U12 DIVISION 2 JAKO CUP MATCH REPORT
ROUNDWOOD AFC 3
WICKLOW ROVERS GREEN U11 2
(AFTER EXTRA TIME)
An extra time winner sent Roundwood into the final of the WDSL U12 Division 2 JAKO Cup.
But only after a stern examination by a brave Wicklow Rovers’ U11 Green side in the Semi Final at the Newtown Community Grounds on Saturday morning.
The match was a great advertisement for underage football in Wicklow.
End to end; chances, great defending and goalkeeping. Skill and determination all over the pitch. It was also played in the right spirit.
Credit too must be given to Rovers.
Giving away 12 months, they were smaller in physical stature than their opponents. But what they lacked in height against the Vartry outfit, they more than made up in effort.
Perhaps the best thing about the contest was that no less than 32 players all came on and played their part in the enthralling fixture.
The Blue’s had overcome St. Anthony’s Kilcoole United FC B to reach the last four.
Rovers – allowed to play up above their natural age group for the competition – had defeated Arklow Town Black U11’s to reach the Semi Finals.
Roundwood took a tenth minute lead via route one.
Netminder Rory Wolohan’s booming kick landed well in the Green and White’s half. A Wicklow player had done very well to get between two challenging opponents. Unfortunately, the clearance ended up in his own net.
But Rovers levelled five minutes before the interval.
Isla Hindle took a return pass from a throw on the halfway line wide right. Her superb through pass saw Mikey O’Neill get in behind and first with a low right footed effort from just inside the box.
The Blue’s went back in front with nine minutes remanding in the second half.
Sean Byrne struck a free from his own half that Finn Walsh latched onto just outside the penalty area. He shrugged off a tackle to fire to the net.
However, Wicklow’s never give up attitude was rewarded in the 57th minute.
Hindle whipped in a corner from the right flank. And O’Neill lost his marker at the back post to bury a close range bullet header.
The decisive score arrived midway through the first period of extra time.
Sean Byrne’s free-kick was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Ben Morrissey’s save.
From the resultant corner, Sean Byrne’s delivery took a nick off a Wicklow player at the near post. And the ball had crossed the line before Morrissey clawed it out.
Yet, Roundwood had to be thankful to keeper Wolohan. He twice thwarted Hindle in stoppage time with great stops to prevent the game going to penalties.
On the other side of the draw, Enniskerry FC defeated Arklow United B 2-1 last Monday (May16) last in the Quarter Finals.
In the other Semi Final today at Whitegates in Wicklow town, Arklow United Green U11’s beat Enniskerry by a 7-0 score-line.
ROUNDWOOD AFC: Rory Wolohan; Luke Rooney, Max Byrne, Finn Walsh, Brian Walsh, Zack Kavanagh, Lorcan Byrne, Conor Hawkins, Rory Nolan, Josh Ryan, Eoin Davis, Callum Vickers, David Fay, Ben Fosenkorb, Sean Byrne, Ryan Souibki, Harry Kauka.
WICKLOW ROVERS GREEN U11: Ben Morrissey; Sam Reade, Ronan Byrne, Kevin Yvan, Jack Collins, Dylan Butler, Isla Hindle, Hank Murnane, Daniel Clarke, Alessio Coppola, Freddie Kavanagh, Daniel Morrissey, Mikey O’Neill, Nadal Kingne, Cian Collins.
REFEREE: Thomas Dowling.
REPORTER: Paul Dowling
