Tuesday, 30 December 2014

Wexford Womens and Schoolgirls Cup Draws 2014-15

MMI.ie Wexford Womens Cup First Round Draw 2014-15

Games to be played Sunday January 18th

Taghmon United v St Cormacs
Ajax Athletic v Cushinstown AFC
Seaview United B v Fastnet Rovers
Coolgreaney Celtic v East End United
Rosslare Strand v Cloughbawn B
Seaview United v All Blacks
Bree United v Tombrack United
Rosslare Rangers v North End United
Ferns United v New Ross Town
St Josephs v Moyne Rangers
Corach Ramblers v Adamstown
Camolin Celtic v Benfica LFC
Killenagh Wan v Castledockrell United
Kilmore United, Bunclody AFC, St Leonards (all byes)

Ger Dunne Under Sixteen Cup

Games to be played on Saturday January 17th

First Round
Bridge Rovers v North End United
Gorey Rangers v New Ross Town

Second Round
Cloughbawn AFC v St Josephs
Moyne Rangers v Gorey Rangers B
Adamstown v Arklow Town
Bunclody AFC v Bridge Rovers or North End United
St Leonards v Wexford Celtic
Kilmore United v Curracloe United
All Blacks v Bree United
Tombrack United v Gorey Rangers or New Ross Town

Under Fourteen Cup First Round

Games to be played on Saturday January 24th

Corach Ramblers v Tombrack United
Moyne Rangers v Bunclody AFC
St Josephs v New Ross Town
Seaview United v Wexford Youths
Cloughbawn AFC v Forth Celtic
(all remaining teams have byes)

Under Twelve Cup First Round

Games to be played Saturday January 17th

Moyne Rangers v Courtown Hibs B
Wexford Youths v Seaview United
Campile United v Seaview United 2nds
Bunclody AFC v Kilmore United
Cloughbawn v Corach Ramblers
All Blacks Red v St Cormacs
St Josephs v Gorey Rangers
New Ross Town v New Ross Celtic
Taghmon United v Adamstown
Courtown Hibs v North End United
Tombrack United v Shelburne FC
Ballindaggin, Curracloe United, St Leonards, Bridge Rovers, All Blacks Black, all byes

Under Ten Cup First Round

Games to be played Saturday January 24th

Moyne Rangers v Rosslare Strand
Gorey Rangers v Campile United
Rosslare Rangers v Bunclody AFC
All Blacks v St Leonards
Ballindaggin v Wexford Youths
Cloughbawn AFC v Seaview United Yellow
Courtown Hibs v Seaview United Blue
St Cormacs v Adamstown
Corach Ramblers v Cushinstown AFC

(all remaining teams have byes)

Saturday, 27 December 2014

Wexford Womens Division Two B Review 2014-15

Can anyone stop Moyne from winning their first league title ?

Although the lowest of the four adult divisions, Division Two B is one of the most competitive in the league and has been for many years. The teams who compete in this division do so for the enjoyment of participating while also being as competitive as possible and this usually leads to some very interesting games

This season is no different but as we go into the Christmas break, Moyne Rangers lead the way and at this stage they look to to be too strong for their closest challengers although Rosslare Strand and Tombrack United will not want to give up until the end

Below we take a look at each team individually and make an effort at predicting where they might finish

Moyne Rangers
With players the calibre of Nicola Davitt, Siobhan Grant Moorehead and April Breen, it is difficult to see anyone stop Moyne Rangers from running away with the division as the scoring form within the squad is just too much. They have had a scare or two but not enough to unduly worry them and the only downfall they might hit is over confidence and take some of the teams for granted, which is easy to do in this division. Goals are no problem and Siobhan has scored several already while their defence has never really been tested yet so all is looking good for the Enniscorthy side at present.

