Perfect Rosslare record
Rangers make it five out of five in cup finals
WE’VE ALL heard that old adage about a team winning a competition because ‘their name was on the cup’.
As if fate had somehow conspired to ensure that, regardless of circumstances, it was their destiny to be successful. It’s normally uttered after the event, of course, when it’s easy to be wise, but is there any grain of truth in it, at all?
Well, when Rosslare Rangers travelled to the superb facilities of Curracloe United F.C. for their Wexford Cup final against Shamrock Rovers on May 15, 2005, they certainly had a very strong tradition of success on their side.
In fact, the seasiders had won all four of their previous jousts at that stage of the competition, whereas their Enniscorthy town rivals were still seeking a first cup win. Indeed, they would have to wait another ten years to break that particular duck, with their 4-1 victory against North End United in the 2015 final recalled on these pages in last week’s edition.
The Wexford Cup has been a popular feature of the local football scene since 1960, and Rosslare Rangers announced their arrival as a real force with a vengeance 28 years later.
That 1988 campaign was undoubtedly the best in the club’s history, as they won the league for the first time and therefore sought the double when they met holders Town Celtic in the showpiece.
The first clash ended in a 2-2 draw, with the Devereux brothers – Damien and John – on target for the challengers. Indeed, Rangers left it late, as John’s leveller came from a corner with one minute remaining.
It was a similar story in the replay, with Celtic doing their utmost to hold out after a Fr. Tommy Brennan goal, only for Fintan Duggan to head home with seconds remaining.
Duggan went on to score the decisive penalty in a shoot-out as Rosslare won 5-3, taking the cup down south and completing a remarkable double.
One year later they retained their cup crown, with Kevin McCormack and Eamonn O’Rourke getting the goals in a 2-0 success against Stoney Rovers.
It was a third final in four years for Rangers in 1991, with Wayne O’Leary finding the net in Horetown as they repeated that earlier victory over Town Celtic.
Four years later, the younger O’Leary brother, Ian, along with Tony Carr scored in a replay after a 0-0 draw with first-time finalists Bunclody to make it four titles from four attempts.
And although a decade elapsed before Rangers appeared in the showpiece for a fifth time, they still had the benefit of all that tradition, whereas Shamrock Rovers hadn’t featured in a final before 2005.
The circumstances behind Rosslare’s season weren’t ideal, because that great servant Wayne O’Leary had only taken over as manager two months earlier while the club struggled to preserve its Premier Division status.
However, there was a fairytale end to the season, and the man of the moment was substitute Fintan Wickham whose super strike five minutes into the first period of extra-time secured the coveted cup for the fifth time.
The win came after Rangers – formed in 1969 – had escaped from the bottom two and the dreaded drop to Division 1 in their final game of the league campaign.
Captain and right full-back Paul Fortune led by example for the victors, with Shane and Emmet Byrne also strong in central defence.
And it was a similar story at the opposite end of the field, as the Rovers back four of Clive O’Brien, Philip Freeman, Derek Whelan and Daithí Whelan were outstanding all through.
Eamonn O’Brien forced a fine save out of Rosslare’s Robbie Byrne with 15 minutes left, and then Rangers striker Oscar Pitt was denied a winner by opposing netminder Richie Millar.
While the deadlock wasn’t broken in regulation time, Fintan Wickham latched on to a swift break and did the needful as that impressive record in finals gained another bright chapter.
Player-manager Wayne O’Leary and Eamonn O’Rourke had featured in all five cup-winning squads for Rangers, whose path to the 2005 final saw them account for Bunclody (3-0), Wexford Bohemians ‘C’ (2-1), St. Joseph’s (2-1) and Killenagh Wanderers (1-0).
Rosslare Rangers: Robbie Byrne, Paul Fortune (capt.), David Wickham, Shane Byrne, Emmet Byrne, Gavin Morris, Damien Driver, Derek O’Connor, Ian O’Leary, Oscar Pitt, Paul Culleton. Subs. - Eamonn O’Rourke, Fintan Wickham, Mark Boyce, Aaron Kehoe, Wayne O’Leary Mick Burke.
Shamrock Rovers: Richie Millar, Clive O’Brien, Philp Freeman, Derek Whelan, Daithí O’Brien, Philip O’Connor, Eamonn O’Brien, Seán Kenny, James Carty, Colin Sheehan. Subs. - Martin McKeown, John Dobbs, Eddie Carty, Jay Browne, Damien McGrath. Paul Moorehouse, Jack Dempsey.
Referee: Eddie Redmond.