U12 Blue 4 vs Kildare 0
Wicklow Blue Make It Two Wins from Two with Emphatic Display Against Kildare
Wicklow Blue maintained their perfect start to the SFAI League with a commanding 4–0 victory over Kildare in Round 2 of Group G, backing up last week’s hard-earned 2–1 win away to Midlands Blue.
Despite making six changes as part of planned squad rotation, Wicklow settled quickly and immediately took control. Their energetic high press set the tone, and it yielded the opener after just eight minutes. Full-back Oli Gettings stepped in smartly to intercept a short Kildare goal kick before slipping the ball into the path of Paidi Wafer, who struck sweetly from distance to find the net.
Three minutes later, Wafer’s relentless pressure forced a mistake from the visiting goalkeeper. Reacting quickest, he pounced to tap home his second and double the advantage.
Wicklow continued to dominate possession and territory, disrupting Kildare’s attempts to build from the back. Their third arrived on 28 minutes, when Finn Travers surged down the right and delivered a superb cross that Wafer met with a stunning first-time volley to complete a deserved hat-trick.
Both teams made changes after the break, and while the tempo dipped, Wicklow remained in control. With ten minutes left, a tactical switch to a more defensive shape did little to blunt their attacking threat. On 73 minutes, Alfie Horan gathered a loose clearance and threaded a clever pass through for Travers, who finished calmly into the bottom corner.
A polished performance from Wicklow Blue, who now sit firmly atop Group G with two wins from two.
1 Kyle Brady
2 Joshua Vaccora
3 Tristan Hosmer
4 Oliver Gettings
5 Lexi Byrne
6 Alfie Drew Williams
7 Alfie Horan
8 Danny Cronin Kenny
9 Freddie Horan
10 Paidi Wafer
11 Finn Travers
12 Charlie Doyle Weston
13 Tom Donoughe
14 Daniel Luduv
15 Aodán Jordan
U12s Yellow 0 vs Dundalk 4
Wicklow’s Yellow team showed plenty of spirit and improvement despite a 0–4 defeat to a sharp Dundalk side in their second outing of the campaign. Although they found themselves 0–3 down at half-time, the first half was far more competitive than the scoreline suggested, with Wicklow enjoying promising spells of possession and building confidently from the back.
Dundalk, however, were ruthless on the counterattack. Their opener came from an impressive long-range strike that caught the Wicklow goalkeeper off his line. The second arrived after a precise through-ball split the defence, leaving the Dundalk striker to finish calmly in a one-on-one. Their third—a curling effort from the right—found the inside netting with pinpoint accuracy.
To their credit, Wicklow regrouped superbly after the break, tightening up defensively and creating several encouraging chances of their own. Their improved organisation forced Dundalk to work much harder, though the visitors eventually added a fourth to seal the result.
While the Yellow team have now lost two from two, their second-half display showed real potential, and they will look to build on that momentum heading into round three.
Squad
Taigdh Murphy
Bobby Kehoe
Elliott Berkeley
Thomas Kaye
Luke O'Riordan
Cormac O'Keefe
Harry Hayden
Daniel Clucas
Franek Klosinski
Arthur Kavanagh
Callum Keogh
Jacob Horbott
Rian Meenan
Basid Apdirahma
13’s Blue 1vs Kilkenny 3
Wicklow U13 Blue delivered a spirited and encouraging performance on Sunday, showing real character despite a 3–1 defeat to a sharp Kilkenny outfit. From the opening whistle, Wicklow matched the visitors for intensity, pressing well and moving the ball with confidence. Captain Sam Collins set the tone early, leading by example with a calm, commanding display at the back. His reading of the game and ability to break up attacks repeatedly kept Wicklow on the front foot.
Midway through the first half, Wicklow grabbed a deserved thanks to a moment of brilliance from Ryan Walker. Picking up the ball on the right wing, he drove past three defenders with a superb solo run before rifling a low strike into the corner for a fantastic opener. Both goalkeepers were outstanding throughout the match, producing important stops at key moments to keep the contest tight.
Kilkenny equalised before the interval and edged ahead early in the second half, but Wicklow refused to drop their heads. Niall Collins delivered an unreal performance in midfield, covering huge ground, winning tackles and driving the team forward whenever possible.
While Kilkenny added a late third on the counter, Wicklow continued to push right to the final whistle, showing great attitude and teamwork.
Despite the result, there were plenty of positives for the Blue squad—resilience, commitment, and flashes of real quality—as they look ahead with confidence to their next fixture.
Squad
1. Nathan Quinn (GK)
2. Sam Collins (captain)
3. Ollie Behan
4. Rhian Judge
5. Izaac Kilroy
6. Sam Keirns
7. Alex Ward
8. Henry Doyle
9. Rown Fennell
10. Niall Collins
11. Michael Yazilan
12. Ryan Walker
13. Daniel O’Halloran
14. Cormac Breen
15. Jamie Byrne
16. Oisin Howard (GK)
U13s Yellow 0 vs Wexford 5
Wicklow U13 Yellow Show Spirit Despite Tough Day in Kilmuckridge
Wicklow U13 Yellow produced a wholehearted and courageous performance in Kilmuckridge on Sunday, despite falling 5–0 to a strong Wexford outfit in challenging conditions.
Backed by a vibrant travelling support, Wicklow started brightly and matched the hosts throughout a frantic opening spell. Their work rate, organisation, and willingness to play positive football in the swirling wind and rain were evident from the outset. The game flowed end to end, with Wicklow’s back line standing firm under pressure and the midfield combining well to drive the team forward.
