A valuable win for Wicklow
Town see off Avonmore B
WICKLOW TOWN B AVONMORE B 4 2
NEWCOMERS to Division 3 Wicklow Town B battled it out in the Pat O’Toole Park against Avonmore B on Sunday last and gained three points away from home against a decent outfit.
The game got off to a great competitive start straight from kick-off with some tackles flying in from both sides.
Avonmore should have scored on the 10th minute when strikers Andrew Browne and Kadir Arslan were given golden opportunities to punish the sloppy Wicklow defence but failed to capitalise much to the great acrobatics by keeper Gavin Caffery.
The first goal of the game came from a mistake between the Avonmore keeper and his defence, keeper Luka Tyler was unsure about a back pass and changed his mind at the last minute about picking up the ball and decided to try clear to safety but Paddy Murphy put the keeper under pressure and poked the ball into the net to put his side 1-0 up on the 16th minute.
The second goal again came from the travelling side and from another unfortunate mistake from keeper Luka Tyler. Defender Conor Dickson hit a long free kick towards goal from his own penalty area, the ball took an awkward bounce which caught out Tyler and fell to David O’ Connor who stroked the ball into the side of the net, very unlucky for the Avonmore keeper.
Avonmore had multiple chances in the remainder of the first half to try get a lifeline but failed to capitalise which meant Wicklow Town went in with two goals ahead at the break.
Avonmore had more of the ball in the opening ten minutes of the second half and grabbed a goal back to make it 2-1 on the 55th minute through a long free kick which was poked home by Harrison Penn, Penn showed great hunger to get to the final ball and get a toe to the ball.
Paddy Murphy got his second of the game to give his side another two goal cushion on the 70th minute when he again ran down a pass back from the Avonmore defence and rounded the goal keeper before tapping the ball into an empty net, Murphy had played well all game and got his second goal that he richly deserved.
Harrison Penn should have got his second of the game to make it 3-2 on the 72nd minute, a well delivered free kick from Luke Cullen met the head of Penn who was waiting at the back post but the winger headed just wide.
Wicklow Town wrapped the game up on the 80th minute with a goal from Sean O’Brien, the central defender had moved in the central midfield and grabbed a goal to finalise the three points to the travelling side with no way back for Avonmore with 10 minutes remaining and a three-goal lead in the bank.
Avonmore did manage to grab another just before the final whistle but it was as little as a consolation goal as there was only two minutes left to play after the kick off.
A very competitive game that was end to end for the majority of the game but Wicklow Town just had a little too much quality for Avonmore who conceded two sloppy goals from back passes when they were under no pressure.
1. Luka Tyler, 2. Sam Arslan, 3. Sean Whelan, 4. Alfie Breslin,
5. Luke Cullen, 6. Diarmuid Whelan, 7. Harrison Penn, 8. Kieran Penn, 9. Andrew Browne, 10. Kadir Arslan, 11. Jacob Hamilton. Subs: Daniel Sheahan for Diramuid Whelan (52min), Conor Penn for Jacob Hamilton (66min).
1. Gavin Caffrey,
2. Sean Fitzpatrick, 3. Evan Butler, 4. Conor Dickson, 5. Sean O’ Brien, 6. Will Murphy, 7. Paddy Murphy, 8. Kyle Duffy, 9. David O’ Connor, 10. Harrison,
11. JJ Power. Subs: Kevin Delaney for Harrison (55min), Dean Corkish for Will Murphy (60min).