CLUB CALL
INDOOR BOWLS
Scintillating Display by Rathcoffey Sends Coill Dubh Tumbling - Rathcoffey travelled the short journey to the picturesque village of Coill Dubh on January 31 to take on Coill Dubh in the Division 2 Round 11 bowling league in the Coill Dubh Community Hall.
Coill Dubh who have been ‘firing on all cylinders’ from the start of the league would be very confident in this clash having home advantage. If they were to win all five points on offer it would propel them to the top of the league table.
Rathcoffey on the other hand need to muster something out of this game to move them away from the danger zone. They are a match for any side if they play to their full potential, but inconsistency at times is their big problem, and one is never sure which team will turn up.
All So Easy - On mat 1 the visitors started in great fashion with a score of two, but it was short lived as the home team wiped out that advantage very quickly with a score of three to lead by one.
On the third end Rathcoffey levelled up the game at 3/3. From hereon the game swung in favour of the visitors, as they were very much rampant, scoring at will time and time again.
This was a night when Coill Dubh seemingly could do nothing right, nobody would have predicted that it would be the tenth end before they registered their second score of the night making the score 16/4 in favour of Rathcoffey.
Coill Dubh tried their best to get back somewhat into the game but there was no let-up by their opponents.
It was one of those nights that the home team may just forget, as unbelievingly it was all so easy for Rathcoffey winning on a margin 24/7.
Coill Dubh: Mary Hogan, Albert Perris, Thomas Hogan, Jody Gordon and sub Henry Farrell.
Rathcoffey: Gerry McCann, Rita Campbell, John Tuite, Padraic Byrne and sub Bernie Barry.
Sigh Of Relief - Rathcoffey couldn’t have asked for a better start on mat 2, after three ends they were seven scores to the good. Coill Dubh fought back and within two ends had narrowed the gap to leave two scores between the sides. The visitors increased that lead to three on the next end and were playing well.
But Rathcoffey as they are prone to do sometimes went into one of their ‘little slumbers’ and allowed their opponent right back into the game leaving the score 8/8.
The visitors took the initiative again and began to pull away to open up a substantial lead with the score standing at 16/10 with only two ends to play.
Once again Rathcoffey went into another lapse and allowed Coill Dubh to close the gap to three and give them a fighting chance on the last end.
What drama! Nail biting stuff as Coill Dubh threw every bit of knowhow to try and redeem the game. Coill Dubh holding four and with Myra Gavin the Rathcoffey skip with the last bowl of the match to play needed to at least reduce that situation to two scores to get her team over the line.
A magnificent shot especially under such pressure saw her bowl roll down close to the jack and give her side a score of one to see off the Coill Dubh challenge on a final score of 17/13.
There was a sigh of relief all round from the Rathcoffey contingent, but how they allowed the situation arise in the first place is anyone’s guess in a game that they looked to have wrapped up.
Perhaps lucky at the finish but certainly deserved the win.
Coill Dubh after this defeat drop to fourth spot, while Rathcoffey winning all five points move up to around mid-table.
Coill Dubh: Michael Hogan, Mossy Baker, John Moran and Joss Gordon.
Rathcoffey: Carmen Doherty, Eamonn Cunningham, Joe Campbell and Myra Gavin.
Recent League Results (home team first):
Division1: Rathmore 5, Brownstown 0; Castlemitchell 5, Kill CBC 0; Hollywood 5, Allen 0; Brownstown 0, Ardclough 5; Kildare 5, Caragh 0.
Division 2: Baltinglass/Kiltegan 5, Prosperous 0; Blessington 5, Rathangan 0; Balyna 5, Athy 0; Prosperous 2, St. Laurences 3; Coill Dubh 0, Rathcoffey 5; Rathmore 5, Baltinglass/Kiltegan 0.
Division 3: Caragh 2, Donard/ Glen 3; Naas 5, Ryston 0; Ballymore 1, Straffan 4; Kilcullen 3, Caragh 2; Hollywood 1, Kildare 4; Donard/Glen 3, Allenwood 2; Straffan 0, Ryston 5. Kildare 2, Ballymore 3.
Division 4: Kilcullen 2, Clane/Staplestown 3; Donard/Glen 3, Ardclough2; Celbridge 3, Balyna 2; Balyna 5, Donard/Glen 0.
Division 5: Abbey Bowls 5, Clane/ Staplestown 0; Balyna 4, Castlemitchell 1.
WICKLOW ROVERS
The senior men took on Ayrfield United in the fourth round of the Leinster Junior Cup last Friday night.
Unfortunately for the lads they were cruelly knocked out 3-1 on penalties after the game finished 1-1 after extra-time.
