Ross wrap up title
Victory over Bunclody seals the deal
NEW ROSS Town wrapped up the Wexford and District Schoolboys Soccer Under-13 Division 2 title with a game to spare, beating the final remaining contender, Bunclody, in Good Counsel on Saturday.
The hosts went into the game knowing a point would see them wrap up the title after nine games, having won seven of their previous eight. However, they were determined to do it in style, flying around and playing with superior intensity.
Bunclody, needing a miraculous run of results to force Division 2 to a play-off, certainly played their part and had their chances. Indeed, while their opponents were racing around, making errors, they created early chances.
Rory Raleigh went haring through the centre of the home defence in the fourth minute but his shot was deflected narrowly wide, across the face of goal. From the resulting Aaron Dunne corner, Luc Devlin poked goalward but Harry Stafford was alert and cleared off the line.
Clear chances were at a premium, with both defences playing supremely. Joe Finn and Aaron Dunne combined in the 18th minute, with the latter seeing his initial effort blocked by Seán Barry before firing across goal and wide from the rebound.
New Ross nerves stunted them in the opening quarter but they were relaxed considerably when they opening the scoring. Killian Thomas fought his way in on goal but was denied by Ciarán Whitney, but the Town striker gathered the rebound and played it backwards to Bobby Katus who rifled home.
After a quiet ten minutes, just as referee Anthony Tobin was looking at his watch approaching half-time, Katus got Thomas away on the left, cut in and curled a succulent shot to the opposite top corner to make it 2-0.
The visitors badly needed a quick start to the second-half but within six minutes they were four down. A Thomas screamer from fully 25 yards made it three before he turned in his hat-trick goal from close range after great work by Niall Mooney and Bobby Katus.
Bunclody hadn’t had a sniff after the break but Aaron Dunne did test Shaun Hearne with a looping effort in the 45th minute. Rob Black then smashed an arrowed strike narrowly over as the visitors found their feet again.
Diminutive Joe Finn cantered past two defenders but his pull-back was cleared away by Eoghan Lyng as the New Ross defence held strong. In the end they claimed the clean sheet their performance deserved and with it the Under-13 Division 2 title.
New Ross Town: Shaun Hearne; Harry Stafford, Cathal Mooney, Chris Murphy, Seán O’Brien; Niall Mooney, Eoghan Lyng, Evan Katus, Conor Bolger; Killian Thomas (capt.), Bobby Katus. Subs. (rolling) - Seán Barry, Diarmuid Barry, Tom Coughlan, Finn Waters, Conor Rossiter.
Bunclody: Ciarán Whitney; Sam Black, Ben Power, Rob Black (capt.), Dylan Doyle; Conor Burke, Joe Finn; Luc Devlin, Patrick Coleman, Aaron Dunne; Rory Raleigh. Subs. (rolling) - Josh Doyle, Kian Foley, Kubert Wielcha, Paul Dunbar, Pavel Bogdan.
Referee: Anthony Tobin.