Verdict: Hard to see them being stopped from winning the league and possibly a divisional cup double, just too much strength in depth in the squad

Rosslare Strand
Strand moved second in the table just before Christmas when they travelled to Tombrack and came away 3-0 winners to leapfrog the home side. The girls from Rosslare will not give up the chances of catching Moyne until it is impossible to do so and their ability to take their chances will keep them in the hunt. Shannon O Brien and Karen Koolhoff are scoring goals regularly which ensures that they win the games that they should. They work hard as a team which means they will grind out results and be always difficult to beat

Verdict: At this present moment in time they look favourites to finish runners up but will need to keep their forwards as injury free as possible

Tombrack United
While Strand are strong going forward, Tombrack are very strong defensively and tough to break down and a combination of both sides would probably give Moyne a serious run for their money. The only team to beat Tombrack this season were Rosslare Strand and although they dropped to third, they are still well in the running for at least promotion. As well as some excellent young players in Denise Bolger and Sinead Ryan, they also possess a lot of experience in Ciara Ryan, Mary Martin  and Ashling Kavanagh. Another team who will battle all the way to the end and will be difficult to beat, especially at home

Verdict: Might just miss out on second but could be a good bet for the divisional cup despite working off a relatively small squad

Cushinstown AFC
One of the divisions more consistent sides, always difficult to beat, especially in Cassagh, and are capable of taking points off any of the leading teams when playing well. They have a tendency to concede goals in large numbers when they do get broken down but currently sit mid table with four wins and a draw from their nine games played. Last seasons divisional top scorer, Amie Gaffney, continues to impress and has scored seven twice this season already, a remarkable achievement in any division. The club have now moved into underage with the advent of an under ten this season and seem to have embraced the womens / schoolgirls game so the future looks promising

Verdict: To finish comfortably mid table and possibly a good cup run

Seaview United B
Such were the numbers registered with Seaview this season, the decision was made to enter a second adult team instead of their Under Eighteen side, a decision that proved to be a little worrying at first when they had to concede a walkover but since that Sunday in October, they have got their numbers together and have moved up to mid table. They have some top class young players like Danni Idham, Ciara Nolan and Ali Staats, all who have the ability to score goals when the opportunity arises and will finish comfortably in the top four. The biggest club in the league, they are a club with potentially a big future and would seem to have the structure in place to be successful at the top level in most age groups in the coming years.

Verdict: Comfortable mid table finish and have the ability to take points off some of the teams ahead of them and another club capable of making a serious effort at lifting the divisional cup

Fastnet Rovers
Rovers are a competitive side who would expect to be in a better position as they are a decent side, difficult to beat but don't seem to get the results that they should. Another team working off a small but dedicated squad, they currently sit in the middle three but a couple of wins would bring them into a promotion challenging position. They are strong defensively and don't concede many goals and also have players like Joanne Jordan, Triona Kelly and Rebecca O Connor who are all capable of scoring goals. Their biggest drawback is lack of numbers in their squad which is always going to cause a problem if missing players against some of the bigger teams

Verdict: Will make all their opponents work hard to beat them but need an injection of players into their dedicated squad to make them competitive

St Cormacs
The Boolavogue side have returned to women's soccer after a two year absence but after a shaky start, they have now got found their feet and have begun to edge up the table. A very successful club in the past, they have a number of league titles as well as Gaynor Cup and Michelle Coleman Cup wins as well as several underage titles. However lack of numbers saw the club lose all their teams  and were out of the league until returning with under ten last season. They still have some of their established players lining out for the women most notably Caitriona "Bibi" Roban, Aileen Dempsey and Bernie McCarthy, when she is available. Not going to do much this year in the league but could be strong contenders for the Gaynor Cup and can build on that for next seasons league campaign.

