Feature Game

Football Association of Ireland Women’s Amateur Cup (Round 1)

Home Farm FC 3 Monasterevin AFC 2

Monasterevin travelled to Drumcondra to take on home farm who knocked Monasterevin

out at this stage last season winning 5-0 in Togher Road. The visitors not quite at full

strength came flying out of the blocks and had and early chance and on fifth minute made

their blistering opening count when Abby Kemmy blasted home to buy the KDFL side 1-0

up. The game settled after this with both sides playing some nice football and defending

well. With eighteen minutes gone, Home farm came close when a shot hit the crossbar

and went away from danger. On the twenty fourth minute Abby Kemmy found herself in

space again, but this time only seen her shot hit the side netting and moments later

Kemmy again found herself in on goal, rounded the keeper, but the angle was just too

much and the shot went wide.

Soon after the home farm goalkeeper dropped a Ciara Morrissey free kick and the lively

Abby Kemmy got to the rebound first and was bright down by the home keeper Maryam

Rekaina, penalty. Up stepped Nicole Moran to make it 2-0 from twelve yards out. Home

farm made a few substitutions and started to get on top, but Abby Kemmy still being

dangerous down the flank for the visitors. Stand in keeper for the night, Amy Heffernan

playing well in the opening half hour and not allowing anything last and assured coming

for the ball.  Monasterevin backline of Ciara Morrissey, Bryana Abbey, Bernie Hyland and

Máiréad Scully standing firm and dealing with the attacking threat from the home side.

The home side still applying the pressure on Monasterevin but the away side dealing well

with any threat so far in the game.  Home farm’s defence of Isabelle Baker, Emma

Freehill, Mia Hughes and Ella Mullan looking a lot more assured and cutting out supply to

Kemmy.  Monasterevin’s midfield of debutant Emma Phillips, Nicole Moran, Rebecca

Broughan, Brianne Kaye and Eimear Devoy putting serious effort into getting the Away

side

On the front foot and getting the ball to Abby Kemmy.  The game stayed 2-0 to

monasterevin to the break.

The home side started the second half on top and the midfield of Abigail Gunning, captain

Hannah McLoughlin, Ruby Leech and Eve O’Reilly getting on the ball more and more

causing problems for the visiting defence. Monasterevin made a few subs with another

debutant Roisin Keogh and Julia Broughan coming on. The second half was only a few

minutes old when substitute Julia broughan went extremely close to extending the lead

for monasterevin. The home side were not sitting back and we’re constantly looking for an

opening to get themselves back in the game.  Up top subs Shauna Bell and Monique

Agbor making a massive difference for the home sides attack. With fifty one minutes gone

Home Farm pull a goal back from a strike by Shauna bell to make it 2-1 and game on and

six minutes later they drew level with a strike from Monique Agbor and it was all to play

for again. Home Farm were now pushing the visitors a little further back, and the strikers

were relentless making for a nervy last twenty five minutes. With seventy one minutes

gone Agbor grabbed her second of the game with a nice finish, putting the home side 3-2

up with nineteen minutes remaining. Monasterevin with a small bench just ran out of legs

late on and a late effort from Roisin Keogh was the closest Monasterevin came to

equalising. Home farm stood solid for the closing  minutes of the match to advance to the

next round of the cup with Monasterevin now Into the shield competition.  Monasterevin

with a small squad but full of heart done themselves and the league proud against a very

good Home Farm side. Best for home farm were Hannah McLoughlin, Emma Freehill,

Shauna Bell and Monique Agbor. Monasterevin had top performers in Abby Kemmy, Amy

Heffernan in goals, Máiréad Scully and Ciara Morrissey.

Feature game 2

Leinster Football Association Women’s Inter League Trophy Final.

Kildare & District League 1 Wexford Women’s League 7

Great conditions today for a game of football and great venue at The Meadows in Carlow

for the LFA Women’s Inter League Cup Final where the KDFL women took on Wexford.

