Wexford boss Ian Ryan: 'It's a fresh start for everyone'

Wexford boss Ian Ryan is hoping that his side can use Friday’s 2-0 win over Cabinteely as a platform to kickstart their 2021 First Division campaign.

Friday’s win was Wexford’s first of the season – and their first since October when they defeated Longford Town 2-1 at Ferrycarrig Park.

Kyle Robinson and Jack Doherty netted for Ian Ryan’s revitalised charges who are beginning to show glimpses of their potential this season.

“It was a brilliant night,” Ryan told extratime.com. “We needed the win and need to start picking up points – we needed to start somewhere. It was a game I felt that we could do something in.

“I’m delighted for the lads more than anything else because it takes a bit of belief into the dressing room.”

Wexford took an early lead through Robinson – the St Patrick’s Athletic loanee – with the young striker powering his headed effort home after some great build up play that involved two former Cabinteely players in Karl Manahan and Paul Fox.

“It was brilliant play all round,” he adds. “It was a great ball out wide and brilliant from Foxy to cross in and it was a brilliant header from Kyle.

“Kyle is a handful, and he was brilliant tonight. I know Kyle well from working with him before, and he can be a handful in this league.

“But he needs a bit of belief, and you could see that after he scored, he ran himself into the ground and had to come off, but I don’t mind that at all.”

Friday’s win was a welcome boost for the Slaneysiders who endured a difficult start to the season – and Ryan is hoping that he can build on this newfound momentum.



“Momentum is either a brilliant thing or a horrible thing,” the former UCD assistant boss said.

“When it goes your way, things break for you but when it doesn’t go your it’s hard to break that rut.

“The hardest thing to do is break that habit – and we broke that so we need to go the other way now and take that bit of belief and we can be a match for anyone in this league.”

The former Shelbourne defender is also hoping that results like one’s on Friday can help galvanise the club’s support.

“I have said it numerous times that I want the Wexford community and people there. I reached out to ten of the junior clubs in Wexford – and nine came back immediately and one didn’t.

“I don’t know what the story is there, but I think that tells its own story. I think the more people say there’s problems the more people believe it.



“I haven’t found there to be any problems there, and that’s not something that I want to get involved in.

“Let’s just draw a line in the sand – who I have spoken to and what we have spoken about is very positive. It’s a fresh start for everyone.

“I’ll help the club as best I can and hope that they’ll help me. I hope the community will help us too and I think that performances and results like that will help everyone come together.”

He added: “We want to have Wexford people fighting for their club – and I’ll fight for them as long as I am here.

“We’ve had three players called up to the under-15s international squad, and you might not think that’s a big thing for a first-team manager and I don’t view that, but I do.

“I spoke to their parents and told them they were in my thoughts and we want those players to stay at Wexford and be in the first-team in a couple of years’ t