Our Women’s First-Team picked up a point on the opening dat of the 2026 season with an impressive performance against Wexford FC at the RSC in an entertaining 0-0 draw in-front of over 500 supporters.
The visitors threatened first on 6′, as Maeve Williams was forced into her first save of the season, as Megan Smyth-Lynch got on the end of a ball from the right inside the Blues penalty area.
Kayla Goncalves provided a dangerous delivery on after 11 minutes, with Meadhbh Doherty defending excellently at the Blues back post to clear the danger.
It was Williams again who was called into action five minutes later, as Emma Bucci tried her luck from distance, with the Blues number 1 equal to her effort.
Gary Hunt’s side came inches away from opening the scoring in stunning fashion after 25 minutes, when Stephanie Dumevi fired an effort on goal from 25-yards, forcing Maria O’Sullivan into a finger-tip save in the Wexford goal.
Just moments later, it was Smyth-Lynch again causing trouble for the Blues defence as she saw her headed effort rebound off the Waterford crossbar.
With seven minutes remaining in the half, Keira Burke sent a long-ball over the Wexford defence to Fiana Bradley, who forced O’Sullivan into yet another excellent save, before Bradley saw her rebound cleared off the line by Wexford captain Lauren Dwyer as the Blues number 11 again caused issues for the visiting defence. This proved to be the last action of the first-half, as the sides entered the break scoreless after an impressive opening 45 minutes to the season from the Blues.
It took until the 56th minute for the first chance of the second-half, when Smyth-Lynch cut in from the left, but Williams was equal to her effort maintaining her clean sheet.
Emma Bucci had a big chance for the visitors just after the hour-mark, but she couldn’t direct her effort from close-range goal bound.
With just under 15 minutes remaining, Mia Lenihan tested O’Sullivan from distance, as the Blues number ten forced the Wexford net minder into her latest save.
With 12 minutes remaining, Waterford were given a huge opportunity to take the lead when Fiana Bradley was fouled inside the Wexford area under pressure from Lauren Dwyer. However, the Blues number 11 saw her spot-kick saved from 12 yards by O’Sullivan to keep the game scoreless.
Wexford substitute Ciara Rossiter saw her volleyed effort fly high over Maeve Williams crossbar in the final minutes of normal time, before Dan Burke had a glorious chance to snatch the 3 points for the Blues in injury time as Fiana Bradley’s corner fell to our centre-half, before she saw her effort fly agonisingly wide of the Wexford goal, as both sides had to settle for a point on the opening day of the 2026 season.
Waterford FC: Williams (GK) (C); K. Burke (76′ Conroy), S. Dumevi, D. Burke, Doherty, Lawler (87′ Carley); Shannon, Gornell (58′ O’Donoghue), Lenihan; Bradley, O’Brien.
Wexford FC: O’Sullivan (GK) (C), Bucci, Dwyer (C), Cassin, Goncalves, McGrath (86′ Walsh) , McCarn, Smyth-Lynch (90′ Kirwan), Olive (67′ Chochol), Roche (86′ Dalu), De Mange (67′ Rossiter).
Attendance: 525
