Mervue Preview 

Brian De Salvo

It’ll be interesting to see who plays left back for Wexford Youths against Mervue United at Terryland this evening.   The suspension of long term incumbent Johnny Flynn O’Connor is academic since he has been missing from Youth’s line up for several weeks and is reputed to have left the club.   But Gareth McCurtin, who is being groomed as his successor, is also suspended, having picked up four yellow cards. My guess is that, with Peter White returning, Paul Rossiter, who has been filling in for him in central defence, will switch to the vacant left back role.

Stars from Mick Wallace’s under 18 squad, missing from the Monaghan defeat, are also available and the Youths manager says two will start in Galway. My money’s on Jimmy Keohane and Robert Vickers but Martin Kehoe, Muzzi Mullen and Shane Sinnott also come into the equation.  Packie Holden is fit to continue in goal.

Mervue are without a home win since they defeated Limerick one-nil at the end of May.   Like Youths they desperately need to arrest a losing sequence but will be without midfielders Mixie Harty and Rynal Browne through injury whilst David O’Dowd has a fractured cheek bone.   Mike Tierney is fit to return and recent signing Neil Keane is available again.

Three points are vital for Youths since Monaghan are now only two behind them in the Eircom League First Division. Mick Wallace preaches caution since Mervue, despite their losing spiral, are hard to beat in Galway and three of the four top teams only scraped out of Terryland with single goal victories.   But he also thinks on-fire striker Gary Sheahan is likely to score tonight. It could be an important goal.  

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