WICKLOW ROVERS AFC CLUB NOTES WEEK ENDING 15th MAY 2022
Our Wicklow Premier League Senior side, kindly sponsored by Phone Pulse, were in action in the Wicklow Cup on Sunday against Arklow Celtic B. With a place in the semi-finals up for grabs it was Rovers who were quicker out of the traps, with Jensen O’Connor Cox volleying Rovers in front when he got on the end of an Alan Power free kick after sixteen minutes. The game went through a slow patch after the first goal but the midfield of Alan Power, Dean Noble and Brian Harrington got things rolling again. Our front line of Luca Rampersaud, Adam Cuddihy and Jensen O’Connor Cox had to work hard in the heat to put pressure on the Arklow backline. Later in the first half Luca Rampersaud made it 2-0 with a cool finish into the bottom corner and it was 3-0 just before half-time after Dean Noble rifled in from the edge of the box after a short corner routine. With changes coming after half-time Rovers went in search of more goals and they came through substitutes Jack Fox and James Lang. Andy Earls, venturing up from centre-half, finished well to the keepers right to make it 6-0. Simon Phillips rounded off a fine performance with a header from a corner to make it 7-0 with seven different goal scorers. A clean sheet was just what the rear guard of Ian Murphy, Killian Devine, Andy and Karl Earls deserved. Aaron Meade slotted in seamlessly at fullback and Zach Harris put the Arklow backline under pressure when introduced in the second half. An excellent all round team performance.
Midweek action in the club was confined to the junior section, up first on Tuesday night were our under 12A’s who travelled to Finn Park to take on St Anthonys A in the quarter finals of the Jako Premier cup. The team returned with a fantastic 3-0 win against a spirited Anthonys side. Goals from Milo Malcolmson, Sam Conyard and Richard Carton saw them book their semi final spot. Tiernan Shorthall and Ryan Cox were superb in the Rovers defence in what was a good all round team performance. On Thursday night the 13B’s went down 6-2 away to a strong Rathnew team in a league game. To the team’s credit they kept playing football right up to the final whistle and were rewarded with a couple of goals from Cian Lynch from the penalty spot and Alex Zevatski. On the same night the under 16’s recorded a fine 2-0 home success over Shillelagh in the quarter finals of the Jako Premier cup at Whitegates. Lorcan Sinnott set them on their way after fifteen minutes, but it wasn’t till the midway point of the second half and several missed chances before the lads sealed the deal. Captain Brandon Battams left three players in his wake as he fired home the goal that gave them daylight and eventually saw them go on to win 2-0 in a good battling team display.
On Saturday the under 14’s maintained their good start to the season when they defeated Roundwood at Whitegates winning 7-2. David Johnston doubled his tally to six for the season after he hit a brilliant hat-trick. Sean Patrick Guerin is another player on six for the season when he netted a brace. Ronan Phelan joined the two lads on six in the scoring charts with a well taken goal with Naoise O'Dubhslaine firing home the seventh in a clinical performance from the lads. Our under 16's continued their recent good vein of form when they defeated Arklow Town 1-0. Lorcan Sinnott was the man to get the winner twenty five minutes into the first half. It proved to be the all important goal as both defences were on top throughout. Missing a few regulars this was going to be a tough game and every player front to back stood up on the day and put in a mighty shift to get this important win. On Sunday the 13A’s took on St Patricks at Whitegates. The spoils were shared after a 2-2 draw. Rovers will see this as two points dropped as they created numerous chances apart from the two goals they scored while limiting their opponents to just the two chances which they scored from. With the strikers not taking the chances that came their way it was down to left back Rhys Behan to provide the goals, one from the penalty spot and the other from a stunning free kick to earn his side a point. Our 13B team lost a thrilling encounter against Coolboy Rangers. An eight goal thriller saw Coolboy come out on top winning 5-3. Coolboy raced into a 4-0 first half lead but this young Rovers side showed great character to nab two early second half goals from Martha Lambert, both set up by Alex Zevatski to get themselves back in it. As Rovers pushed forward in search of more goals, they were hit on the break to see Coolboy go 5-2 up. Martha Lambert completed her excellent hat-trick before the end as the team battled right to the end and done themselves proud.
Everyone at Wicklow Rovers AFC would like to extend their sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Christina Roche, St Lawrences Road, Wicklow Town who sadly passed away recently. Christina’s grandson Mikey Merrigan plays with our under 18’s. Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband Pat, daughters Marian, Barbara and Nicola, sons Pat and Finbar, her adoring grandchildren, great-grandchildren, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, extended family, relatives and friends. Our thoughts are with you all at this sad time. May she rest in peace.