Kildare made a decent start and we’re lively in the attacking areas with Molly Mason

nearly getting through after ball by in by Orlaith OSullivan, but it went to close to Wexford

keeper Ella Clotty, who claimed early. It was Wexford who struck first with their lively

striker Sinead Ryan came in on Kaiah Mooradian in the Kildare goal to put Wexford

ahead after five minutes.  The was a harsh blow to Kildare who were battling hard in

midfield to get on the front foot.   

On the 8th minute, Kaiah’s kick out was flicked on by Molly Nason to Sofia Di Stefano,

who showed good feet to get her shot off but it went just wide. Wexford doubled their lead

on eleven minutes when Leona Breen found space just inside the box and shot low to put

Wexford 2-0 up. On the quarter hour mark, Orlaith O’Sullivan plated the ball down side  to

Sofia Di Stefano, who put in a great ball that was headed wide by Sarah Scully for

Kildare.

The backline of Brianne Kaye, Katie O’Connor, Alicia Kavanagh and Hannah Dempsey

had their hands full with Leona Breen and Sinead Ryan up front for Wexford, but we’re

getting good tackles in and gaining possession to drive Kildare up the pitch.  Molly Nason

the lone striker and Chelsie O’Driscoll playing in behind were busy chasing down the

defenders and pressuring them into mistakes and were working hard off the ball.  At the

other end Holly Dooley of Wexford was causing problems down the right side and was

linking up well with Leona Breen. Brianne Kaye at right back played a ball over the top,

but it went just too far for the incoming Molly Nason and fell into the arms of Ella Clotty in

the Wexford goal.

One minute later a ball fell kindly for Kildare’s Chelsie ODriscoll who shot from outside

box, ball went agonisingly wide of the post. Moments later a Wexford ball over top

caused some consternation in the Kildare defence but Alicia Kavanagh came across and

defended well putting the ball out for a corner. From the resulting corner, it was only half

cleared to edge of box but Wexford’s Niamh Kelly shot wide.

Kildare continued to play ball and Sarah Scully intercepted a pass on twenty minutes and

tried her luck from thirty yards out but it was easily dealt with by Clotty in the Wexford

goal.   Three minutes later the dangerous Sinead Ryan of Wexford got on the end of a

through ball from Leona Breen and shot from twenty yards but the alert Kaiah Mooradian

in the Kildare goal dealt with it at ease. The Wexford midfield quartet of Nicola Davitt,

Emma Clarke, Hayley Nolan and Holly Dooley were now getting on top of the game. On

the half hour mark Kildare’s Orlaith O’Sullivan, Sarah Scully, Sofia Di Stefano and Aoife

Tyrell we’re up for the battle though and never stopped putting pressure on the leaders.

Ten minutes later, Kildare’s pressure paid off ten minutes later when a ball was Played in

over top and turned in by Sarah Scully to put the minimum between the sides. It could

have been all square two minutes later when Orlaith O’Sullivan won the ball and played it

through to Sofia Di Stefano , who shot from distance but just doesn’t connect properly

and ball went wide. On the stroke of half time Kildare we’re dealt a cruel blow when

Sinead Ryan restored Wexford’s two goal advantage with a great shot from corner of the

box to make it 3-1.

A half time change with the injured Chelsie O’Driscoll being replaced by Aoife De Faoite.

Three minutes in good link up play between Breen and Ryan of Wexford saw the ball

played to Hayley Nolan but a fingertip save onto post from Mooradian kept the score at 3-

1. Seven minutes later the impressive Sinead Ryan completed her hattrick with a neat

finish 4-1 Wexford. Kildare we’re now pushing forward to get back into the game but

always running the risk of leaving too much space in behind. Wexford made their first set

of changes on the hour, Emma Clarke, Holly Dooley and and Sinead Ryan were replaced

for Wexford and on came Ciara Connelly, Shannon McGuire and Zara Corrigan. Kildare

replaced Molly Nason with Ally Gallagher in a straight swap up top.   Tiredness was

starting to kick in for both sides in the warm weather.

