Apr 13 Shield Final place secured in fine style!
A good win today to secure a place in the Shield Final with a final scoreline of 6-2 telling its own story.  The first Town goal came after a great run from right back Dean Healy, who played a great ball into Danny Ledwith.  Danny returned the compliment, a perfectly weighted ball back to Dean who had continued his run into the box only to be brought down by their centre back.  The ref had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.  Captain James Scallan stepped up to slot home from twelve yards. One up, two minutes gone.  Town doubled their lead ten minutes later, a wonderful move.  From a Niall Hempenstall kick out Joey Elliot controlled the ball on his chest and spread the ball wide to right winger Peter Walker who pushed the ball in front and drove in a low hard cross for the advancing Ledwith to score a great diving header.  Just before half time Town struck a third time, to put the result beyond their hosts.  A corner delivered by set piece specialist Daragh Culleton saw the home keeper half punch the ball out to the feet of Peter Walker who set up James Scallan for a low hard perfect drive into the bottom corner, 3-0 half time.

Apr 7 Town lose way at Whitegates
A poor team performance ensured that Town's U16B side departed Wicklow with all they deserved - nothing.  A win would have placed one foot in the Shield Final but on the day a hungrier Wicklow side fully deserved their win.  A Peter Walker goal ensured the sides went in at half time level.  A cracker from Joe Reid, from the edge of the box into the top corner kept Arklow's hopes alive but Rovers ran out 3-2 winners.  James Scallan put in an excellent performance and Danny Ledwith also, despite continuous fouling.  The result leaves Town now needing to defeat St. Anthony's to ensure a Shield Final place.

Mar 27 Town are crowned champions oncemore
Arklow Town's U16A side have secured yet another Title, winning the 2007-08 WDSL U16 Premier Division, preserving a 100% record thus far.  The title was secured earlier this evening with St. Anthony's the visitors to Bridgewater Centre Park.  Needing just a point to secure the title, Town opened quickly against their Kilcoole opponents and William Flanagan was on hand to open the scoring as early as the third minute.  Further goals from Clive Crammond, Flanagan again and Adam O'Connor saw the home side four goals to the good at the half time whistle, with the destination of the title never in doubt.  St. Anthony's rallied in the second half, with a consolation goal, but Town finished strongly, further goals coming from Mark Hardy and a stunning left foot volley from James Graham the pick of Arklow goals on the night.  The win secures a special place in WDSL history for the team, worth noting that they are in effect a U15 side playing a year ahead of themselves, as they have been crowned champions every season from U8 upwards.  Congratulations, lads!.

Mar 9 Scaldini's Way!
Arklow Town safely advanced to the semi final of the Premier Division Cup with a very comfortable 2-0 win away at Newtown earlier today.  The game was wholly dominated by the Town side, so much so that the Arklow keeper only had to make one save for the entire game. Town spurned countless chances to score in the opening stages of the game with all five midfielders and two centre forwards all going close.  The opening goal came in the twentieth minute, when a quick throw in by captain James Scallan was nicely controlled on the edge of the box by Danny Ledwith who side footed it between the keepers legs.  Town's second came shortly after when 'master corner taker', Daragh Culleton, drove a low and hard corner, met by James "Scaldini" Scallan on the penalty spot who just had to redirect the ball into the top of the net.  The second half was all Town and failure to convert so many chances is a bit of a worry but passage into the semi finals was the main aim.  Hard to select a man of the match, after a good team performance but on the day that accolade goes to "Scaldini" who was rock solid and controlled everything in front of him.

Feb 17 Oh Danny Boy!
A magical strike from Danny Ledwith secured another precious three points for the U16B side, as they tentatively placed one foot into the Shield Final already, with a hard fought 1-0 win over Greystones earlier today at Bridgewater Centre Park.  A cracking game between two good sides, evenly matched, the match was to be ultimately settled midway through the first half.  A set piece, from the boot of Darragh Culleton, saw Danny Ledwith at the near post, in position to meet the incoming cross and volleying the ball past the hapless Greystones keeper.  A great goal.  Eamon Gregory, Peter Walker and Mark Corr all went close to extending Arklow's lead but at half time the Ledwith strike remained the difference between the two sides.  Greystones rallied, as all good sides do, in the second half and a strong rearguard display from the Town saw them home.  Special mention to the Town's defence who were solid as 'Stones pressed.  More so when considering the fact that the regular keeper opted instead to travel to watch a Rafa Benitez XI stumble their way to a mundane three points!

Feb 17 Back to winning ways as Culleton hits four
The A team travelled to Quill Park to face Glencormac in the cup and emerged comfortable winners, 3-1 - with Jack Tim Murphy scoring twice and Dara Verney adding the other goal.  Darragh Culleton enjoyed a fruitful day in front of goal for the B team, back at Bridgewater Centre Park, scoring four times as St. Anthony's were put to the sword, the home side winning 7-1.  John Power added a pair while Danny Ledwith continued his fine form with a seventh goal for the rampant home side.

