Early goals kill off U-21 outfit

Wicklow were without key men

WICKLOW'S interest in the Hastings Cup ended at wet and windy Johnstown on Saturday when they went down to the home side Roscommon.

For to have any chance of making it through to the Shield final the three wise men, Damien Byrne, Ronnie Phillips and Pat Wogan would have needed to get out somewhere close to full strength but this they were unable to do.

With players like Danny Woods, Brendan McCrea, Aaron Murphy, Philip Murphy and John Henderson still missing, they were doomed to struggle from the start.

Henderson, who has been carrying an injury from earlier in the year, was present and did come on late in the second half but his presence was not enough to turn the game in Wicklow's favour.

Roscommon got off to a flying start and had two goals in the first quarter to really put Wicklow under pressure.

While Conor McGraynor scored a few good points for the Garden County, mostly from frees, the home side still led by 2-7 to 0-6 at half time.

Nothing changed in the second half. Wicklow did bring on four substitutes but that still made little difference. McGraynor finished with a tally of 0-6 (4f) while Paddy O'Rourke and sub Alan Daly also got on the score sheet.

The team was more or less the same as the one that played Kildare on the Tuesday night except that Michael Mangan played from the start; Daniel Keane replaced the absent Theo Smith and Shane O'Rourke from Dunlavin came on for Brendan Swords.

Subs used were Philip O'Connor, John Henderson, Aaron Nugent and Alan Daly.