Wicklow sink Guinness
WICKLOW 1ST XV got their season off to a winning start with a good win over a tough Guinness side at Ashtown Lane on Sunday. Both teams used the game to try out their full squads. The game was broken up into four quarters of 25 minutes each with rolling subs used throughout. This format meant the game was a little stop-start at times but both sides produced some excellent rugby.
Wicklow took an early lead through an interception from David Acres. Stephen Duffy converted. Guinness leveled matters before Chris Sillery crashed over for Wicklow following some excellent work by the Wicklow backs.
Guinness scored again with an interception of their own. Liam Fenton was next to score for Wicklow, barging over from close range following good work by the Wicklow pack. Guinness scored again and converted to take the lead.
Wicklow bounced back well with an excellent score. Promising flanker Will Roche who was making his debut for Wicklow and looks to have a bright future ahead of him crossed to score in the corner following good work by Allen Byrne.
Wicklow were unlucky not to score again after some brilliant running by Simon Breen and Denis Higgins.
Player coach Barry Lynn will have been pleased enough with the first outing of the year with the one major downside being an injury to experienced lock forward Noel Green who left the field with a suspected broken arm.
Overall 34 players took the field for Wicklow on the day.
Both firsts and seconds get their seasons underway away to Gorey on Sunday in the South East League
Squad: Paul Hodgkinson, Paddy Jameson, Stuart Donohue, Robert Hopkins, Allen Byrne, Eddie O'Flaherty, Niall Kearney Shaun O'Brien, Brian Quinn, Matt Byrne, David Acres, Stephen Armstrong, Barry Traynor, Shane Byrne, Dennis Higgins, Ronan Hurley, Eanna Killeen, Robert Nolan, Simon Breen, Jason Cooper, Robert Hopkins, Ben Armstrong, Chris Sillery, Stephen Duffy, Edward O'Flaherty, Yuri Savchenko, Matthew Byrne, Morgan Fox, Noel Greene, Timmy O'Donavan, Will Roche, Ciaran Olohan, Liam Gaffney, Liam Fenton, David Quinn, Barry Lynn
Wicklow RFC held their annual golf classic at Wicklow Golf Club on Friday last. 38 teams took part in an event which was won by the team from The Summerhill Clinic captained by John Lalor and including Casey O'Brien.
The day was a massive success with over €10,000 raised. Wicklow RFC would like to thank all those who took part, or sponsored a tee or a green as well as Tommy Morrissey, Mervyn Morrison and all those who were involved in organizing this vital fundraiser.
