WICKLOW ROVERS
The senior men suffered their first defeat of the season at the weekend when they went down 3-0 away to CYM Beechwood. The lads were missing a couple of regulars for this game but to be honest the lads never really got going in this game. They had a lot of possession but never threatened in the final third, it was a bad day at the office and they now need to regroup and go again next week.
Our senior ladies were away to league leaders Dundrum, they got off to a flyer after five minutes when Niamh O’Brien gave them the lead but this was as good as it got with the home side firing in three unanswered goals.
The girls did bring it back to 3-2 but the hosts added three more to run out 6-2 winners. It was a disappointing performance from the girls on the day. Valentine Lenoir, Chloe Brennan and Charmaine Higgins were Rovers best players on the day.
Our under-17s took on Belvedere in the first round of the Leinster Youths Cup knowing they were coming up against one of the cup favourites. The lads lost 3-0 but put in a good performance and if the chances had been converted they might just have pulled off a shock, all in all it was a decent performance against one of the more established clubs in junior football.
Saturday’s junior action saw the under-12As maintain their unbeaten start to the season with a comfortable 6-0 home win over Greystones Utd A at the Whitegates.
Kai Fitzsimons and Louis Malcomson both now have four for the season when they nabbed two a piece, Oscar Malcomson and Jack Noble both scored their second of the campaign to complete the six goal haul in an excellent all round team performance.
The under-13Bs suffered a heavy 8-1 home defeat to Coolboy Rangers, on a bad day at the office, Tim Hastie scored his third goal of the season.
Our under-14Bs secured an excellent point in a 1-1 away draw with one of their main rivals Coolboy Rangers to remain unbeaten. In what was a tough encounter the lads put in a fantastic team display, Ben Free scored his fifth of the season to claim a well earned point which could be valuable come the business end of the campaign.
The under-14Cs came up against a strong Roundwood side suffering an 8-2 defeat, the lads with a bit more luck in front of goal could have got a lot closer on the scoreboard. On a positive note both Ben Lawless and Harrison Boxall scored their first goals of the season.
Sundays junior action saw our under-13As maintain their one hundred percent start in the Premier Shield when they made it four wins from four with a 3-1 away victory over St Anthonys. A brace from last seasons top scorer Conor Hunter and a fourth of the season from Callum Gibney laid the foundations for this win in another impressive team display.
The under-14As are another team who have a one hundred percent record, they also have won four out of four as they defeated Aughrim Rangers in the under-15 Division 1 Shield at the weekend, two from Ross Quinn to make it six for the campaign and maintain his record of scoring in every game and a first of the season for Connor Lewins ensured all three points in a 3-1 win.
Our under-16Bs went goal crazy against Little Bray winning 8-0. Nacho Garcia, Javier Rodriguez and Armando Mourisco all nabbed two a piece with Nathan Wynne and Brandon Aronu scoring one each to seal a very impressive win.
Our Last Man Standing competition saw a major cull at the weekend, just when it seemed all the fancy teams were helping their supporters through each week up pops a major shock.
Stoke, who couldn’t buy a decent result of late, sprung a surprise holding Man Utd to a 1-1 draw, this result meant we lost 81 players.
Other teams to let players down over the weekend were Everton [14], Watford [4], West Ham [2], West Brom [2], Leicester [2], Sunderland [1] and Burnley [1]. Safe passage through to round 4 were the 32 players who went with Arsenal and how lucky they were with a winner with the last kick of the game.
Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Hull saw 28 players progress with Liverpool’s early impressive form continuing when they beat Swansea 2-1 to book 9 players their place in the next round, we lost a total of 107 players at the weekend which now leaves 69 people battling it out for the €500 prize.
Everyone at Wicklow Rovers AFC would like to wish senior ladies player Rachel ‘The Goal Machine’ Bolger a speedy recovery from a serious injury that she picked up in a recent game against Cabinteely. We all look forward to her getting herself back to full fitness and back on the playing field soon, get well soon Rachel.
Anyone with information for the club notes or the club website can contact me at 087 9108706 or e-mail me at jimmy.nolan09@ hotmail.com
For all news regarding the club, check out the club website at www. wicklowrovers.com or the club Facebook page.