It was a night of high stakes and even higher energy at Whitegates as our U11 Green team faced off against local rivals Ashford Rovers in the semi-final of the U11 JH Shield.  With a place in the final up for grabs, both teams came out firing.

The match started at a blistering pace, with chances at both ends.  Rian Jameson came agonizingly close to opening the scoring for Wicklow, his powerful shot cannoning off the crossbar. Harry Philippon also looked dangerous, weaving his way through defenders but unable to find the finishing touch.  Against the run of play, Ashford capitalized on a defensive error to take the lead just before halftime.

The second half saw Ashford continue to press, but the Rovers' defense stood strong.  Then, a moment of magic changed the game.  Substitute Ryan Forde, brought on to inject some energy into the attack, made an immediate impact, racing onto a through ball and calmly slotting it past the Ashford keeper to level the score.

With their tails up, Wicklow took the lead in spectacular fashion.  Ollie Behan's corner kick caught everyone by surprise, including the Ashford goalkeeper, as it curled directly into the net.  Ashford pushed hard for an equalizer, but the Wicklow defense held firm to secure a memorable victory.

A huge thank you to Ashford Rovers for a fantastic game of football played in a great spirit. Our U11 Green team now progresses to the final of the Jimmy Hackett Shield!