A clash of two County Wicklow titans took place at Whitegates this afternoon when Aughrim Rangers made the short trip to take on our kids in green in the third round of the SFAI National Cup. Rovers started the better of the two teams and their early pressure paid off when Mikie O’Neill picked up the ball on the left side and squared a lovely pass for Hank Murnane to tap home and give the home team a lead with only minutes on the clock. Rovers kept on the pressure but were finding clear opportunities hard to come by due to the well organised Aughrim rear guard. Aughrim grew into the game as the half progressed and started to create their own chances as the half was coming to an end. Rovers Keeper Ben Morrissey was only too happy to see a great attempt by Aughrim’s right winger sail past his right post just before half time. Both teams came out with all guns blazing for the second half with neither team giving up any chances until O’Neill went from creator to finisher after Daniel Clarke put the pacey forward through for a one on one with the keeper with O’Neill finding the bottom right corner of the net. Murnane was next to test the Aughrim keeper when his 20-yard strike looked destined for the top corner only for the keeper to pull off a monumental fingertip save and keep his team in the match. Alessio Coppola, Isla Hindle and Eoghan Quinn kept the Aughrim midfield busy with Kevin Yan and Simon Lynch always on guard to shut down any Aughrim attempts at a quick counterattack. The Rovers rear guard of Nadal Kingne, Ronan Byrne, Jack Collins, Freddie Kavanagh & Will Carey offered up few chances and when there was a rare breach, Morrissey and Matthew Gough were on their toes to clean up. This was a tough but fairly contested, intriguing battle between two talented sides and a great advertisement for schoolboy football in Wicklow. On to round 4 for our kids in greens and the very best of luck to Aughrim for the remainder of their season.