Wicklow Rovers U11 Greens made the journey to Ashford this morning for a highly anticipated Jimmy Hackett Cup quarter-final clash.
Rovers started brightly, applying pressure across the pitch and were rewarded midway through the first half with a wonderful long-range strike that found the back of the net. To their credit, Ashford's heads didn't drop, and they found an equalizer just before halftime, setting the stage for a tight second half.
Wicklow maintained their pressure and showed great composure in the second half, creating opportunities but, despite their efforts, couldn't find the decisive goal. With full-time ending 1-1, the game headed into extra time. The lads had to dig deep, finding reserves of energy to keep pushing. Both sides went close to snatching a winner, but with no further goals, the match went to the dreaded penalty shootout.
Heartbreak for our Rovers U11s, who narrowly lost out in the shootout (1-2 on penalties to Ashford). While this defeat will be tough to take, the team will undoubtedly learn from this experience.
We are extremely proud of every player; their effort, determination, and composure were a joy to watch. This was, without a doubt, our best performance of the season. Heads up, lads – we go again!
Well done to Ashford, and we wish them the very best of luck in the semi-finals.
