Wicklow are a top ten hit
WICKLOW schoolboys soccer was in a relatively decent place this week in 2000 with news that they would be ranked in the top 10 teams in Ireland following their reaching the final of the Bowl competition at the annual event in Limerick.
The team, featuring a certain female boxer from Bray by the name of Katie Taylor within their ranks, was managed by Michael Mullins and the rest of the management team was Barry Massey, John Durkin and Peter Guerin.
In their opening group game, they lost 2-0 to top seeds Cork despite putting in a fine second-half showing.
The following day they toppled second seeds Donegal 3-1. Goals from Ardmore Rovers’ James Ryan and Wicklow Town’s David Copeland had them two ahead at the break. Graham Doyle (Ardmore) added a third before Ulster side pulled one back late on.
In the final group game that evening, they fell behind early to Roscommon. Wicklow needed to win 5-0 to top the group after Cork had surprisingly lost to Donegal. Wickloe equalised through a Luke Nixon (Greystones United) penalty.
By taking the runners up spot on goal difference from Donegal, they were entered into the Kennedy Bowl, the competition for placings ninth to 16th.
Wicklow took on Midlands in the quarter-final on the Wednesday, drawing 1-1 and winning 4-3 on penalties.
James Ryan goaled in the 1-0 success over Wexford in the semi-final before the talented outfit fell to Clare 1-0 in the final.
Full squad: Brendan Devitt, Michael McCann, Ger ‘Oscar’ Fitzgerald, Graham Doyle, James Ryan (all Ardmore Rovers), Michael Nolan, Ian Bracken, Shane Byrne, Keith Manley (all Arklow Town), Eoin Corrigan, Luke Nixon, Andrew Mullins (all Greystones United), Laurence Newsome, Katie Taylor, John Tierney, Paudie Doyle, Dean Odlum (all Newtown Juniors), Paul Merrigan (Rathnew), David Copeland, Mark Johnson (both Wicklow Town).