The first half produced very little in the way of clear cut chances with both defences on top.
The second half saw the visitors reduced to 10 men after 53 minutes.
Rovers had a great chances when both Gareth Murphy and Ciaran McGettigan were denied by a last ditch block and a save from the keeper.
The away side broke upfield and scored to go in front. To the lads credit they kept probing and they got their reward in the last minute when Ciaran McGettigan was brought down inside the area. Mikey Delaney showed nerves of steel as he stepped up to fire the spot kick into the bottom right hand corner of the net.
Extra-time failed to produce a winner and it was on to the dreaded penalty shootout.
The away side won the shootout with Peter Finnegan netting the Rovers spot kick.
Shane Doyle gave the lads hope with an excellent penalty save from the visitor’s third penalty but it was short lived.
The lads turned in a good all round team performance with Tommy Kelly getting the nomination of man of the match for his tireless running for the team.
The under-18s got off to a flyer in the new DDSL season when they defeated Tolka Rovers 3-2 at Whitegates on Sunday. Luca Rampersaud put them in front but Tolka levelled before the break.
It could have being better for the lads only the Tolka keeper saved well from a Wicklow penalty.
The second half saw the lads race into a 3-1 lead with goals from Patrick O’Keane and Dean Noble before the away side pulled one back with thirteen minutes left on the clock.
The lads held firm to claim three good points to kick start their season.
Some of our junior teams were back in action for the first time since Christ- mas, on Saturday our under-12Bs went down 4-0 to a strong Avonmore A side in the first leg of their interim final at Whitegates.
The lads gave a hundred percent but on the day Avonmore were just that bit stronger.
The 12Cs travelled to Avoca to take on St Patricks in the first leg of their final and they returned to Wicklow with a fine 1-1 draw to leave the tie evenly balanced going into the home leg next week.
This was a good game between two well balanced sides. The first half was a tight affair with little between the teams.
The deadlock was broken in the 20th minute when Cian Doyle fired home his 13th goal of the season after some good Rovers pressure.
The second half followed the same pattern as the first with nothing to separate the sides, St Patricks levelled matters in the dying minutes to set up a winner takes all next week in the return leg.
A draw was probably a fair outcome on the day, well done to both teams.
A big thanks to James, Jack and Philip from the under-11s who gave the lads a dig out this game, with all three performing to a very high standard.
The 13As got off to a solid start in the DDSL when they earned a point away to Portmarnock AFC but it could have being much better as they conceded an equaliser in the last minute.
A brace from Louis Malcolmson and a single from Stephen Gormley looked to have secured all three points until they were cruelly denied in the dying seconds.
All in all this is a solid start and good foundation to build on.
Our 15As started life in the DDSL with a win when they recorded a comprehensive 8-0 away victory over Wayside Celtic on Saturday.
Noah Sheridan hit the back of the net twice with Alex Butler, Ross Quinn, Stephen Kearns, Fionn Luddy, Ben Sweeney and Ryan Kavanagh all registering singles.
This was a comfortable start to their season but there will be tougher hurdles ahead. Well done lads on a good start.
Sunday’s junior action saw the under-14As secure a good advan- tage going into the second leg of their interim final when they defeated local neighbours Rathnew 3-0 at Whitegates.
Jordan Younger fired home a brace to bring his tally for the season to 15 with Conor Hunter claiming his fourth of the campaign to give them a solid advantage going into the second leg next week.
The 14Bs were another side who look to have a great chance of winning their interim final when they won 7-2 in the away leg against St Anthonys.
Tim Hastie now has 10 for the season after he completed an excellent solo goal scoring performance when he netted four times. Zak Hastie scored two with Javier Ranilo rounding off the seven goal haul to put them in a comfortable position going into the second leg.
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.
BRAY WANDERERS
Lotto draw - There was no jackpot winner on February 11. Numbers drawn were 1, 12, 16, and 22. €30 lucky dip winners were John Farrell c/o Bray Lakers, Stephen McGuire c/o Bray Wanderers, Maria McAteer c/o V. Walsh, Esther Vickers c/o V. Walsh, Marie Pender c/o Bray Lakers. Next jackpot is €8,350.
Season Tickets – Bray Wanderers 2018 season tickets are now on sale from our online stoe. This season will see the introduction of excellent value family season tickets alongside regular season tickets.
Those under the age of 14 will now come under the child category. Prices for the 2018 season are: Adults €210, student/concession €130, family season tickets are one adult and two children €210, one senior citizen and two children €130, two adults and four children €420.
Season tickets are valid for all home league games and pre-season friendlies.
Tickets can be ordered on line at www.braywanderersfc.ie/tickets.
