WICKLOW ROVERS AFC CLUB NOTES WEEK ENDING 5th JUNE 2022

Our WDFL premier team warmed up for their Wicklow cup semi-final with a league match at home to Arklow Town at Whitegates on Wednesday night. Rovers hit the front courtesy of a Karl Earls spot kick. They surrendered their lead in the closing minutes of the half to send the sides in level at 1-1 at the break. Arklow were quicker out of the traps in the second period and they took the lead on fifty five minutes. Rovers kept plugging away and they were rewarded with an equaliser with ten minutes left on the clock when Killian Devine popped up to fire home a deserved leveller to earn the lads a share of the spoils. Well, it was disappointment for our premier team in the Wicklow cup semi-final against Avonmore. The lads went down 3-0 to a determined Rathdrum side. The opening ten minutes saw both sides feel their way into the game. The first chance of note fell to Rovers on twelve minutes when Jack Crowley got on the end of an Alan Power through ball but fired his shot over. Avonmore's first effort resulted in a goal, on seventeen minutes they scored to go one up with a goal that had more than a hint of offside about it. On twenty five minutes Rovers had an excellent chance to level things but were denied when Killian Devine's goal bound effort was cleared off the line. They had another good chance on thirty two minutes when Alan Power's pull back was blasted over by James Lang. Two minutes later Avonmore scored directly from a corner and a minute after they more or less killed the game off with the goal of the game with a delicate lob over the Rovers keeper to make it 3-0. The sides went in at the break and Rovers were left with a mountain to climb. To their credit they came out in the second half on the front foot and James Lang was first to test the keeper, but the Avonmore keeper was equal to it tipping the ball over. Three minutes later Dean Noble had a great chance at the back post, but he screwed his shot wide of the upright. Avonmore were always dangerous on the break, but it was Rovers who were creating the better chances. With fifteen minutes left Andrew Earls forced the keeper into a good save with a powerful header. Tried that they did Rovers couldn’t breach a strong Avonmore defence. At the final whistle Avonmore had deservingly booked their place in the final. Rovers definitely didn’t do themselves justice in the game and will rue that one minute spell where they went from 1-0 down to 3-0. We would like to wish Avonmore the very best of luck in the final and a big thanks to Arklow Town FC for having the pitch and grounds in fantastic condition for today's occasion. Hard luck to the Rovers lads, we'll dust ourselves down and go again for the Bishop cup semi-final at home to Greystones United on Wednesday night.

The under 19's suffered heartbreak on Saturday when they went down to league champions Ashford Rovers in the semi-final of the Youth cup. This was always going to be a tough assignment for the lads, made all the tougher by been drawn away and having to play it in the champions own backyard. Ashford showed why they are league champions by racing into a 4-0 lead. Then disaster struck for the home side when the keeper was dismissed for a hand ball outside the area. This seemed to give Wicklow a lift and they pulled two goals back through Mark Evans and Conor Leonard. The lads did have a couple of more good chances to narrow the gap even further, but it wasn’t to be as Ashford saw out the remainder of the game. The lads to their credit gave everything and put in a battling performance. Good luck to Ashford in the final.

In junior action the 13B team entertained Newtown Juniors at Whitegates on Tuesday night and it proved to be an entertaining tussle. Newtown raced into a two goal lead early in play and it was a lead they held on to till the break. Rovers started the second half better and created a few chances, unfortunately Newtown got their third goal from a corner to go 3-0 up. The team showed great spirit to get themselves back in the game with two well taken goals by Sam Conyard. Rovers kept pushing for the equaliser and had some good chances from Ryan Cox and Sean O'Keefe. The team were unfortunate with the lads deserving at least a point from the game against a very good Newtown side. The 12C’s had their second win on the bounce with a tight 1-0 victory over St Anthonys B at Whitegates on Thursday night. In a game of numerous chances, it was Rovers who scored the only goal when John Jackson netted. Playing catch up as they started late this was an excellent team performance. Our under 16's made it ten wins from ten games with a comprehensive victory away to Enniskerry on Thursday night. The lads were in clinical form in front of goal with Daniel Kavanagh, Charlie Czwalina, Brandon Battams, Lorcan Sinnott, Mel Earley, Alex Earls, Jack Macklin and Georgie O’Neill all hitting the back of the net. It was an excellent all round team performance. This win keeps the lads ticking over nicely in their quest for the premier title and with a couple of tough games in the pipeline they have put themselves in pole position with their destiny in their own hands.

Best of luck to under 14 player Luke Finnigan who represents the club with the Wicklow Kennedy Cup squad in Limerick between Monday 13th of June to Friday 17th of June. They have been paired with South Belfast, Midlands League and the Longford League in the group stages of the competition. It's a great achievement for Luke and everyone at the club wishes you and your team mates and management the very best of luck in your Kennedy Cup venture.