Rovers’ progress in Junior Cup arrested by Sheriff
SHERIFF YC 3 WICKLOW ROVERS 1
WICKLOW ROVERS’ Leinster Senior side were in Leinster Junior cup action on Saturday and what a mammoth task they had as they travelled to take on Leinster Kingpins and holders
Sheriff YC in their own backyard.
The Wicklow Town lads got off to the worse possible start when they were reduced to ten men and the home side were harshly awarded a penalty after nine minutes which they duly converted.
If Rovers faced a mammoth task before the game, they now had an impossible job at hand. But to the Wicklow lads’ credit they knuckled down and produced some of their best football of the season. They took the game to their opponents and even though down to ten men they really had a go.
Just before the interval they leveled matters and it was their just rewards after a spirited display in the first half. Rovers were awarded a free just outside the area and up stepped Dylan Orr to dispatch the ball to the net.
The second half saw the holders understandably put Rovers under a bit of pressure, but the visitors were coping well.
Twenty minutes in, Sheriff won a corner, the resulting corner in was blocked but the ball fell invitingly for the Sheriff striker inside the six-yard box and he made no mistake to put the holders 2-1 up.
The Wicklow lads battled on in an effort of getting a second equaliser and they had the chances, they were playing some nice neat football and definitely gave the holders something to think about. Gareth Murphy went close on a couple of occasions.
Unfortunately for Rovers as they pushed forward in search of the goal that would take it to extra time Sheriff hit them on the break with two minutes remaining to kill the game off at 3-1.
Rovers can come out of this game with their heads held high and plenty of confidence going forward in the season ahead.
They produced some of their best football of the season, even playing 81 minutes with ten men they took the game to the holders.
It was a good all-round team performance and should stand to them going forward.
TEAM: Cathal Moody, Dylan Orr, Ian Brannigan, David Rowan, Rikki Quinn, Daniel Tarcevskis, Paul Newsome, Aidan Small, Gareth Murphy, Luke Byrne, David O’Connor. Subs: Peter Finnegan, Paul Sweeney.