GLENVIEW FC was unceremoniously dumped out of the Wicklow Cup on Sunday by Premier Division rivals Wicklow Rovers.

Rovers has developed something of a lovehate relationship with this competition in recent years, making it to the last two on two occasions since 2009 but falling at the final hurdle on both occasions.

And they showed why they had been so successful after just three minutes when Sean Tobin tapped home the opener.

Rovers struck the crossbar before doubling their lead when left-back Neil Doyle managed to find the back of the net with a 30 yard strike.

And they celebrating their third almost instantly when Mark O'sullivan bundled home an Aidan Small cross to give his side a commanding lead at the break.

And it proved a lead that the home side were unable to claw back on an out-of-sorts day for them that was summed up in the 73rdminute when an attempted clearance hit Wicklow striker Kevin Coady and dribbled over the line to compound a miserable afternoon for the Bray side.

The tie was barely two minutes old when the deadlock was broken. Man of the match Stephen Tenant collected possession just inside his own half before sending forward a high searching pass. Glenview defender Ken Greene opted to let it run through but little did he know Aidan O'neill had read the situation and he latched onto the pass and drew out Glens goalie Warren Carton before squaring to Tobin who had the easy task of rolling the ball into the unguarded net.

The crossbar ensured that Glenview's deficit remained a single goal when a Rovers corner wasn't dealt with and a Rovers head sent the ball onto the top of the woodwork.

It should have been all square on 15 minutes. Former Bray Wanderers youngster Robbie Manley delivered a beautiful free kick and Nicky Sweeney looked poised to nod it home at the back post but the youngster hesitated and failed to make any contact and the ball bounced inches wide of the target.

Sweeney was a lot more forceful seven minutes later when he lashed home another fine setpiece delivery from Manley but referee Dave Jameson had whistled for offside long before Sweeney had got his shot away.

A quick corner kick from the visitors shortly afterwards caught the home defence napping and Ken Doyle was allowed to cut inside and unleash a venomous drive that whistled narrowly wide of the target.

Doyle then turned provider when one of his missile throw-ins was glanced on by Tobin but the striker's header dropped wide.

The second goal of the contest then arrived four minutes before the half time break. Neil Doyle, who had already tried his luck from distance a couple of times, was given the freedom of the park to stroll forward and let rip and his shot was allowed to creep in at his near post by Carton.

And it went from bad to worse virtually straight from the restart as Aidan Small was played in down the right and he fired in a low cross that O'sullivan managed to force over the line.

With their manager's booming half time speech still ringing in their ears, the hosts almost clawed a goal back four minutes into the second period.

Philip Doyle burst into the penalty area after a clever one-two with Manley. Just as he got his shot away, he went crashing to the floor. Jameson denied him a penalty, and Lee Fitzgerald denied him a goal as he blocked the midfielder's effort.

Rovers were looking to put the game to bed and were unlucky not to do so in the 71 st minute when Aidan O'neill's free kick rattled the crossbar but they definitely got the rub of the green moments later.

A lightning quick counter-attack ended with Ken Doyle and substitute Kevin Coady facing a two on one situation.

Doyle crossed to Coady who saw his shot blocked but when the defender tried to clear his lines, it cruelly struck Coady and trickled over the line to wrap up the result for Rovers.

Top Form: Stephen Tenant (Wicklow Rovers): The Scot kept things extremely neat at the back for his side.

- DANIEL GORMAN At Vevay Temple Sportsfield