Drogheda United last decided it was their turn to light county Louth with bliss: improbably turning around a 2-0 first-leg deficit to beat Wexford Youths in their promotion/relegation play-off, winning 3-0 on the night to catapult them back to the Premier Division. But where ecstasy reigns, agony lurks.
And it has engulfed Wexford Youths. To be relegated at all is painful; to go down from a position of such comfort is all the more chastening.
Wexford's build-up to the second-leg was overshadowed by the Lee Chin affair: the GAA star who signed on in the close season for the run-in confirmed his intention to miss the second-leg in favour of the All-Stars dinner, having scored in the first-leg. Chin was accused in some quarters of reneging on his commitment to Wexford Youths in favour of a night out.
Speaking to Daniel McDonnell of the Irish Independent, Wexford manager Shane Keegan scotched these notions, saying that he wouldn't have played the game anyway, as first-choice Gary Delaney had returned. He also said that, when Chin came in, the agreement in place was that he would be unavailable for both playoff games. If Chin was not involved with the All-Stars, he would have been competing in the Asia Games.
Keegan said that the scapegoating of Chin came from outside Wexford, and was "mad".
How can you not feel sorry for him? Here's a fella who should by all common sense and all right-mindedness have told me to take a running jump when I came and aked him would he do me a favour...
At no stage was him being available an option for us. I just think it's mad, the reaxtion is mad but it's coming from outside - not inside. It's not coming from anyone involved with the club. He played a part in putting us in a very commanding position so for him to ship any of the blame is preposterous.
Keegan, meanwhile, looks set to join Galway United ahead of next season.
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