'The Green' and 'The Ball Alley' provided the venues for Rosslare's football-mad youngsters and with interest so high and talent so evident it was obvious further steps in the sport needed to be taken.
A meeting to form a football club in the Rosslare area was called by Sean Martley on 28th August, 1969 and was held in the Railway Social Club. Some of the interested people who attended the meeting were as follows: B Farrell, P Lawlor, D Lawlor, C O'Brien, T O'Brien, G Carroll, P Teehan, B Butler, M Costigan, P Breen, B Crosbie, A Comerford, T Kehoe, T Sinnott, J Fortune, M Delaney, F Furlong, T Furlong, T Larkin, L Taylor, E Doyle, S O'Leary, G Byrne.
The purpose of the meeting was to find out if it was possible to form a football club in Rosslare Harbour. At the meeting a committee of five was appointed. They were S Martley, P Lawlor, B Crosbie, M Costigan and P Breen. It was decided to start a 7-a-side League first, and the necessary arrangements for this league were made. Several possible sites for pitches were put forward and listed, and these were left to the committee to examine and enquire about.
A general meeting was called for on the 19th September, 1969 which was also held in the Railway Social Club in Rosslare Harbour and there it was decided that the name of this new club was to be called Rosslare Rangers A.F.C. The first committee elected Chairman: Sean Martley (R.I.P), Secretary: B Crosbie, Joint Treasurers: P Breen, B Butler. First team colours were blue shirts, white shorts, blue socks. Second team colours were green shirts. There were no shirts for the goalies or the substitutes.
Rosslare Rangers first competitive match in the Second Division of the Wexford League was against Wexford Spurs. The result was a 0-0 draw on the 14th December 1969. It might well have been the first Second Division match played in the Wexford and District League, as that division was only formed that year. Rangers had a morning kick off to avoid clashing with the opening of St Patrick's Church in the parish. The other five games in the division had afternoon starts. The opening game was played in a field opposite Jane Power's house on the Ballygillane Road. The field was generously loaned to the club by Fintan Murphy.
From a humble beginning, Rosslare Rangers have gone on to become one of the most successful clubs in the Wexford Football League.
Rosslare Rangers Ladies Football team were formed in 1983 by Elizabeth Doyle. Like the men, the ladies proved quite successful, their best season being 1984 when they won the Gaynor Cup and were Runners-Up in the League. The squad included: Liz Doyle, Rosari Crosbie, Bernie Mullen, Mary Goff, Catherine Devereux, Mag Kehoe, 'Hang' Stafford, Linda Busher, Berni O'Brien and Mary Burke.
After a number of years out of the league, the Ladies team restarted in 2001 with the help of Paddy Doyle and Emmet Byrne.
Rosslare Rangers love affair with the Wexford Cup has seen them reach the semi-finals on twelve occasions. They played six finals and won five. In 1974 they were beaten 4-1 by Enniscorthy United. In 1980 they lost on penalties to Ajax after a replay. In 1985 they lost to New Ross Celtic after a replay and they lost again to Ross Celtic in 1987, again after a replay.
Town Celtic were hoping to join St John's, Park Hotspur and Ross Celtic by winning the title in consecutive seasons but they faced League Champions Rosslare Rangers who had never won a major title before. Celtic led with a forty-third minute Tommy Brennan penalty but Rangers equalised with a header by Oscar Traynor star, Declan Roche. Replay: Celtic led twice through Tommy Brennan(25) and Jimmy Byrne(84), Rangers equalised each time with goals by Damian Devereux(72) and Fintan Duggan(90), Fintan's coming from a corner just a minute from time. The same player scored the last vital goal in the penalty shoot-out to give Rangers a magnificent League and Cup double. Rangers won the penalty shoot-out 5-3, scorers Bobby Butler, Declan Roche, a fifteen-year-old Wayne O'Leary, John Devereux and Duggan.
Rosslare Rangers proved the previous season was no fluke as they arrived back in the final. Their opponents were Stoney Rovers. First half goals from Kevin MacCormick (a fine turn and shot after just 40 seconds) and James Walsh put Rangers among the elite teams to win consectutive Cup titles.
Rosslare Rangers were back in the final for the third time in four years and again found the winning formula with a 1-0 result against Town Celtic at Horetown. Wayne O'Leary got the winning goal from the penalty spot in the eighth minute after Damian Devereux was fouled by the goalkeeper.