As the match wore on, Wexford capitalised on their chances with clinical finishing, but Wicklow’s determination never wavered. Every player continued to compete fiercely, showing admirable resilience and teamwork right to the final whistle. The scoreline did little to reflect the effort and commitment on display from the Wicklow side.
It caps an encouraging week for the county’s U13 programme, with both the Yellow and Blue squads now progressing to face each other in next weekend’s eagerly anticipated group-stage clash.
Plenty of positives, plenty of promise—exciting weeks ahead for all involved.
Squad
Scott Howes
Cillian Lowe
Billy O'Neill
Michael Fanning
Oisin Franey
Harry Finnicane
Dan Blake
Dylan Smith
Darragh Gaskin
Cian Byrne
Charlie OReilly
Paddy Merrigan
Noah Duffy
Sam Tutty
Ully Verron
AJ Iconi
U14 Blue 5 vs Carlow 1
With a lot of games around Wicklow on Sunday morning .
This didn't stop this U14 team winning in the local derby.
This result meant they topped their group.
Wicklow delivered a dominant performance as they stormed to a 7–1 victory over Carlow, showcasing sharp attacking play and relentless teamwork from start to finish. The star of the afternoon was Shane Carroll, who produced a superb hat-trick, leading the Wicklow frontline with pace, precision, and clinical finishing. Caoimhin Murphy added further firepower, grabbing an impressive double that kept Carlow’s defence under constant pressure.
Wicklow’s creativity and work rate were evident all over the pitch, with Ben Moran and Scott Nicholson rounding off the scoring thanks to well-worked team moves. Their goals reflected the fluid passing and intelligent movement that defined Wicklow’s performance. Carlow managed a consolation strike, but they struggled to contain Wicklow’s energy and attacking intent.
Overall, it was a comprehensive and confident display from Wicklow, who combined discipline at the back with ruthless efficiency up front to secure a well-deserved win.
Luke McCoy .GK
Noah Clarkson. GK
Luke O’Neil .
Cian Collins .
Shane lynch .
Scott Nicholson
Patrick Doyle
Harry Duffy.
Callum Brady.
Luke Gill .
Sylvester Pekarcik.
Aidan Cronin Kenny.
Harry Marnagh.
Caoimhin Murphy.
Ben Moran.
Shane Carroll.
U14 Yellow 0 vs Kildare 5
The U14s delivered a spirited and encouraging performance on Sunday despite a 5–0 defeat to a strong Kildare side. From the outset, Wicklow worked tirelessly, showing real determination and organisation across the pitch. They pressed bravely, created several promising moves, and never allowed the scoreline to affect their attitude. The defence stood firm for long spells, while the midfield battled constantly to disrupt Kildare’s rhythm. Even as the visitors took their chances clinically, Wicklow’s commitment and teamwork never dropped. The squad can take plenty of positives from their effort, resilience, and improving structure as they look ahead to their next challenge.
Gerry Mullins
Domhnall Jennings
Bobby Murphy
Luka Sheehan
Samuel Tracey
Eoghan Ryan
Sam Reade
Sè Mooney
David Dranko
Dean Rossiter
Hugo Sheerer
Ultan McKiney
Joel Kane
Kian Murray
Edger Rodriguez
Joseph McDonald
Under 15s 3 vs Carlow 3 Wicklow win on Pens
SFAI U15 Interleague
Wicklow U15s Hold Nerve in Shootout to Stay Top of Group
On a wet and miserable afternoon in Leighlinbridge, the Wicklow U15 county squad dug deep to earn a valuable point against Carlow at Vale Wanderers FC in their second group outing. Arriving as group leaders after their opening-day win over Wexford, Wicklow were made to work for everything in a fiercely contested clash.
Carlow came out flying, imposing a physically demanding tempo from the first whistle. Wicklow were slow to settle and were punished early, conceding the opener before gradually playing their way back into the contest. Their persistence paid off when tidy build-up play through midfield freed Cian Ward, who finished well to level matters. The joy was short-lived, however, as a defensive lapse gifted Carlow their second. Wicklow responded impressively once more, with another slick attacking sequence ending in Ward firing home his second to send the sides in level at 2-2.
Wicklow again struggled at the restart and were made to pay when Carlow bundled home a third from a poorly defended corner. But the visitors refused to wilt. A superb move down the right involving Fionn Kelly Farrell, Tyler McElveney and Rian Ward carved open the Carlow back line. A precise pull-back found Evan Gregan arriving at the edge of the area, and he coolly swept the ball into the bottom corner for Wicklow’s third equaliser.
With the match finishing 3-3, penalties were required to determine head-to-head standing should the sides finish level later in the campaign. Wicklow showed admirable composure, converting all five spot kicks, while Ethan Duffy produced a fine save from Carlow’s final effort.
The result leaves Wicklow still perched at the top of the group by a single point heading into the post-Christmas run-in.
Starting 11:
Matthew Gough
Freddie Kavanagh
Milo O'Toole
Tommy Ryan
Ciaran Kenny
Robbie Doyle
Will Carey
Cian Ward
Rian Ward
Patrick Parker
Sean Byrne
Substitutes:
Ethan Duffy
Jude Lawlor
Fionn Kelly Farrell
Fionn Jayawardene
Oscar Dominik
Tyler McElveney
Evan Gregan
Coaches:
Evan Vanderheijden
Robert Doyle
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