Updated at 08.30
Wexford Youths 5-1 Cardiff Met
WEXFORD YOUTHS ENDED their maiden campaign in the Women’s Champions League with a terrific win over Cardiff Met in Poland.
With three points from their first two matches, the WNL champions were unable to qualify for the knockout stages due to their head-to-head record, but put in a professional display to see off their Welsh opponents this evening.
Youths started like a house on fire and were 2-0 up after just six minutes thanks to a double from striker Carol Breen. Rebekah Cassin added another on the half hour mark, before Breen made it a hat-trick just before the break.
Skipper Emily Allen did manage to pull one back for Cardiff, but Breen capped a superb individual display by bringing her personal tally to four with nine minutes remaining.
Polish club Medyk Konin progress to the knockout stages with maximum points after dismantling Gintra this afternoon, while Youths can be proud of a second-place finish on their first year in the competition.
“We finished on a high,” manager Will Doyle told the FAI. “The first half was a decent performance but in the second half we let it go a little as we knew the other score so it was in Konin’s hands.
I was delighted to get two wins, I wouldn’t have changed much of what we did against Konin. We were just against a very good side in testing conditions and we fell short in that one.
“Carol was fantastic all week. She had a point to prove and she made it. It was a brilliant individual performance to score four times in UEFA Champions League game.
“I couldn’t ask much more from the girls, the heat was a massive issue. We tried to rotate players and we’re delighted to go home with the two wins. I was pleased to get as many players as we could onto the pitch and experience this level of the game.
“We have to switch on for the league campaign now and we want to retain that title and have another opportunity to play at this level next year.”
WEXFORD YOUTHS: Kelly, Gleeson, Kennedy, Rossiter, Sinnott, Fahey, Murphy (C), Cassin, Douglas (Frawley 80′).
CARDIFF MET: Sara Moreira, Mathias (Todd ’32), Scherschel, Billinagham, Tucker, Sargent, O’Connor, Allen (C), Murray, Fever, Davy (Ayling 78′).
Originally published at 18.00 on 16 April