Feb 10 Scallan left to 'curse' his luck
The Town's U16B side were left to rue a host of missed opportunities in front of goal as they went down 1-0 to Wicklow Rovers A at Bridgewater Centre Park on Sunday.  Twelve strikes on goal, none converted, in the opening forty minutes tells its own story, as Arklow dominated the match.  The defining moment of the match though arrived in the second half when the referee sent off captain James Scallan for use of bad language - a decision that baffled the Town management.  Reduced to ten players, the Town upped their game further but still profligacy in front of goal was to prove very costly, and Rovers stole all three points with a solitary strike.  One of those days...

Feb 3 Ten man Town record superb win at Woodlands
With only ten players to call upon, the U16B side headed for their encounter with Greystones United at a  very chilly Woodlands more in hope than any real expectation.  Depleted through injuries and players having commitments elsewhere saw the Arklow side come under heavy pressure in the opening exchanges.  The 'Stones side enjoyed most possession in the first half hour but the Town lads seemed to be relishing the uphill mountain facing them.  On the half hour mark a kick out by the home keeper was met powerfully by the head of midfielder Mark Corr who fired it back goalwards, where their centre half was placed under heavy pressure by Eamon Gregory and forced into an error, a mix up in communication between himself and the keeper, resulting in Arklow snatching a precious opening goal.  The Arklow side would hang on till half time with a precious one goal advantage.  In the second half, the home side mounted an increased effort to draw level and credit must be given to the Town's back three of James Scallan, Eamon Wolfe and Dean Healy, and keeper Niall Hempenstall, all outstanding on the day.  The Town's second goal was an absolute cracker.  A long clearance by keeper Hempenstall found Danny Ledwith, under severe pressure, with his back turned, left the 'Stones centre half chasing shadows and drove the ball low and hard into the bottom right corner to double Arklow's lead - and secure on the day three of the finest points any team could win, considering the challenge that faced the team of ten.  A great performance by ten very tired lads come the end of the game, with the manager unable to ask any more from them.  Well done.

After scoring against the Irish U15 Development squad recently, Clive Crammond continued his excellent form of late with a brace against Athy Town.

Dec 1 Crammond double secures passage into last 32
Clive Crammond continued his recent excellent form for the U16A side with a brace against opponents Athy Town that ensured safe passage for the Town into the last 32 nationwide of the Evans Cup - the fourth successive season now that this side has reached the latter stages at national level.  It was to be a strange sort of day for the travelling Town side as they rattled their opponent's net no less than seven times, only to see five efforts ruled out.  Of those that did count, the first came as a result of a fine Arklow move.  In the twentieth minute a Keith Armstrong pass to Jack Tim Murphy was beautifully flicked into the path of international Shane Murray, forty eight hours after playing for Ireland in Belgium, and he was responsible for a precision pass finding incoming winger Clive Crammond, cutting inside from the left flank, and with one touch hammered home an unstoppable effort across the home keeper, giving the Town the lead, a fully deserved advantage.  Ten minutes later, Crammond doubled Arklow's lead with his second of the game, oncemore a combination between Crammond and Murray undid the home defence.  Winning possession from a throw in and finding space, Murray played in Crammond and he was never going to miss from twelve yards out.  Town continued to dominate but a game Athy side refused to lie down.  The in-form Crammond continued to illuminate the Town performance and indeed could have added more.  Although satisfied with securing a place in the latter stages of the competition, the team and management would like to extend a swift recovery to Athy's Mark Hughes who pulled up in agony with five minutes remaining

Nov 25 Keepers turn poachers for As while Bs record fine away win
Depleted through injury and sickness, the U16A side turned to reserve keepers Jason Earls and Nathan Condell for inspiration and the decision was firmly rewarded with the two keepers scoring three of the seven goals in a easy 7-0 victory over St. Anthony's at Finn Park.  Earls opened the scoring in the eleventh minute, receiving a great 50 yard pass from Keith Armstong, to smash home a right footed effort.  Despite dominating proceedings, the Town side struggled to convert their chances and had to settle for the solitary goal at half time.  Jason Earls scored Arklow's second in the third minute of the second half, bursting into the box, alert to a Ciaran Byrne throw in.  Three minutes later Keith Armstrong was the provider oncemore, playing James Graham through and he wrong-footed the keeper to make it 3-0.  With seventeen minutes remaining Clive Crammond scored the goal of the game, a wonderful strike from 20 yards that left the keeper with no chance, a fine effort after some good play from James Graham.  Minutes later, Graham himself was in on the scoring act, picking up the ball on the halfway line and beating three home players before beating the keeper with a drive into the roof of the net.  Some icing on the cake came courtesy of reserve keeper Nathan Condell, scoring his second ever goal for the Town, as he was first to pounce on a cross from Dara Verney.  The scoring ended, with five minutes remaining, with a goal from Stuart O'Neill, a half volley from Keith Armstrong's corner.  In the end, a great victory for a heavily depleted side and all those who donned the shirt deserve great credit.