Verdict: Will establish themselves back in women's soccer this season and will show improvement with every game

Rosslare Rangers
After a couple of tough seasons, Rangers did well to field a team this time out and are currently going through a rebuilding process, and unfortunately results are reflecting this. They have  stopped the rot in recent games and are not conceding goals at the rate they were and are now defending better but need to get players into the squad as similar to Fastnet, they are working off a small squad. They have some experienced players in the squad but need more numbers and a small bit of luck and could be a team with ambitions of lifting the Gaynor Cup. They have a strong schoolgirl team at under ten but it will take at least six years for those players to filter through to the senior squad

Verdict: Need to concentrate on keeping the team for this season and then begin a rebuilding process for coming seasons

Ajax Athletic
A new club in Enniscorthy town and have started the slow process of building themselves up to a competitive level in this division with several players who have never played at this level before. After a tough opening fixture where they lost 12-0 in Tombrack, they have showed gradual improvement and are not conceding goals as well as collecting a historic first point when they drew 1-1 with Rosslare Rangers. The main object of the club this season should be to establish themselves in the league, try to cut back on conceding goals and then build for future seasons and with the correct structure in place, this is well within their capabilities

Verdict: Show continued improvement for this season and maybe with a bit of luck they could get to the Gaynor Cup final

A competitive division but hard to see Moyne being stopped and the big battle will be for second place between Rosslare Strand and Tombrack although there will be several interesting results before the season ends

Predicted Final Table
1: Moyne Rangers
2: Rosslare Strand
3: Tombrack United
4: Seaview United B
5: Cushinstown
6: Fastnet Rovers
7: St Cormacs
8: Ajax Athletic
9: Rosslare Rangers

(c) BricBrac Publications 2014

Saturday, 20 December 2014

Wexford Womens League Division Two A Review 2014-15

 Division Two A almost impossible to call

In a season that has seen the top two divisions reach new levels of competitiveness, the third tier of the league surpasses even those divisions in how close it is between the top with just four points dividing the top three. Anyone of the four teams behind them can take points off any of the top three and ironically, Courtown Hibs, who sit bottom of the table with no points, are playing some of the best football of their existence

Below is some thoughts on how teams are performing so far and how the remainder of their season is likely to fare out

St Leonards
The Ballycullane based outfit finished second to Bree United in a very exciting Division Two B last season but it is St Leonards who are enjoying life in the higher division this season ans currently lead the way going into the break. It is their ability to grind out results in difficult matches, especially at home, that has seen them lead the way by three points and have only lost one game this season so far. A club with a great future as they have teams competing at all levels of underage, they also have a youthful adult team and if they can build like they should, they are a team capable of making it all the way to the premier. Jo Rossiter seems to be the player most relied on for goals and scored some spectacular long range efforts over the past two seasons but its probably the teams ability not to concede that see them head out of 2014 at the top of the division.

Verdict: They will be in the mix right to the bitter end but could get pipped for the title, either in a play off or by a very small margin !!!

All Blacks
Some of the All Blacks players have been around for a very long time and that little edge of experience is what could stand to them when the chips are down at the end of the season. They currently sit second, three points behind St Leonards but with a vital game in hand and the battle when the two meet will go a long way in deciding the fate of the title. As a club, All Blacks have been around almost since the beginning of the league and won their first Gaynor Cup way back in 1988 and won the Premier Division in 1994 so they have a very impressive history. If they had not dropped out of the league for a year, they would have the honour of being the oldest club in the league. Similar to St Leonards, they have a fantastic underage set up which bodes well for the future and are another club who will be pushing for a higher level in the not too distant future. With players of the calibre of Roisin Murphy, Aoife Traynor and the experienced Tina Colloton, they could be the team capable of pipping St Leonards for the title

Verdict: Their edge of experience could see them as the team to pip St Leonards for the title although it will be very very close. 

