Joy and despair at WDSL Shield finals
Wicklow beat Arklow Town
WICKLOW ROVERS secured the Under-12 Shield A1 title with a late winner against Arklow Town in the final at Travers Insurance Park on Sunday afternoon.
Town started the game with all the possession, the Arklow side were creating chances early on and looked likely to take the lead. Town attacker Aaron Ebbit was very lively in the opening minutes of the game and proved difficult to manage for the Wicklow defence.
Ebbit used his pace time and time again to take the ball past the opposing defence, his effort on the ninth minute almost crept into the bottom right corner but Rovers keeper Joeseph Jacob got down to parry out the shot.
Both sides were pulling off some tidy passages of play early in the first half, the one-touch football was very easy on the eye for the spectators at the game. Chances were coming quick and fast for both sides, Rovers striker Stephen Kavanagh went close on the 24th minute with a bullet header from a corner but Arklow keeper Luca Bourke tipped the ball over the bar.
Town kept pushing and pushing for an opener early in the second half. Kyal Byrne was working tirelessly upfront trying to put pressure on the Rovers defence, Byrne went close on the 49th minute with a glancing header but it was cleared off the line by Rovers defender Alfie Doyle.
Byrne and Ebbit started to link up well upfront with some great passages of play but their chances on goal became less and less as the game rolled on with the Rovers defence tightening up and clearing everything that came their way.
With minutes remaining in the game Rovers struck with a goal from Sonny McHale. McHale had been threatening the Arklow defence prior to the goal and was unlucky on a number of occasions but with only five minutes remaining Mc Hale found the back of the net and reeled away celebrating.
Arklow had one last chance to grab an equaliser in the dying moments of the game as Kyal Byrne was clipped on the edge of the penalty area and was awarded a freekick in a great position. Rovers keeper Joseph Jacob organised his wall and awaited Byrne’s strike.
Byrne went for power and smashed the ball over the wall, but his effort was saved by Jaboc who pushed the ball over the bar.
Wicklow didn’t have many opportunities to score in the second half but took the chance when it came. Rovers withheld the late pressure by Arklow Town to be crowned Shield title champions.