WICKLOW ROVERS AFC CLUB NOTES WEEK ENDING 24th APRIL 2022

Senior action kicked off on Wednesday night when our WDFL premier team entertained title chasing Glencormac United at Whitegates. This proved to be the lads best performance of the season as they ran out 6-2 winners. Jack Fox proved to be the star man on the night netting a superb hat-trick, Luca Rampersaud, Adam Cuddihy and Jensen O’Connor Cox all added singles in what was a very impressive display from the team. The lads will be delighted with this performance and will be hoping to bring this form into their upcoming Wicklow Cup and Bishop cup quarter final matches. Our under 19's took on Arklow United at Whitegates on Friday night and after a tight encounter the spoils were shared in a 0-0 draw. Rovers will be delighted with the point as they played the whole second half with ten men after losing Sean Murphy and Ben Sweeney through injury. Rovers came very close to capturing all three points with ten minutes left on the clock with a Kieran Fitzpatrick effort rattling the woodwork. Saying that a draw was probably a fair outcome on the balance of play with the Rovers keeper and defence playing out of their skins, a good point under the circumstances. Our Leinster Senior team took on second placed UCD at Whitegates on Saturday. After a tight game the Dublin side came out on top winning 2-1. Rovers took the lead after Sam Brown found the net to bring his tally to eleven for the season. Five minutes before the break the away side levelled matters when they scored from a set piece. UCD scored what proved to be the winner with fifteen minutes remaining on the clock. There was nothing between the two teams and Rovers will feel they should have at the least got a share of the spoils. They had what looked a stone wall penalty claim waved away. It was a good run out for the lads with an important cup game on the horizon. The WDFL premier team played Ashford Rovers in their second game of the week on Sunday. The management used this game to utilise their squad and get game time to other players. On the day Ashford ran out 2-1 winners in a tight encounter. The lads had a lot of possession but found it hard to breach a stubborn Ashford defence. When they did it was Jensen O'Connor Cox who was on hand to fire home after a mistake in the home rearguard. Try that they did they couldn't nab a second. On Sunday afternoon the third team took on promotion chasing Arklow United. The lads gave it a real go and gave everything in search of their second win of the season. Arklow ran out 4-0 winners, but the commitment of this Rovers team has to be admired.

Junior action kicked off on Thursday night with three matches, the 13A’s claimed all three points in an excellent 4-0 away win over Glencormac United. There were first goals of the season for Nathan Gough and Darragh Cullen with Cathal Byrne firing home his fifth of the campaign. Giorgio Morgillo-Fidyk nabbed his second of the season in a fine team display that sees the team maintain their impressive start to the season. The 13B’s went down 4-2 away to neighbours Ashford Rovers in an exciting tussle. They fell 2-0 behind early on in play but showed great spirit to rally to draw level before the break with goals from Abdul Alhamad and Alex Zevatski. Ashford went back in front in the second half and with Wicklow pushing for an equaliser Ashford broke up field in the last minute to seal the points with a fourth. Well done to both sides on a highly entertaining local derby. The 14’s took on local rivals Ashford Rovers at Whitegates and everytime these two teams meet it’s always a close affair. This time it was no different, the first half ended scoreless, but Ashford scored the all important goal in the second period to run out 1-0 winners. Even though goals were at a minimum this was an exciting game between two evenly matched sides. Both teams deserve a lot of credit for yet again providing the spectators with a fine game of football.

The club’s weekly junior soccer academy continues every Saturday morning [weather permitting] under the watchful eye of senior club coaches Johnny Dunne, Jimmy Nolan and John Kelly. The academy takes place on the club grounds at Whitegates and is open to all kids from the age of 3 years to 8 years. The academy starts at 11 o’clock and finishes at 12. There is no need for registration so you can come along to any week that suits. Come along and learn the skills of football while having fun and enjoyment, it’s a great way of meeting new friends as you learn the skills as you get prepared for the introduction to participate in organised league football in the coming years.

Anyone with anything for our club notes, Facebook page or our club website can contact me by email at jimmy.nolan09@hotmail.com or by text to 087-9108706. For all news regarding the club, check out our club website at www.wicklowrovers.com or the club facebook page.