Camolin Celtic
Another club who have enjoyed reasonable success in the lower divisions and were well in the challenge for this division last season also, Camolin sit just a point behind the top two and will be hopeful of remaining in the title hunt right up to the finish. Of the three title challengers, they are probably the one who are the most capable of grinding out a result when under pressure as they proved when overcoming Bree 2-1 with a late goal despite having a player sent off. Unfortunately, they are also capable of dropping points against some of the lower teams as was shown when beaten 4-3 by Cloughbawn in early November. When at full strength and when Niamh O Leary and Megan Murray are in scoring form, they are a hand full for any team and their two home games against the teams above them will be crucial in deciding the outcome of the league title. As a club they are working hard at underage but struggling to get numbers for to consistently have teams at all age levels. However, they are a team who will be competitive and if they do not finish in the top two themselves, they wont be far away

Verdict: Wont be far away but might have to settle for third this time around but definitely a good bet for the divisional cup

Bunclody AFC
Another club with a long history,  Bunclody won Division One in their debut season in 1994 and have also won the Premier title twice, in 2000 and 2002, they went through major changes during this summer with a change of manager and a more youthful look to the team for the new season. They began very well with three wins and a draw from their opening four games and are the only team to have beaten St Leonards this season. However their youthfulness has seen them fall away in recent weeks as they came up against more physical teams and heavier pitches and have only one win to show from their last four games. They are probably out of the title race now unless results in other games all go their way but their young side definitely has a great future and the club also has a very strong future as they are involved in all age groups. Britney Conroy has taken to the Senior stage with gusto and has scored in almost all matches she has played in while Louise Carton has also shown herself to be very capable at this level. They are capable of giving the divisional cup a decent run and their young squad will show no fear of anyone

Verdict: Mid table finish this season but definitely a team to watch in the coming years and another side capable of lifting the divisional cup

Corach Ramblers
After a couple of seasons when they struggled to be competitive, Corach have pulled themselves into a mid table position and although they are unlikely to catch the top three this season, they are currently on a seven match unbeaten run. Too many draws has been their downfall this season as they drew four of their nine games and if they had picked up even two wins in those games, they would have been a lot closer to the leaders. Sinead O Connor, Tracey Sinnott and Trina Sinnott have all been impressive for Ramblers this season and a 2-2 draw away to local rivals St Leonards showed just what this team is capable of. Depending on how well they keep this squad together, they look very likely to be title contenders next season and a good tilt at the Boland Carpets Cup this season

Verdict: To finish in top four this season and a good bet for the divisional cup


Bree United
Last seasons Division Two B winners, Bree United will be disappointed with how this season has fared out for them as they currently find themselves in the relegation zone with just two wins and a draw from their nine games. I have no doubt they will pull away from that precarious position and will consolidate their place in this division for next season as they are definitely a better team than their current positions suggests. They have the basis of the squad that won the league last season but are just not getting the breaks so have struggled to pick up results in close games and those dropped points have proved crucial. Niamh Sinnott and Shonagh Spratt Murphy are scoring regularly and even though they have not produced the desired results, they will finish in safety and will be one of the teams pushing for the title next season

Verdict: To safely avoid relegation and push on for next season

Cloughbawn B
Cloughbawn second team have drifted into the relegation zone despite putting in some good performances including a surpise 4-3 win over title challengers Camolin Celtic. They have put in some good performances over the season but finding it difficult to pick up points and as we go into the new year, they find themselves drifting into the danger zone. They are capable of the big result as they proved when beating Camolin and they also drew with St Leonards in Ballycullane which proves they are a side who can put it up to the best when in form. They are a side who work very hard for each other and are difficult to break down as any of the top sides will confirm and Jessica Martin is making a name for herself as being a clinical goalscorer. Unfortunately, it is difficult to see them pull away from the bottom two but they wont go down without a fight although they have a slightly tougher run in than their rivals Bree

Verdict: Unfortunately it is difficult to see them pull away from the bottom two

Courtown Hibs
Despite playing some of their better football since joining the league, Hibs find themselves at the bottom of the table with no points and look to be rapidly heading for Division Two B. Although they are sitting at the foot of the table, they have never made life easy for any of their opponents but they are finding goals difficult to come by and this is a problem that could take a year or two to rectify. They have a strong underage structure at the younger ages so it will take another few year for those players to filter through to the senior team. To be fair to the team, they have enjoyed limited success as a senior team but have stuck to the task and very rarely find themselves in a situation where they could not field a team. Only a miracle will see them avoid relegation this season but a return to the lower division will do no harm and it is envisaged they will be more competitive next season

