Our WDFL premier team welcomed Arklow Celtic to Whitegates tonight for a quarter final match in the Jim McLaughlin cup hoping to continue their recent good cup form which has saw them progress to the semi-finals of the Wicklow cup and Bishop cup. They couldn't have asked for a better start when they hit the front after three minutes when James Lang slotted home. The lead was short lived when a minute later Arklow were awarded a penalty which they successfully tucked away. Rovers dictated play in the first half and it was no surprise when they netted their second on the half hour mark when Jack Fox fired home. Three minutes before the break Arklow had a great chance to level matters but failed to convert, Rovers broke upfield with a quick fire attack and it was Jack Fox who nabbed his second of the game and Rovers third to send them in at the break 3-1 up. Rovers controlled the first half for large periods and deserved their lead at the break. At this stage it looked good for the home team but Arklow had other ideas and two minutes after the restart they had pulled one back and it was game on. Jack Fox had two great chances in a three minute spell around the hour mark. First his low drive was saved by the feet of the Arklow keeper and then he got on the end of an Alan Power cross to head down towards the bottom corner but the keeper tipped the ball around the post. Substitute Mikey Merrigan made an immediate impact when introduced, on seventy one minutes he raced onto a cross into the area and he brilliantly got above the high bouncing ball to blast a half volley to the roof of the net to restore Rovers two goal lead. At this stage it looked like they would see the game out but yet again Arklow refused to go away. With fifteen minutes remaining they netted a third to make it 4-3. It made for a nervy finish and unbelievablely Arklow squared it up four minutes into injury time to send the game to extra time. Eight goals shared and that wasn’t the end of this thrilling tie. This was proving to be a typical cup tie, thrill a minute action, plenty of goals, full blooded challenges, a game you couldn't take your eyes off. The first period of extra time saw nothing of note but the second ten minute spell was the complete opposite. Rovers missed a spot kick, the away side had two players dismissed with Rovers having one player seeing the red mist. What else could happen, we were looking at the dreaded penalty shootout but it wasn’t finished and with thirty seconds left on the clock Jack Crowley cut in from the right hand side and with everyone expecting a cross Jack had other ideas as he powerfully blasted low and hard past the keeper for an excellent finish to make it 5-4 and put Rovers through to the semi-final.This was a match that had everything and both sides gave it everything. Rovers will look back and think when they were on top in that first half they should have saw the game out but credit to Arklow for a great fight back.