The B team, meanwhile, recorded a fine 3-0 win away in Greystones to cement their second place in the U16 Premier Division.  Scoreless at the break, the Town side turned it on in the second half, playing some excellent football.  A corner midway through the half was only half cleared, with Andy "The Bullet" Byrne in position to direct a blistering shot with his supposed weaker foot past the 'Stones keeper.  Man of the match Dean Healy added a second goal, from a Daragh Culleton corner kick - another cracker placed into the corner.  Not to be outdone, Andy Byrne converted his second, and the Town's third, after some lovely inter play between himself and Culleton allowed him to place home from seven yards and secure a fine away win for the B team.

Jason Earls

Nathan Condell

Shane Murray, a constant threat from set pieces and scorer of what transpired to be the difference on the day between the A and B sides.

Adam O'Connor, instrumental in the A side's opening goal

Nov 4 'A' team earn the bragging rights!
A game most definitely of two halves, with the A team eventually retaining their 100% record start to this season.  The A team took the game to the B team right from the start, with Dara Verney being fouled 35 yards from goal as early as the third minute.  A great free kick from Shane Murray (left) was contested in the air by Adam O'Connor (bottom left) and Eamon Wolfe with O'Connor's knockdown being half volleyed home by Dara Verney, to give the A team an early 1-0 lead.  The A team continued to turn the screw and in the seventh minute Jack Tim Murphy was fouled 25 yards from goal.  This time Shane Murray dispatched the resultant free kick past the despairing dive of keeper Michael Carey to make it 2-0 to the A team.  In the twentieth minute a move down the B team's right hand side earned the B's a corner which was powerfully headed home from 10 yards by Daniel Ledwith.  The A team rallied immediately and Shane Murray had a freekick rebound off the post back into the keeper's grasp.  On the half hour mark, a mazy run by Murray - dribbling past four defenders - nearly produced another goal, only this time Carey got a hand to his shot and James Scallan cleared the rebound for a corner.  Five minutes later a B team counter attack down the left saw Darragh Culleton unleash a fantastic left foot shot from 25 yards out, which Rory O'Neill did well to save at the second attempt.

Five minutes into the second half, the A team should have sealed the match after a great run down the wing left Adam Hanlon with only the keeper to beat but his chip shot was brilliantly saved by Michael Carey.  Almost immediately the B team took control of the game, Daniel Ledwith brilliant in midfield and with Andrew Byrne, Peter Walker and Conor Murray pushing forward they pinned the A team into their own half.  As the hour mark approached the B team thought they had scored the equalizer through Conor Murray, only for the referee to correctly rule it out for offside.  It became a backs to the wall defence by the A team as the B team pressed without reward for that elusive leveller.  In summary a draw may have been a fairer result but goals win matches and the day ended a good one at the office for the reigning champions, now back in pole position.

James Graham, who volleyed home the winner for the U16A side in Kildare

Oct 21 Progress on the double for 16s in National Cup
The U16A side, competing at their proper age level - under 15 - travelled to Kildare on Saturday to face Coill Dubh in a second round National Cup tie.  Coill Dubh are the current champions of Kildare are a good strong physical side so a banana skin lay waiting for the Town.  The Arklow side were without Keith Armstrong through injury and also Shane Murray, not risked from the start due to international commitments later this week.  Adam Hanlon did return from injury.  The Town started in total control pushing the Kildare side back and really should have scored in the opening minutes.  The opening goal did come, in the ninth minute, when Adam O'Connor won possession in the middle and threaded a great through ball for Jack Tim Murphy who unleashed an unstoppable right foot effort across the keeper, his fifth goal in three games.  The Town kept their momentum as the Kildare challenge became increasingly physical, with the referee appearing to be oblivious to some of the tackling.  One challenge, on the stroke of half time, a two footed lunge saw the ref reaching for his yellow card and the Arklow side continued to miss chance after chance. 

Shane Murray and Adam Hanlon were introduced at the beginning of the second half.  Jack Tim Murphy latched on to a Clive Crammond pass inside the Coill Dubh box but was hauled down, the resulting penalty smashed off the post.  The Town's increasing domination turned to frustration as chances were continually being missed.  James Graham came on for the last half hour.  With less than ten minutes remaining the referee finally saw red when sending off a Coill Dubh player.  However, the drama did not end there as in injury time the Kildare side were awarded a reprieve when given a penalty, a hotly disputed decision.  Town keeper Rory O'Neill was desperately unlucky not to keep the ball out after getting a hand to the ball.  Straight from the restart then Town mounted one last attack with Clive Crammond winning a free kick thirty yards out.  Shane Murray's free kick was flicked on and James Graham was there to volley home from eight yards out, taking the Town into the next round.  A great performance by the team, winning by the proverbial country mile, even if the final score read 2-1.

The U16B side enjoyed an excellent win away to Wicklow Rovers A side.  Despite having a disrupted start to the season, the 16B's were in fine form against decent opposition.  Trailing both 0-1 and latterly 1-2 three goals scored by Mark Corr, Daragh Culleton and Conor Murray ensured the side go forward to the next round of the National Cup.