A Kildare attack saw Sofia Di Stefano cross headed wide by Sarah Scully. With twenty

minutes remaining Orlaith O’Sullivan was replaced by Aoife Stafford to freshen up the

midfield.  Moments last Kildare’s Di Stefano got the ball out wide and tried from an acute

angle but the ball went straight into the keepers hands. On seventy four minutes with

Kildare pressing to get back in the game, the killer blow was landed when Leona Breen

made it 5-1 with a very good strike from an angle after a cross field ball by Nicola Davitt.

Wexford’s Grace O’Halloran and Molly Browne were introduced for the remaining fifteen

minutes. 

Kildare’s Aoife Tyrell was unlucky not to get herself on the scoresheet when she pounced

on a loose ball and shot from twenty five yards and was just off target. With eight minutes

remaining Nicola Davitt puts the game beyond doubt, slotting home and making it 6-1 to

Wexford. Wexford finished impressively with a final seventh from the boot of Hannah

Dempsey. The last action of the game saw Kildare’s Ally Gallagher let loose from thirty

yards which rattled the crossbar, it landed at the feet of a tired Sofia Di Stefano who

shoots over from rebound. 

The scoreline does not reflect the game or effort the women put into the match and they

all played their hearts out and are a credit to the League, their clubs and themselves. It

was a stop start tournament for them with cancellations and postponements but every

time they stepped onto the pitch they gave all for the badge. Commiserations to all

involved and congratulations to a very strong Wexford side.  Best for Wexford Nicola

Davitt, Leona Breen, Captain Aoife Curran and player of the match and hat-trick hero,

Sinead Ryan.   Best for a battling Kildare side were Sofia Di Stefano, Orlaith O’Sullivan,

Aoife Tyrell, Alicia Kavanagh and Sarah Scully.

Other Features (KDFL Under 20 Cup Semi Finals)

Newly crowned Under 20 league champions Clane United were the hosts as visitors

Newbridge Rovers visited Doctors Road on a wet Saturday afternoon. Clane were

seeking to reach a 2 nd  Under 20 cup final in a row while a talented Newbridge Rovers

were hopeful that a strong 2 nd  half to the season would see them through to a decider with

either Rathangan or Monasterevin. The game started cautiously as both sides seemed

determined to not give anything away.  The conditions played their part with the slippery

surface impacting both teams normal quality passing. On ten minutes a ball down the left

found a lively Rovers striker keen to test the Clane central defensive partnership. Some

very clever play took him into space and his shot was parried by Calum Mooney in the

Clane goal but he could do nothing when another Rovers striker reacted first to fire the

away side in front. Clane responded almost immediately after a Adam Hinds free kick was

headed over the Rovers keeper and cleared to James Moore who hit the post with the

follow up. Newbridge were growing in confidence, keeping the normally free scoring

Clane to scrapes and causing several problems at the other end. On twenty six minutes

the normally reliable Shane Henry sold Mooney a bit short in the Clane goal and the

Rovers forward pounced and rounded the keeper before Henry brilliantly atoned for his

error with a block on the line. This seemed to spur Clane on and on thirty five James

Ralph took the ball forma throw and beat two defenders down the Clane right . as the

keeper came to close the angle Ralph powerfully drove home off the post to bring the

game level.  For the remainder of the half Clane dominated with Henry going close with a

header and Ralph failing to get the decision in what looked like a clear penalty. All square

at half time and probably a fair result.

Clane made a change to their midfield at halftime with Nathan Carr coming on to support

James Moore in the engine room. This change galvanised Clane and put them on the

front foot. Clane thought they had taken the lead early in the second half when Carr

followed up at the back post to bundle the ball across the line but was adjudged to be

offside. Rovers continued to push forward and went close on 53 from a free kick , well

saved by Mooney and cleared by Daire O’Beirne. On 60 minutes Ralph continued his

great goal scoring form with his second of the day to put the home side in front. Firstly, he

pressurised the Rovers defence into giving away a corner before he rose brilliantly to

head in at the near post ahead of the Rovers keeper.  Clane took control of the game for

the following ten minutes with Rovers defending manfully. On the seventieth minute Clane

scored the decisive third with Josh Gannon breaking down the right speeding past the

cover and forcing the Rovers into a smart save. Gannon reacted quickest to push the ball

across the six yard box to Ralph whose shot was blocked but Carr pounced to finish from

close range. 3-1 up now there was a long way back for Rovers. They stuck to the task

however and continued to fight all over the park to find a way back into the game. Clane

however demonstrated the control of the league champions limiting the visitors to half

chances in the final twenty minutes whilst being dangerous on the break. A fine game of

football by two sides trying to play the right way, it is Clane United who advance to next

week’s final against Rathangan who overcame Monasterevin in the other semi final.

