Feature game 06/04/2025

KDFL Under 20 Cup Final

Clane United FC 2 Rathangan AFC 2

(Clane United win 4-3 on penalties AET)

The last time these two teams met, the game finished 4-4. The crowd at Killina Road

we’re hoping for a repeat or close to it today and whilst it didn’t finish 4-4 it did have late

goals, excitement and the dreaded penalties.

Game started at a slow pace with both sides settling for a passing game in midfield and

out wide without pushing to hard into the final third. The game was six minutes old when

the first chance fell to the ever lively James Ralph, who skinned the Rathangan defender

and get a cross in but went over everyone’s head and away from danger. Four minutes

later a cross sent in by Clane’s Scott Britton, only ran over the endline for a goal kick.

The opening exchanges of the game were all a midfield battling with Rhys Vaughan,

James Moore, Alex Mooney and Nathan Carr of Clane and Daniel Foley, Darragh Sinnott,

Oisin Dempsey and Oisin Conroy of Rathagan passing well but not able to get the ball

into the strikers effectively.

With fourteen minutes on the clock Timas Kacinkas of Rathangan made a gut busting run

down the right side of the pitch but Cillian Byrne at left back however Clane defended well

to snuff out the danger. Straight down the other end a long ball from Clane Captain Adam

Hinds fell to James Ralph who showed great skill to take the ball down but again the

attack was well defended by Callum Leavy at the heart of the Rathangan defence.

Mooney, Scott Britton and James Moore of Clane we’re linking up well and passing the

ball about the pitch while Rathangan’s defence of Kacinkas, Callum Leavy, Josh Foran

and Rory Byrne were under pressure from Ralph and Britton up top but stood their

ground and pushed Rathangan up the pitch. With seventeen minutes gone Clane’s Alex

Mooney’s cross was volleyed wide by Ralph and moments later a Scott Britton snap shot

whizzed wide of the Rathagan goal.

Rathangan were very dangerous on the break and soon after Oisin Conroy picked up a

loose pass and ran at defence but defended well by Hinds in defence. On twenty five

minutes the first shot on target came from a corner with Callum Donnelly heading on

target but into Calum Mooney’s arms in the clane goal.  

The game was getting a bit Scrappy now in the midfield with possession changing on

regularly basis and neither team getting the better of each other. On the half hour mark

Rathangan’s Dan Foley and Oisin Conroy linked up well, gaining a free kick in a

dangerous area but nothing came from the resulting kick and four minutes later Rhys

Vaughan of Clane took a shot from thirty yards but went wide and high.

Five minutes before the break Clane’s Ralph got in around the back post and managed to

get a shot off but it sailed over the bar. The deadlock was broken right on the stroke of

half time when Clane’s Nathan Carr picked the ball up and with a great strike from twenty

yards hit the top corner of the Rathangan net, giving the keeper no chance, putting Clane

1-0 up going into the break.

Clane’s came out of the traps quickly in the second half trying to build on the momentum

of their first half lead and won a corner, Rhys Vaughan rose highest but his well taken

header was expertly saved by Doyle in the Rathangan goal. Five minutes later

Rathagan’s Oisin Dempsey had a run at the Clane defence but the attack was cut out by

combination of Daire O’Beirne and Cillian Byrne. On sixty five minutes Ralph showed

good feet to get a shot off, but there was not enough power to trouble Felim Doyle who

made a comfortable save. With fifteen minutes remaining Ralph played the ball to

substitute Liam Deane who’s shot was saved again by the inform Doyle in the Rathangan

goal.

Rathangan showed great resilience and another dangerous break Callum Leavy

equalised with the last kick off the game to send the Rathagan’s supporters wild, to bring

the tie to extra time.

Only one real chance of note in the first half of extra time fell to James Ralph of Clane

who’s header went just wide. In the second half of extra time the game was only restarted

a minute when Rathangan substitute Ciaran Lindy was put through on goal, but shoots

wide of the Clane goal. Another Substitute for Rathangan, Conor Aherne was barely on

the pitch minutes when he turned in a Ciaran Lindy shot and put Rathangan FC 2-1 up

with five minutes of extra time remaining.

Clane are a excellent side and never know when they are beaten and with just two

minutes remaining, Nathan Carr equalises from close range with his second of the game,

2-2. In the Last minute, Oisin Conroy of Rathangan shot but was met by a good save

from Adam Mazur who replaced Mooney in goals.  The game finished 2-2 and went to the

dreaded penalty shootout, Clane proving more accurate to take the trophy, completing a

notable Double.

Hopefully all these young men go on to have great senior careers as the League embarks

on their 2025 campaign this weekend.

Best for Rathangan were Oisin Conroy, Oisin Dempsey, Callum Leavy and the impressive

Felim Doyle in goal with a man of the match performance. Best for Clane were the lively

James Ralph, James Moore, Alex Mooney and Nathan Carr.