Fixtures - Bray Wanderers begin their league season with an away game against Dundalk on Friday, February 16. The first home league game of the season is on Friday, February 23, against St. Patrick’s Athletic.
Supporters bus to Dundalk – The Supporters bus to Dundalk on Friday 16th will depart from the Carlisle Grounds at 4.30pm. There will be pick ups in Shankill and the Three Arena.
Prices are €15 adults, €10 students. Child (under 16) free. To book a seat please call or text 087 9968969.
For all the latest club news visit our web site www.braywanderersfc.ie.
NEWTOWN JUNIORS
Due to a mix up on WDSL’s part regarding a mix up with venues only one of our teams saw Futsal action.
That team the under-11 Red team played in Arklow where they played out three very close games with Aughrim Rangers and St. Patrick’s.
William Valentine scored the goal in a 2-1 loss to Aughrim Rangers Blue, goals from Dylan Dunleavy and Luke Turley secured a 2-0 win over Aughrim White, while goals from Dunleavy and Valentine couldn’t prevent a 3-2 loss to St Patricks.
The squad on the day were the goalscorers plus Cillian Coffey, Brooklyn Doyle, Aidan Heffernan and David Mackey. Well done, lads. Last weekend was the first leg of the Interim Shield finals and both our 12s and 14s were in action. Our 12s travelled to Greystones on Saturday and in a decent game where both sides had their chances it was the home side who take the advantage into the second leg thanks to a goal either side of half time for a 2-nil lead.
Despite the absence of a number of players the team gave a good account of themselves with Hannah Martin, Jack Coughlan and Edward Valentine the pick of the Newtown players.
The 14s who have lost a couple of players for a variety of reasons went into their game away to Glencormac on Sunday with determination.
The team got off to a great start with goals from Luke Breen and Charlie Gregory giving us a 2-0 lead.
Despite the home side pulling a goal back, Martin Kelly restored Newtown’s two-goal lead.
The home side came more into the game in the second half and they managed to score twice to make the scores level and 3-all is the way the game ended.
On the day among the players who were best for Newtown were Martin Kelly, Sean Bishop, Laragh Davis, Luke Breen and Shane Synnott.
The following are the fixtures for February 17 and 18:
Under-12s at home to Greystones B, Saturday at 12.30pm (Interim Cup Final, second leg).
Under-14s at home to Glencormac Utd, Saturday at 11am (Interim Cup Final, second leg).
All our teams are back in training. All teams will have official games from the weekend of February 24 and 25.
There are also a couple of slots on all our teams at the moment so if there are any girls or boys who would like to join the club please contact our secretary, Hughie, at 087 6987653 and he will provide you with all the information you will need.
Also, in a new venture by the WDSL, they have started a Girls Academy for all girls playing in the league that will also cater for girls who may not be a member of a club or a team.
For further information please contact Hughie at 087 6987653 or email hughienolan@gmail.com.
Our latest Last Man Standing competition continued with its Week 3 fixtures.
We had 51 players left standing going into Week 3. With the FA Cup on next weekend, Week 4 fixtures will be for the period from February 24 to March 1. Many thanks everyone for your continued support.
Four of our players will be celebrating a birthday in the coming week and they are: Adam Hill, from the Development Squad, Aaron Nolan, from the under-8s, and under-11s duo Dylan Dunleavy and Cormac Chance. Happy birthday lads from everyone at Newtown Juniors F.C.
For further information on all matters Newtown Juniors F.C. please contact the secretary at 087 6987653 or by email to hughienolan@gmail. com and you can also follow the club on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
AVONMORE FC
Wicklow Rovers under-12s v Avonmore under-12A - An excellent display of football from our under-12A team last weekend as they travelled to Wicklow Rovers for an early morning kick off, for the first leg of their final.
It was obvious from the tip off that these lads meant business, and Wicklow Rovers soon found themselves under huge pressure.
This pressure paid off with an excellent passage of play and Ethan Tarmey found the net.
Within a few minutes we were two up when Kian Fluskey connected perfectly with the ball to put it sweetly past the Rovers goalkeeper.
Rovers kept their head and didnt make things easy for us. A mistake in their box, however, resulted in a penalty for us.
Gavin Cullen confidently executed his shot to make it 3-0 to us.
The second half saw some changes when Conor Hayes and newcomer Paddy Harper came on.
Paddy soon found his feet, creating some scoring chances himself. a lovely pass into Conor, who made the most of it saw us go 4-0 up.
Our defence was excellent with birthday boy Leighton Doran not only enjoying his birthday celebrations but also enjoying the win.
Rhys who had a quiet match, kept his concentration to ensure a clean sheet. we would like to welcome Paddy Harper to the team. Great win today lads, and best of luck in the next leg.