Wicklow go to town
Youth League champions have double in their sights
A STRONG showing from start to finish ensured Wicklow Town’s spot in the Youths Cup final after they dispatched Arklow United by four goals to nil in Ferndale Park last weekend.
It has been a wonderful season for Ian Cuddihy’s men and this weekend’s final against neighbours Rathnew, should victory be assured, could see them claim a fantastic league and cup double in their manager’s final season with the squad.
The decider won’t be easy as the Village side surged past Arklow Town at Shamrock Park, ripping up the form book in the process only weeks after the Bridgewater Centre Park outfit easily dispatched Rathnew in Arklow.
That result was firmly laid to rest on Saturday with Rathnew firing in five goals to set up what should be an absolute cracker of a final.
Wicklow Town are a formidable side, populated by fine athletically built individuals who have been moulded into a well-oiled machine by the shrewd Cuddihy.
Led by the mightily impressive captain Matthew Traynor, this Wicklow Town side are capable of mixing it with and prospering against anybody, and in any way, shape or form.
They defend strongly, attack with menace and are well capable on the ground and in the air.
Town settled into their semi-final clash with Arklow United well and were soon probing for ways forward with Jordan Sinnott making Dean Flood Hayes work to gather an early shot and Matthew Traynor coming from deep but connecting poorly and registering a harmless wide.
Arklow United were certainly not there to make up the numbers and the pacy Jamie Garnett combined with Kieron Chong but Chong’s return was overcooked and rolled wide before Garnett to get there.
United were asking some questions in the early stages but a corner they had was easily cleared and they couldn’t really trouble the Town defence.
The Wicklow side had the sharper attack for sure. With Jordan Sinnott making inroads down one side and Sean Algera and Rory Dowling linking up down the other it was easy to see that there was going to be goals at some stage for Town. The questions were how long it would take and how many would it be?
Jack Geraghty returned a Sean Algera short throw back to his comrade but Algera’s tasty cross flew over the crossbar of Flood Hayes for another wide.
United’s Conor Blaney, Trevor Fitgerald, Sean Harte and Conor McLoughlin were working tirelessly at the back to prevent a breach and they were supplying ball to an isolated Jamie Garnett but the attacker was falling foul of the offside trap almost every time.
A foul on Trevor Fitzgerald earned United a free kick in a reasonable position but the cross was hit too heavily and it sailed over Patrick Reynolds’ crossbar and wide. United’s best chance of the game came on 24 minutes when they worked their way into Town territory and brought a save out of Patrick Reynolds.
From the corner, Liam Molloy connected with the low cross but his shot was blocked out for another corner with nothing coming from that. Chance lost.
And then Town struck for their opener. A crossed ball was met by the head of Jordan Sinnott who directed it back towards goal towards Jack Geraghty who chested it into the path of Oisin O’Reilly and O’Reilly lashed home superbly to the back of the Arklow United net.
United won a free shortly afterwards but Christian Roche drove it wide of the target as the wind and rain started to worsen.
There followed a fairly dire period in the game where Wicklow Town launched a plethora of attacks but were repelled by a hard-working United defence or squandered by the attacking side.
A Jordan Sinnott corner was met by the head of Reese Kelly but Dean Flood Hayes gathered easily on the Arklow United line.
And then Town pounced again. A delicious through ball by Rory Dowling to the feet of JJ Power saw the flying Power cross to the back post where Jordan Sinnott was on hand to chest the ball home to the back of the net.
The hard-working Christian Roche won a free for a foul by Reese Kelly but Liam Molloy’s delivery was too close to the alert Patrick Reynolds in the Wicklow Town goal.
The half-time break saw Wicklow Town leading Arklow United 2-0 with victory almost certainly guaranteed and a short corner to JJ Power five minutes into the second half saw the pacy defender fire in a low cross that was met by Matthew Traynor right on the goal-line and the Wicklow Town captain fired home to finish the game as a contest.
The second half produced some decent moments and the introduction of Paddy Murphy brought a fresh spark to the Wicklow Town side but it wasn’t until the 88th minute that they managed to breach the stubborn Arklow United rearguard for the fourth time with Sean Algera on hand close to goal to fire home after Oisin O’Reilly’s shot was saved well by Dean Flood Hayes.
Wicklow Town were convincing winners in Ferdale Park. They’ll need to be ready for a much stiffer challenge come the final against Rathnew. It has the makings of a real humdinger of a battle. WICKLOW TOWN: 1. Patrick Reynolds, 2. JJ Power, 3. Gavin Caffrey, 4. Rian Dwyer, 5. Matthew Traynor, 6. Oisin O’Reilly, 7. Rory Dowling, 8. Reese Kelly, 9. Jack Geraghty, 10. Sean Algera, 11. Jordan Sinnott. Subs: 12. Eddie Geraghty, 13. Patrick Murphy, 14. Callum Kelly, 15. Jack Meaney, 16. Mark Whelan, 17. Dylan Kavanagh, 18. Brian Byrne.
ARKLOW UNITED: 1. Dean Flood Hayes, 2. Conor Blaney, 3. Trevor Fitzgerald, 4. Sean Harte, 5. Conor McLoughlin, 6. James Hogan, 7. Christian Roche, 8. Liam Molloy, 9. Darragh Walker, 10. Kieron Chong, 11. Jamie Garnett. Subs: 12. Cillian Appleby, 13. Aidan Stokely, 14. Joe Forde, 15. Jamie Redmond, 16. Jack Flynn, 17. Tiernan McBride, 18. Jake Kinsella. REFEREE: Carl Doyle.