WDSL MATCH REPORT – U15 GROUP 2

Wicklow proved age is no barrier as they secured all three WDSL U15 Group 2 points.

In what was Rovers first league match of the 2024 season, they rallied from falling behind to secure an impressive 5-2 victory under the floodlights

Whitegates on Tuesday evening.

As an U14 side, the Green and Whites are playing a year above their natural age group. 

They started brightly and would have been ahead had it not been for two fantastic point-blank saves by Rangers custodian Arann Segrave to deny Zach Kavanagh (17) and Richard Carton (18).

Having beaten Avonmore FC 5-0 in their first outing last week at Allen Park, Aughrim then took a 19th minute lead (somewhat against the run of play).

The ball ran kindly and rebounded to set Brodie O’Sullivan free to roll his effort past Sam Czwalina.

But that only seemed to re-light a fire under the home team who responded with five goals in a sensational ten-minute spell.

They were level in the 20th minute. From Kale Conyard’s throw wide left near the corner flag, he found his twin sibling Sam Conyard who unleashed a stunning 25-yard curling effort that found the far right top corner of the net.

They went ahead in the 23rd minute. From Sam Conyard’s right-wing cross, Carton got in a glancing header which Kale Conyard converted at the back stick.

It got even better in the 25th minute. From Kale Conyard’s left flank throw-in, Kavanagh centred from the endline., The ball came to Ryan Cox who squeezed his low effort past Segrave.

Then in the 28th minute, another long throw came from the right into the penalty area. Carton wriggled free to drive low in the far corner from 14-yards.

Kavanagh made it 5-1 in style in the 29th minute. He burst past a defender to unleash a fierce right-footed shot from 16-yards that went in off the underside of the crossbar.

The second period was more balanced. Wicklow reshaped and utilised their bench.

The visitors regrouped and were more solid defensively.

Both sides had chances but it was the Blue and Whites who registered the only score in the 59th minute.

Substitute Keith O’Reilly weaved his way in off the right into the box and smashed a cracking shot from 15-yards to the roof of the.

WICKLOW ROVERS U14: Sam Czwalina; Ben O’Leary, Harry Bowen, Jack Madden; Sam Conyard; Ryan Cox, Tommy Morrissey, David McCormack, Kale Conyard; Richard Carton, Zach Kavanagh.

SUBS: Daniel Connolly, Ronan Wynn, Robbie McCoy, Tiernan Shortall.

AUGHRIM RANGERS: Arann Segrave; Shane Viera, Conor Quinn, Zack Byrne, Max Lehane; Dillon Doyle; Brodie O’Sullivan, Xander McCall, Alex Penston, Michael Reeves; Ross Weld.

SUBS: Oisin Fanning, Keith O’Reilly, Harry McElhinney, Daniel Fitzgerald, Dara O’Byrne.

REFEREE: Joe Hillman.

Report by Paul Dowling