Verdict: Sadly relegation to Division Two B is almost unavoidable at this stage

As with the other divisions, this is only my opinion and it is up to the players to prove me wrong and as I said at the start of this review, there is going to be one exciting conclusion to this division

Predicted Final Table
1: All Blacks
2: St Leonards
3: Camolin Celtic
4: Corach Ramblers
5: Bunclody AFC
6: Bree United
7: Cloughbawn B
8: Courtown Hibs

(c) BricBrac Publications 2014

Wednesday, 17 December 2014

Womens Division One Review 2014-15

Coolgreaney are the team to beat in Division One

As we head into our break, Coolgreaney look set to make a quick return to the Premier Division and below we take a look at all the teams and how they have fared and their prospects for the rest of the season. This without doubt has been the best division one in many years with all clubs worthy of their place in the division and only Coolgreaney and New Ross Town have recorded high margin victories.
It is difficult to be critical of any of the teams in this division this season as it is so competitive and all seven have contributed to the excitement and hopefully this will continue in the new year.

Coolgreaney Celtic
Current leaders Coolgreaney Celtic are looking very impressive and are probably playing some of their best football for years as they lead the table with six wins and two draws from their eight games played. Ironically, the team were probably only a few days away from folding during the summer but thankfully some of the more experienced players and manager Patsy McDonald pulled a team together and now they are getting their reward. Ironically this has been one of the most competitive divisions in years, with all seven teams capable of picking up points from each other however it is Celtic who are shown the most consistency. Their results away from home have always proved to be their undoing but this season they have turned that around and are picking up as many points away from home as in Coolgreaney. They are scoring at will with experienced players Karen Morris and Jackie Kinch finding the net regularly with club stalwart Sarah Merrigan playing in a variety of positions, even goal, to keep their opponents at bay. At this stage of the season, they are five points clear with four games remaining and it is very difficult to see anyone catch them and an immediate return to the premier division is on the cards

Verdict: Will win the league and could also get a good cup run but as with Ferns in the Premier division, long term future is limited due to lack of underage structure

Taghmon United
With Tramore and Shilelagh United both folding during the Summer, Taghmon, who finished third in last seasons Division Two found themselves promoted to Division One. It was a big step for the team but it was one they took on with confidence and enthusiasm and apart from a poor result at home to Coolgreaney, they have enjoyed an excellent season and currently sit second and are well capable of staying there. They are scoring goals, and apart from the disaster at home to the league leaders, are also defending quite well and not conceding many goals which at this level and in this division, that is always a positive. Lisa Marie Doyle is well capable of scoring goals when the opportunity presents itself while Aoife Morrissey and Becky Doyle are also finding the net in vital games. They have to play New Ross Town twice and the results of those games will go a long way in deciding runners up spot and an away trip to Coolgreaney could prove difficult. However they have it all in their own hands and will definitely finish in the top half of the table and I have a sneaky feeling they could creep in to steal second.

Verdict: Its been a good season so far and I see no reason for it to end now so tip them to sneak into second, possibly after a play off

New Ross Town
Town have enjoyed a meteoric rise through the divisions in recent years and they look set to continue that push as they strive for the runners up spot this season. They only suffered their first defeat in the final game before the break when beaten 4-0 in Coolgreaney but up to that they have been very impressive and currently sit third with a game in hand. They have been hit by injuries and manager Mick Butler has struggled to pick on a constant starting eleven every Sunday but this has not seen them suffer too much and as we head towards the run in, they are still in the running for at least promotion. Sinead Ryan is their chief goalscorer and can be very clinical when given the opportunity and double hat tricks are not beyond her capabilities while Ann Carroll and Lina Smitate are also very sharp in front of goal. The club have a strong underage section in place and some very talented young players coming through the ranks so whatever happens this season, the future looks very bright for New Ross Town. The two games with Taghmon will go a long way in deciding where the finish but without any doubt it will be top half of the table