Bunclody made their first Cup Final appearance but they faced Rosslare Rangers - a side who have never lost a Cup Final. The game ended scoreless and in the replay Rangers kept their unique unbeaten record with a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Ian O'Leary and Tony Carr.
Killenagh Wanderers were defeated in Rosslare Rangers eleventh semi-final appearance. Rangers were hoping to make it five wins out of five and were up against a very determined Shamrock Rovers side appearing in their first final. Goalless after 90 mins in Curracloe, the deadlock was finally broken in extra time with a 92nd minute goal by Fintan Wickham.
Rosslare Rangers: Steven Cogley, Sean Stewart, Niall Walsh, Emmet Byrne, Barry Quirke, Gearoid Byrne (capt.), Shane Pettit, Rob Cousins, Aaron Goff, Mark Furlong, Lee Devereux. Subs. - Conor O'Reilly for Quirke (HT), Cian Meyler for Cousins (60), Tiarnan Rossiter for Furlong (60), Aaron Kehoe for Goff (81), Ben Morris for Stewart (108).
Wexford Bohs: Colm O'Dowda, Dion Murphy, David Lyttleton (capt.), Aaron Goodison, Todd Hynes, Craig Kelly, Paddy Harnett, Martin O'Connor, Dermot Flood, Jack Murphy, Sean Pailing. Subs. - Andy Moore for Harnett (55), Jamie Thomas for Murphy (60), Jason Swords for Kelly (72), Aaron Lambert for Thomas (82), Graham Healy for Pailing (94), also Sam O'Neill, Wayne Carty.
Referee: Derek Campion.
Rosslare Rangers made their first appearance in the Mini World Cup in 1977 under the name of Sweden. Under the joint the managership of Jack Stafford and Declan Roche (almost young enough to be playing themselves) they made a spectacular debut, reached the final, but were beaten by Holland (St Josephs). In the squad were Clifford Lambert, Paul Lambert, Damien Roche, John Connolly, Padge Stafford, Kevin Hannigan, the Devereux twins, Tony Carr and Michael O'Brien.
In 1979 Rangers(Holland) were back in the Mini World Cup final but again they lost the decider, this time to New Ross(Poland). Their line-out included: Peter Doyle, Eamon O'Rourke, Colm Walsh, John Devereux, Dillon Pierce, Paul Goldsmith, Emmet Burke, Seamus Doyle, John Molloy, Paul Fox, Colm Lambert and Ger Brennan.
There was no luck for Rangers(West Germany) when they again reached the final the following year(1980). Again the opposition was New Ross(Argentina) who were bidding to make it three-in-a-row. The thrilling final ended all square but Ross achieved their hat-trick by winning the replay. Rangers side was: Jason Pierce, Paul Goldsmith, Emmet Burke, Seamus Doyle, Colm Walsh, John Molloy, Paul Fox, Colm Lambert and Ger Brennan.
The next year(1981) Rangers bid once more to lift the prestigious Mini World Cup title and this time they made no mistake.. Again the opposition came from New Ross(Italy) who were on course for four-in-a-row but Rangers(Holland) triumphed 4-0. The team was Colm Lambert, Claude Howlin, Ger Brennan, Andrew O'Brien, Seamus Byrne, Denis Noonan, Emmet Burke, Wayne O'Leary and Stephen Murphy. That same year Rangers (Rosslare Tagoat) also won the Kilmuckridge Mini World Cup beating Gorey Rangers 2-1.
In 1982 Rangers relinquished their crown in the semi-final when beaten by Bunclody, but they quickly returned to contest their fifth final in seven years when they again reached the decider in 1983, team: Paul Roche, Alan Murphy, Stephen Burke(Capt), Ian O'Leary, Andrew Cogley, Declan Moloney, Thomas Byrne, Padraic Hayes and Shane Byrne. They won their title back and defended it successfully in 1984 and 1985 to give them a hat-trick of victories, making it four titles in nine years and only on two of those occasions were they not in the 'final'. Team: Andrew Cogley, Brian Fortune, Ian O'Leary, Niall Roche, John Wickham, Brian Hogan, Kieran Walsh, Padraic Hayes, Thomas Byrne and David Fields.
The 1985 final saw them play as France and the opposition were Ireland (Wexford Albion). Team: Robt Byrne, Niall Roche, Kieran Walsh, Shane Byrne, Brian Hogan, Conor Fox, Peter Mythen, Jimmy Moran, Ken Noonan and David Furlong.
In 1989 Rosslare provided a historic note to the Mini World Cup when they fielded the very first all-girls team in the competition. See 'Gallery' for photos.