An Important three weeks for North End United
The next three Sundays will see North End United play three season defining games as they host opposition from Louth, Limerick and Dublin in three outside competitions in the three consecutive weeks.
Next Sunday, January 4th, the Wexford Premier champions host Meath and District League champions Woodview Celtic in the Third Round of the Leinster Senior Cup. North End qualified for this competition as league champions and after receiving a bye in the first round, they overcame Willow Park from Athlone in the round two and now entertain the Dundalk based side for a place in the last sixteen and a potential match against any of the Leinster based National League sides.
Both these sides are enjoying good seasons in their domestic leagues while both are still in the Leinster Junior Cup and North End are still in the FAI Junior Cup, Woodview chose not to enter that particular competition.
Both sides will be looking to win this game with the opportunity to go into Mondays draw with the big teams is a potentially lucrative prize with both having their preferred opposition if they get through. Woodview will be hoping for a local derby against Dundalk FC while North End would be eager to see Wexford Youths come out against them in the draw
The Wexford town side have fond memories of this competition as they reached the quarter finals in 1997 where they bowed out 1-0 to St Patricks Athletic in Inchicore, a game that manager John Godkin feels they were good enough to win as they hit the crossbar twice in the closing twenty minutes. He would relish another shot at similar opposition so wont be holding back when he takes on Woodview on Sunday but the visitors are equally as eager to go into the draw with the Senior sides so an enthralling game is on the cards in Hollygrove on Sunday with kick off at 2pm
Sunday the 11th, North End will welcome Limerick side Pike Rovers to Belvedere Road in the last thirty two of the FAI Junior Cup, allegedly the largest competition of its kind in Europe. Rovers were one of the leading Junior sides in the country when theylast visited Wexford in 2011 and overcame an injury stricken North End 4-0 in the same competition. They have waned a little since that win but are still formidable opposition and its another game that North End will be eager to win and book their place in the last sixteen of this prestigious competition
And one week later, Tolka Rovers will travel to Wexford for the fifth round of the Leinster Junior Cup,and coming behind two very high intensity fixtures in the previous weeks, this will be a tough game for North End. Of the three games, this would be considered the easiest of the three but that does not make it a foregone conclusion by any means. Tolka Rovers would be considered one of the strongest clubs in Dublin and their Intermediate side are currently challenging for honours in the top flight of the Leinster Senior League. Their second team will be playing North End and they are currently in the top four of the Saturday section of the LSL so this is no easy task for the Wexford side.
Having said that, three wins from three are not out of the questionfor North End and a little bit of luck injury wise is all they need to find themselves still in all three competitions come the end of January.
As well as North End being in action in outside competitions in the coming weeks, New Ross Celtic travel to Westport United on January 11th in the last sixty four of the FAI Junior Cup. This is a tough prospect for Celtic as the home side are one of the leading teams in the West of Ireland, but the youthful Celtic side will not be overawed by the home side and a home tie against Freebooters from Kilkenny await the winners
This Sunday, Curracloe United travel to Sheriff YC in a refixed LFA Junior Cup game in Clontarf at 2pm. This is a tough tie for the Curracloe side as holders Sheriff are currently unbeaten in all competitions this season and are generally regarded as currently the best Junior team in the country.
On Friday January 16th, Moyne Rangers will travel to Tullamore Town in the last thirty two of the LFA Junior Cup and this is a game that the Enniscorthy side are well capable of winning
With the Wexford Football League also safely through to the quarter finals of the Oscar Traynor Trophy, it promises to be a very exciting few months ahead for the game within the county
(c) BricBrac Publications 2014