Verdict: Will battle strongly for runner up and wont be far away and could be a team capable of a good Wexford Cup run if they get some of the bigger teams in Good Counsel College

Castledockrell United
Castledockrell arrived in this division on the back of two perfect seasons when they won Division Two B and then Division Two A, unbeaten. This was always going to be a difficult run to continue, especially in a highly competitive division such as this one but  despite only picking up a point from their last two games, they are still well in contention for promotion. They possess a mixture of youth and experience and their rise through the ranks has helped some of the younger one mature as players and seem well capable of handling themselves in this division. The team were strengthened recently by the signing of the experienced Celine Slye and Karen Jones from Bunclody and although they have hit a rocky patch in recent games, they can still obtain sufficient points to gain promotion to the top division. Players of the calibre of Ellen Kelly, Cait Doyle and Caitriona Murray have brought the team to this level and although they might struggle to get promoted this season, the step to the premier division will happen sooner rather than later.

Verdict: Not to get promoted this season but are a team who can become a top club in coming years if they can keep the squad together

Kilmore United
Kilmore have been involved in three very high scoring encounters this season, losing 4-5 to Castledockrell twice and then overcoming St Josephs 6-5. This would lead us to believe that they are a very attacked minded side who get caught on the attack quite often but they also are a team who are probably too good to be in the bottom three and would be expected to be challenging for promotion. The current squad is a mixture of some of their more experienced members and an influx of younger players but seem to be finding it difficult to get vital results and find themselves just above the relegation zone going into 2015. The availability of Camogie All Star Katrina Parrock is vital to the team scores regularly although Chloe Bates and Chloe Troy have both prove themselves to be clinical in front of goal. Despite having a disappointing season, Kilmore are very strong at underage level so this season battling relegation in what is a particularly competitive division will probably be a rare event. Their two games against fellow strugglers, away to Cloughbawn and home to St Josephs, will be crucial games in their battle against the drop but as in true tradition of the club, if they do get relegated, they wont go down without a fight

Verdict: Could need a play off to avoid the drop but will definitely fight all the way to the end

St Josephs
A 5-3 win over a depleted Castledockrell side just before the break gave St Josephs a lift that might give them impetus to pull away from the bottom two. However they have a couple of tough games ahead away to both Coolgreaney and Kilmore and home to Kilmore and they will need to get a win and a draw to give themselves a fighting chance of avoiding relegation. They are another club with a good underage structure which will be a help in the years ahead, irrelevant of what happens this season, and to be honest it will be difficult to see them not finish in the bottom two. They are a young side competing in the strongest division one in years so it was always going to be a difficult task to survive in such exalted company. However, they have some very skilful players who have loads of experience way beyond their years such as Laura Dunne, Laura Warren and Georgia Warren, all players who are committed to St Josephs. Even though they are likely to get relegated this year, they are unlikely to be in the lower division for long and are a squad that once things start happening for them, they could ultimately be a very successful side

Verdict: Will find it difficult to avoid relegation this season but will end the season with either a divisional cup or shield

Cloughbawn AFC
Relegated from the Premier division last season, Cloughbawn would not have expected to find themselves at the bottom of division one at the end of 2014. The loss of some key players pre season, as well as injuries saw them field a very young squad in several of their games and with the division being so strong it was always going to be a difficult prospect. They have been unlucky to have been on the wrong side of several one goal defeats and only suffered one heavy defeat when beaten 8-0 in Coolgreaney. However their fate is still in their own hands as they host fellow relegation threatened Kilmore and travel to St Josephs so wins in both those games would be sufficient to get them out of trouble. The return of Emma Cullen from injury will add a bit of bite to such a young side who have been carried by players such as Aideen Byrne and Aoife Devereux up to this and avoiding relegation is still a realistic possibility. Cloughbawn are another side with a strong underage structure which could benefit them in the future, however at present, they are struggling to get their underage success into the adult teams.

