Dundalk FC end their pre-season preparations with win over Wexford

Dundalk 3-1 Wexford

Dundalk FC have ended their pre-season preparations with a 3-1 win over Wexford.

Two goals from the superb Ryan O’Kane added to Cameron Elliot’s strike on the stroke of half-time, while Danny Furlong pulled one back for the visitors in the closing stages.

The Lilywhites went close on six minutes after a Paul Doyle free-kick from the left was headed across at the back post by Darragh Leahy, but Hayden Muller headed just wide.

Dundalk scored on 13 minutes, however, with Elliott initially foiled from close range by Colm Cox, but the rebound fell for O’Kane, and he slotted home from the edge of the box.

As is often the case at Oriel, club legend Richie Blackmore was among the attendees, and he would have appreciated what was some top-class goalkeeping from Nathan Shepperd on 27 minutes, with the Welshman brilliantly denying Jordan Adeyemo with a fine save.

Elliott was looking lively, and he raced down the right flank before picking out Keith Ward in the middle, but the Dundalk playmaker couldn’t get enough on it as Cox saved.

Ex-Lilywhite Mark Hanratty cut inside Muller before forcing Shepperd into another stop, while moments later at the opposite end, O’Kane’s cross was headed off target by Elliott.

O’Kane was a standout performer when the sides met in the FAI Cup last season, and he was looking dangerous again, with his shot from range going just wide of Cox’s near post.

Indeed, Dundalk made it 2-0 in first-half stoppage-time through Scotsman Elliott, who capitalised on Wexford’s failure to clear the danger, and bag his third goal in pre-season.

Early in the second half, Elliott and John Martin both had attempts blocked out by the Wexford rearguard before substitute Robbie Benson fired off target from the rebound.

Karl Chambers curled a shot wide for Wexford, but the right-back was destroyed seconds later by O’Kane, whose cross was planted wide at the far post by the head of Martin.

Shepperd, who missed last Friday’s Jim Malone Cup defeat in Drogheda through injury, was almost caught out when dispossessed by Adeyemo, but luckily for the Dundalk keeper, Hanratty’s subsequent effort from about 30 yards out sailed wide of the mark.

The excellent O’Kane made it 3-0 with 20 minutes remaining, though, as he cut inside two Wexford adversaries before delightfully finishing into the bottom left-hand corner.

Only off the bench a matter of seconds, Patrick Hoban forced Cox into a decent save, while full-back Archie Davies almost scored what would have been a marvellous goal.

Perhaps deservedly for their efforts, Wexford pulled one back on 86 minutes through their record goalscorer Furlong, who rolled back the years to produce an expert finish.

Dundalk FC: Nathan Shepperd; Archie Davies, Hayden Muller, Louie Annesley, Darragh Leahy (Andy Boyle 62); Alfie Lewis, Paul Doyle (Greg Sloggett 76); John Martin (Connor Malley 76), Keith Ward (Robbie Benson HT), Ryan O’Kane; Cameron Elliott (Patrick Hoban 76)

Subs not used: Mark Byrne (gk), Eoin Kenny, Callum Bonner, Luke Mulligan, Oisin Coleman, Jake Hough, Anthony Mayo

Wexford: Colm Cox; Karl Chambers, Hugh Douglas (Matthew Dunne 67), Ethan Boyle (Benjamin Lynch 67), James Crawford; Conor Levingston (Corban Piper 62); Darragh Levingston (Sean Fitzpatrick HT), Aaron Robinson (Evan Farrell 72), Brandon McCann (Gary Armstrong HT), Mark Hanratty (Reece Webb 58); Jordan Adeyemo (Danny Furlong 67)

Subs not used: Noel Heffernan (gk)

Referee: Robert Harvey (Dublin)