WICKLOW ROVERS AFC CLUB NOTES WEEK ENDING 6th MARCH 2022
Our WDFL premier team had a bad day at the office on Sunday, they took on Avonmore at Whitegates and got off to the worse possible start when they fell behind in the first minute of the game. To their credit they battled back and on fifteen minutes they should have been level. The away side had their keeper to thank as he pulled off three superb saves from point blank range all in the one move, it was unbelievable how the ball didn’t end up in the net. On twenty five minutes Jack Crowley was denied by an excellent save from the keeper when his thunderous strike from the edge of the area looked destined for the top right hand corner of the net. Rovers were the better team in the first half but failed to take their chances which left them going in at the break one behind. If Rovers were the better team in the first period the visiting team were on top throughout the second half. They dominated the second half adding two further goals for a 3-0 victory. Avonmore also struck the woodwork and missed other chances against a Rovers team who were the polar opposite to the team that took to the field in the first half. Our division 1 team made the short journey to Shamrock Park to take on local neighbours Rathnew. On a lovely afternoon for football it was our neighbours who ran out deserved 3-0 winners to claim all three points.
The under 18 girls travelled to take on Balbriggan on Sunday, playing with the aid of a stiff breeze Rovers took the game to the home side. They had their chances but went in at the break 2-1 behind. Molly Sweeney hit the Rovers first half goal to bring her tally to thirty five for the campaign and maintained her record of having found the net in every game this season. The second half started brightly for the girls when they squared things up with a contender for goal of the season, an excellent volley from Sophie Fogarty. Unfortunately for the girls the home side took advantage of the wind to add two further goals to run out 4-2 winners. The girls can count themselves a little unlucky they didn’t take something from the game.
The schoolboys/girls season got up and running at the weekend. First up was the under 14’s who entertained St Patricks on Friday night under the floodlights at Whitegates. They got off to the perfect start in a thrilling match with both sides playing entertaining football. Rovers ran out 8-2 winners, Jack Healy hit a fantastic hat-trick, Josh McCall nabbed a brace with singles from Sean Patrick Guerin, Ronan Phelan and David Johnson. On Saturday morning the under 12A’s made a winning start to competitive football when they beat St Patricks 3-0 at Whitegates. Sam Conyard, Luke Connolly and Dan Connolly all hit the net in a good all round team performance. Another team to hit eight goals was our under 16’s when they defeated Arklow United 8-2 at Whitegates on Saturday afternoon. In what was an excellent all round team performance there were a brace a piece from Lorcan Sinnott and Charlie Czwalina. Alex Earls, Daniel Kavanagh, Brandon Battams and Brendan Porter all added singles.
On Sunday the 13B’s recorded a fine 5-0 away victory against Arklow United B, Rovers raced into the lead with a Sean O’Keefe effort from distance. Abdul Alhamad made it 2-0 with a neat finish before Sean O’Keefe with his second of the game sent Rovers in at the break leading 3-0. Max Tkac-Sado added a fourth with Cian Lynch completing the scoring with Rovers fifth goal in what was a good all round team performance.
Congratulations to Willie O'Brien who won our March 50/50 draw winning €257.50, unfortunately for Willie his bonus ball selection number 15 didn't come out of the main lotto draw on Wednesday night. This means the April bonus ball jackpot moves to €2,200. Tickets for the April 50/50 draw are now on sale and can be purchased online at www.wicklowroversclubshop.com or from any club member up to midnight on Thursday the 31st of March. The next draw will take place on Tuesday 5th of April and will take place live on our club Facebook page. Thank you all for your continuous support.
All managers please remember with the new junior season up and running we request that you send in your match result and goalscorers to your relevant fixtures secretary as soon as possible on completion of your match. It is unfair on club volunteers to have to chase managers for their results. It doesn’t matter what the result is, the result still needs to be sent in. This needs to be done for several reasons, media deadlines [Wicklow People, Club Facebook and Club Website] need to be met as well as the league needing to keep records for the purposes of regrading. Please remember we are all volunteers and the sooner all information is in the sooner we can all relax and enjoy our day, thank you.