Rovers will hope that their quality can see them prevail in the Shield competition. Best for

Clane – Shane Henry at the back, James Moore, dominant in the middle and MOTM

James Ralph – pure quality

With the last game between these two sides being a tight game. This game was always

going to be a close encounter.

In the other semi final Monasterevin flew out of the traps and put pressure on the

Rathangan defence and in the second minute a through ball down left into Baylee

Hayden who showed good balance to give Monasterevin A.F.C an early lead with a close

range finish. On the tenth minute it was a good battle by both sides, Monasterevin’s Oisin

Molloy has a shot from edge of the box but it was comfortably saved by Felim Doyle in

the Rathangan goal. Down the other end Callum Donnelly and Oran McDonnell of

Rathangan were linking up well, with Dylan O’Brien and Euan Brennan coming across

from centre back having to close down any Rathangan attacks. On thirteen minutes

Monasterevin’s Baylee Hayden showed some great heart and determination in tracking

Rory Burke down and forcing a throw in and the next chance in the game fell to corner

Dylan O’Brien on the seventieth minute with a header that Doyle saves confidently.

Rathangan started to get on top in the midfield with Oisin Dempsey, Oisin Conroy, Daniel

Foley and Darragh Sinnott stepping up their play and on the half hour the equaliser came

for Rathangan and was a deserved one with a goal from Oisin Conroy who cut in and

shot low to make it 1-1. Almost immediately from the tip off Monasterevin won a

dangerous free kick but Baylee Hayden had his free well saved by Doyle again. 

Second half started as quick as the first did and three minutes in Paddy Murray saw a

free kick go narrowly wide. The Monasterevin backline of Kian Barry, Euan Brennan,

Jordan Downey and Jake Nolan started to take more chances to get into the game and

get midfield trio of Oisin Molloy, Dylan O’Brien and Matthew O’Sullivan on the ball more.

Rathangan’s rearguard of Rory Burke, Timas Kacinkas, Callum Leavy & Josh Foran we’re

working very hard to cut out any promising attacks

On the forty ninth minute Oisin Conroy puts Rathangan F.C into the lead with a cracking

strike from outside the box into bottom corner. A goal that seemed to spark the tie into a

proper cup fixture. 2-1 Rathangan. Monasterevin again nearly equalise straight away

when the lively paddy Murray shot just wide. On fifty five minutes Dylan O’Brien took on

two players and shades the far post with a curling effort. On the hour mark Rathangan

made it 3-1 through Ciaran Lindy following good approach work by Callum Donnelly.

Monasterevin responded quickly and won a penalty two minute later, it was convered by

Luke Kavanagh to put the minimum between the sides again at 3-2.

The last twenty minutes the game was end to end and on seventy first minute Oisin

Conroy had a  shot deflected wide for corner. The corner was cleared out to edge of the

box with Tina Kacinkas shooting high and over the bar. Both sides were now tiring and

gaps started opening, but both defences were dealing with any break aways. With five

minutes remaining, a good run by Callum Donnelly had a shot blocked, but the ball falls to

him again and he shoots outside box with the ball hitting the inside of the post and into

the net to make it 4-2 Rathangan. Monasterevin won a late penalty which was expertly

saved by Doyle in goal. Best for Monasterevin we’re Oisin Molloy, Jake Nolan and Paddy

Murray. Rathangan had great performances in Callum Leavy, Daniel Foley, Felim Doyle

and man of the match Oisin Conroy.