Verdict: Will avoid relegation after a play off and can potentially do well in the divisional cup

All of the above is just an opinion and its up to the players and managers to prove me wrong !!!

Predicted Final Table  (lets see how this works out)

1: Coolgreaney Celtic
2:Taghmon United
3: New Ross Town
4: Castledockrell United
5: Cloughbawn AFC
6: Kilmore United
7: St Josephs

Division Two A next to come !!!

(c) 2014.  BricBrac Publications

Sunday, 14 December 2014

Womens Premier Division Christmas Review 2014-15

Can Anyone take the title from Ferns United ?

The answer to the above question is.......No, not this season anyway

Despite a noted improvement in the standard and competitiveness of this seasons top division in Wexford, Ferns are still the flag bearers and the team to beat.

Below we take a look at how each team has fared so far this season and what their prospects are for the remainder of the season

Ferns United
When you have players of the calibre of Caroline Murphy, Josie Dwyer, Leona Breen, Hayley Nolan and the unstoppable pairing of Liz and Ali Everedd, you are well on the way to having the ideal team. What is even a bigger concern for the other teams in the premier division is that the remaining players on the panel are almost as good and while it is one of the smallest squads in the league, it is probably the most complete. Manager Tommy Breen has managed to keep them motivated and hungry for success which is no mean feat as some of the players are pushing for their eight premier title this season, having already won three with Clonee United and four with Ferns.
The good news for the other teams in the division is that the club has no underage structure and this will prove to be a problem in the next two to three years while some of the other clubs do have strong schoolgirl teams and could close the gap much quicker than expected

Verdict: To retain their league title with relative ease but could have to work hard to retain the MMI.ie Wexford Cup

East End United
The leagues newest club have made a minor impact since their arrival, most notably their 4-3 win over Ferns in Bennetsbridge. East End transferred to Wexford from the Kilkenny League where they have been champions for the past few seasons but due to a critical drop in the number of teams in Kilkenny, they moved to Wexford to ensure competitive games on a regular basis. Apart from their win over the champions, they also recorded wins over Benfica, twice, and Adamstown but showed a lack of consistency when losing to Killenagh and Seaview as well as being held to a draw by a North End team who could only field nine players. They have some very skilful players, most notably, Jenny Reddy and Jenny Brennan, two players who have massive reputations at all sports and East End could prove to be a team to watch in the future, or even in this seasons MMI.ie Wexford Cup

Verdict: To finish top three and if they get favourable draws, could give the cup a good run

Killenagh Wanderers
Killenagh have finally begun to live up to their potential and this season have produced the form that almost everyone believed they were capable of. An influx of some young players into an already very experienced squad has been the main difference with very few weaknesses in the squad and probably just their inability to take their chances have prevented them from being a serious title threat to Ferns. When the two teams met at the end of November, Ferns won 3-0 but it could just as easily have been 2-2 so maybe Killenagh are the team to watch for the remainder of the season and definitely runners up spot is well within their capabilities. They still have players with the experience of Isobelle Naughter, Tracey Nolan and Marian Cardiff while the arrival of Sinead Gaynor and prolific goalscorer Roisin O Connor has helped the cause. Managed by the very experienced and tactical Bertie Cousins, the team have the ability to finish second and at least reach the cup final, if not win it

Verdict: will finish runners up and if they reach the cup final, they will have the ability to win it and possibly one of the few teams that can beat Ferns

North End United
The Wexford town side started the season at a furious pace and were looking likely challengers for the title early in the season but a drop in numbers of players willing to travel has cost them dearly. It took an injury time goal from Ferns to overcome North End in Drinagh early in the season but their title challenge has faltered a little since then. However, they do have massive heart and they travelled to East End in November with nine players and came away with a point after a 3-3 draw, an amazing result considering the Kilkenny side had beaten Ferns in their previous match. As we head into the break, North End are beginning to look over their shoulders at the teams behind them and could find themselves dragged into a relegation dogfight if they are not careful. Manager Anthony Redmond has started to draft some of the younger players into the squad but it will all depend on how quick they find their feet on how the season will finish for the Belvedere Road side. But with players like Shirley Roche, Shauna Gleeson and Natasha Walsh, to name just a few, they will not go down without a fight.

