The club's Leinster Senior side welcomed FC Transylvania to Whitegates on Saturday. Rovers made their intent known from an early stage as they attacked at will. Nine minutes in the lads were in front, Aidan Small broke down the left, his cross picked out Jim Foley on the edge of the six yard box who controlled and slotted home for the opening goal. After sixteen minutes David O'Connor showed his importance and versatility to the team, playing up top this week he rose high between a defender and the advancing keeper to cause havoc in the area, O'Connor was quickest to react to the breaking ball to flick the ball to the roof of the net to make it 2-0. Against the run of play the away side pulled one back on twenty minutes but this was only a minor setback for Rovers as they went on to totally control the game and give Rossa Marron in the Rovers goal one of his quietest games all season. In the thirty eighth minute Rovers restored their two goal lead and a better goal you won’t see all season. David O'Connor collected the ball some thirty five yards out, he completely wrong footed three away defenders with his deft touch, surged into the area weaving past a couple of defenders before clinically firing a powerful effort to the top right hand corner of the net with the outside of his left foot, a goal that would grace any football ground. This saw the lads go in at the break 3-1 to the good. We didn't have to wait too long for number four, five minutes into the second half Aidan Small latched on to a long clearance from the Rovers rearguard and made no mistake as he cut in from the left to coolly slot past the advancing keeper into the bottom right hand corner of the net. Five minutes later McGettigan made it five, he raced across the face of the area before duly dispatching the ball to the bottom right hand corner. With twenty minutes to go David O'Connor had a great chance to complete his hat-trick, Mikey Delaney let fly but the keeper was equal to it to push the effort away but unfortunately for O'Connor he got under the breaking ball to scoop his effort over the bar. Rovers added a sixth through a wicked deflection to complete their goals tally and run out easy 6-1 winners. On the day it was hard to pick a man of the match with some solid performances all over the pitch but if any moment in a game could swing it for a player it would have to be that goal from David "Doc" O'Connor, what a finish, it had everything. His control to completely leave three players bewildered and then the mazy run which left defenders in his wake before powerfully firing home with the outside of his left foot to give the keeper no chance. He just might be changing his nickname to "Messi" O'Connor after this strike. His overall contribution to the team was excellent, normally played as a defender he lined out up front and gave it everything. His willingness to chase everything down and do the tough work was refreshing to see and that goal will be talked about for a long time to come.

On Wednesday night our Wicklow League side took on Avonmore B away in the last sixteen of the Wicklow Cup. In what was a potential giant killing opponent the young Rovers team couldn’t go out complacent and they didn’t as they attacked the home team from the start. Their early dominance was rewarded after eight minutes when Luca Rampersaud clinically netted to put Rovers one up. Even though the home side battled away Rovers always looked dangerous going forward. They rattled the woodwork on two occasions but eventually they found the target again as they went on to add a further three goals for a 4-0 victory. Luca Rampersaud was on fire and he completed his hat-trick when he added a further two goals to his eight minute strike. Matthew Traynor weighed in with a single in what was a good all round display from this young side playing some nice tidy football from start to finish. To Avonmore’s credit they battled right up to the final whistle playing some good football themselves. This win sets the lads up for a last eight tussle away to Newtown United. On Sunday the lads took on Newtown Utd in the Jim McLaughlin cup and what a great advert for Wicklow football this game was. Both teams were fully committed with a lot of excellent football throughout the whole game. This young Rovers team created the better chances in the first period and how they didn’t get a penalty just before the break was a mystery to everyone in the ground. Luca Rampersaud who was a handful all game was completely taken out of it after putting the ball around the keeper. It was Newtown who drew first blood in the second half when they headed home to go one up but the young Rovers heads didn’t drop and they levelled when Luca Rampersaud pulled the ball back from the end line for Jamie Power to smash home inside the six yard box. Adam Cuddihy also rattled the Newtown woodwork from a free kick but at the end of full time it was on to extra time and this failed to separate the two teams and now it was on to the dreaded penalty shootout which the home side went on to win 5-4. Adam Cuddihy, Simon Philips, James Lang and Brian Harrington were all successful from the spot. This is a game that this young Rovers side will take a lot from and both teams have to be complimented on producing an excellent game of football with only a kick of the ball between the two sides.

Our under 16’s had a great 6-0 away win over Arklow Utd, Ben Patterson laid the foundations for the win with an excellent hat-trick, he was ably assisted by Ryan McConnell, Ruairi Jenkinson and James Fagan who all added a goal a piece in what was an excellent all round team performance

The club will be holding an EGM on Monday the 7th of September, it will take place in the Wicklow Parish Hall in the old De La Salle school. The EGM is to discuss the amendments to the club constitution and ratify as required. This meeting is solely for the club constitution. Please arrive early as meeting will be starting at 8pm sharp.