North End top roll of honour with five titles won
THE WEXFORD and District Schoolboys Soccer League came to an end on Friday, with Fethard Rangers taking the last piece of remaining silverware, the Under-12 Division 2 trophy, by beating Shamrock Rovers in the final game of the season.
Just one point separated the top two heading into the final game, with the seasiders leading the way. It meant Rangers needed just a point and they were pushed all the way by Rovers, eventually drawing with their title rivals 1-1 in a cracking game of football to claim the crown.
Gorey Rangers put the Under-14 League Division 1 to bed with a big win against St. Leonards. The Ramstown club went into the game knowing a draw would be enough to wrap up the title, but they smashed nine past their opponents to end an unbeaten league season in style.
A play-off for the runner-up spot in Under-16 Division 2 also took place. It pitted Killenagh Wanderers against Gorey Celtic, with the former coming out on top in an entertaining contest.
So, a season that started on September 12 is finally over. A record 22 clubs took trophies home in 2015-’16, up two on last season. The most successful club was North End United, taking over the top spot from Gorey Rangers, who spent the last four years at the summit.
The Hollygrove club won five pieces of silverware this season, up one on last year. Both the Under-16s and Under-15s did a league Division 1 and cup double, and the haul was completed by the Under-13s, who also won Division 1.
Down three from last season, Rangers took three trophies. Their Under-14 side claimed a superb double, completed without the loss of a game. Their Under-13 team took the club’s other win, claiming the cup in an excellent final against Forth Celtic.
Having claimed just two trophies in the last seven seasons, Gorey Celtic beat that and matched their neighbours by winning an Under-12 league Division 1A and cup double, as well as the Under-13 Division 1A crown.
St. Joseph’s also picked up three cups. Impressively, the Under-12 side took the Division 1 title while the club’s Under-11s finished as runners-up. The Under-13s won the Division 2 title, their second success in a row, while the Under-15s won Division 2A.
There were also three clubs claiming two trophies. The future looks bright for the Forth Celtic Under-11s who won a league Division 1 and cup double. Elsewhere, Bridge Rovers mixed an Under-14 Division 2 crown with an Under-16 Division 3 success to double their haul from 2014-’15.
St. Cormac’s bounced back from a trophy-less season last year to claim two this season. Their Under-14s were victorious in Division 2 while the club’s Under-15s won Division 2 in style.
Otherwise, 15 clubs claimed a piece of silverware each. Bouncing back from barren seasons last year were New Ross Town, Blackwater, Fastnet Rovers, Curracloe United, Kilmore United, Rosslare Strand, Campile and Enniscorthy Town.