Verdict: could get dragged into a relegation battle but unlikely and under their new manager, they will be happy to consolidate their premier status

Seaview United
Their 2-1 win away to North End in the final game before the break could be the most important result for Seaview and dragged them away from the bottom three for the first time this season. Seaview are one of the leagues biggest clubs and for that reason alone, they show potential as being a club to watch for the future and if they could find a consistent goalscorer, they could be a good outside bet for the Wexford Cup. They are not out of the woods yet and have a couple of tricky games ahead of them such as away to Killenagh and at home to a rapidly improving Benfica side but they are most definitely capable of picking off enough points to stay in the premier. Almost all their squad are at the college age, which brings its own problems, but all have came through a strong schoolgirl set up with Sheena Murphy, Brid Doyle and Maebh Kehoe all highly experienced despite being so young. Manager Joe Chapman works very hard at getting the best from his players and while they are not quite ready to launch a major attack on the title this season, they could be potential winners in two to three years time

Verdict: To comfortably  survive mid table this season and a possible strong cup run is on the cards

Benfica 
Three times Premier champions, Benfica recorded their worst ever start to the season and go into the break having just won two of their nine games to date, although they have hit a run of form lately. The Waterford side would have been one of the teams who suffered badly when Wexford Youths Women were set up and have struggled to get back to the form that saw them win the Premier title three times and the Wexford Cup five times. However several of those players have drifted back to the club now and they have turned their fortunes around somewhat in recent weeks and while they will still struggle to pull away from the bottom two, they are going to make a decent effort at getting out of trouble. They have some very experienced players in Lisa Dower, Jean Dooley, Becky Conroy Leanne O Reilly and Beserta Ajeti but their away form has been abysmal and have lost all four played so far and still have to go to Killenagh and Seaview so no easy points there. However, it will all depend on how much they want to hold their premier status as they have little room left for any further errors

Verdict: Bottom two finish and could be taken out of the cup early on if they are drawn away to any of the top Premier or Division One teams

Adamstown 
Having promised so much last season when they finished league runners up and were only beaten 1-0 in the cup final by Ferns, Adamstown have failed to live up to expectations this season and are bottom of the league going into the break. The loss of Nikki Dunphy, who returned to Wexford Youths, and Chantelle Martin, who is not a regular member now due to work committments, have been major factors but still when you look at their squad, it is still very strong and would not be expected to be at the bottom of the table going into 2015. They have drafted several young players into the squad and they will need time to settle into this level and this seasons premier division has been so competitive, it is not easy to gel those younger players in. They still have loads of experience with Lizzie Kent, Leann Delaney, Biddy Wickham and Danielle Martin all well accustomed to playing at this level so maybe it might be a little early to write them off but they need to start picking up points very soon or it will be difficult to see them avoid the drop to Division One

Verdict: Bottom two finish and will struggle to repeat last seasons cup heroics

All of the above are only an opinion on where we see clubs finishing and a good run by one, or a collapse by another, could see the division turned on its head although still difficult to see Ferns being caught

Its up to to players to prove my predictions wrong !!!!!

Projected final league table (lets see how close I will to being right)

1: Ferns United
2: East End United
3: Killenagh Wanderers
4: Seaview United
5: North End United
6: Benfica
7: Adamstown

MMI.ie Wexford Cup Final: Killenagh Wan v Seaview United

Division One Review follows in coming days

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