kieran McKenna) has placed his trust in and, hopefully, they will be fit for the next camp. 'I know Chieo has had a long injury but he is such a professional and I think he will come back in top nick and ready to attack the September window.' Read More Nathan Collins happy to see Ireland carry momentum into World Cup qualifying

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store