Treaty United make it back-to-back league wins with victory over Wexford FC

TOMMY Barrett’s Treaty United reignited their promotion play-off hopes ahead of the mid-season break following a 1-0 victory over Wexford FC in the SSE Airtricity League First Division at Ferrycarrig Park on Thursday night.

The result leaves eighth-placed Treaty United now just six points off the promotion playoff places, the final one of which is occupied by fifth-placed Finn Harps.

Treaty United arrived in the South East hoping to put back-to-back wins together for the first time since March 1. The Shannonsiders were also looking for just their second away win of the season as they faced a Wexford side winless in five.

The first real chance of the game fell to the home side on the quarter-hour mark as Corey Chambers pulled off a fantastic save to keep out a Mikie Rowe effort from close range following an Oluwa cross.

Fifteen minutes later Mark Walsh then had a half-chance for the visitors but his effort was easily gathered by Alex Moody in the Wexford goal.

Lee Devitt then put Treaty in front in the 37th minute as he buried a defence-splitting pass from deep to put the Shannonsiders 1-0.

Wexford looked for an immediate response but James Crawford's effort from a corner didn’t worry Chambers as Treaty went
into the dressing room 1-0 up at the interval.

Wexford almost restored parity straight after the restart as Rowe dragged wide what looked like a certain goal. From the resulting corner, the home side had the ball in the net through Cian O’Malley but the defender had strayed offside.

Moments later Chambers again came to the rescue rushing off his line to keep out Oluwa who skipped past the Treaty defence.

Chambers pulled off a diving save to keep Rowe from equalising as his shot from the edge of the box looked destined for the bottom corner in the 58th minute.

Rowe added another effort moments later but it was easily dealt with by Chambers as Wexford amped up the pressure in search of an equaliser.

With just fifteen minutes to go Treaty were dealt a body blow as Robbie Lynch received a second yellow card for a late challenge on Mark Hanratty.

Despite a flurry of chances from Aaron Dobbs, Ethan Boyle, and Rowe in the final ten minutes Wexford simply couldn’t breach the compact Treaty defence as well as Chambers in goal as the Limerick-based side held on for a huge three points on the road.

Tommy Barrett’s injury-ravaged squad now faces into a two-week mid-season break before a trip to the Midlands on Athlone Town. Wexford meanwhile will head to Tralee to face Kerry.

Wexford FC: Alex Moody, Ethan Boyle, Carl Lennox, Cian O’Malley (Cian Curtis 76), Reece Webb, Luka Lovic (Darragh Levingston 45), Kian Corbally (Kaylem Harnett 56), James Crawford, Thomas Oluwya (Mark Hanratty 56), Aaron Dobbs, Mikie Rowe.

Treaty United: Corey Chambers, Fionn Doherty, Ben O’Riordan, Evan O’Connor, Rob Lynch, Lee Devitt, Mark Walsh, Mark Byrne (Alec Byrne 84), Stephen Christopher, Niko Kozlowski (William Armshaw 65), Yoyo Mahdy (Sean Costelloe 84).

Referee: Jason Moore.

Attendance - 378