Feature Game

Ace Sports Awards Masters Shield Final.

(By Wayne ‘Bubba’ Doyle)

Newbridge Town AFC 0 Rathangan AFC 1

The final piece of KDFL silverware was contested on a bitterly cold Saturday evening, as

Division One Masters Champions Newbridge Town faced Rathangan FC in the Masters

Shield final. Newbridge Town, dominant over Rathangan in the league, had three wins

and scored twelve goals without conceding. They were rightfully favoured heading into

this showdown.

Newbridge Town settled quicker and looked to involve Milton Benitez early on. Milton had

a decent run down the right flank, but was well shepherded by Patrick Murphy, who got

his body across to block the danger with a steadfast piece of defending. Rathangan

initially held a solid shape, being compact and hard to break down, with Jame McEvoy,

Johnny Igoe, and German Angelini all working diligently to establish a foothold.

Newbridge Town had more possession, thanks to Robbie Donnelly and Richie Kelly, who

picked passes from the back with little pressure. Trevor Connelly got in behind twice, but

his crosses were cut out by the Rathangan defence—Cassidy, Murphy, Stenson, and

Thompson—all working seamlessly to thwart the attack. Kyle Moloney made two quick

saves after Milton Benitez and Leandro Macedo missed good opportunities following tidy

play by Noel Curran. Despite this, Newbridge finally broke through as Gary Connelly's ball

found Milton Benitez, who raced clear before rounding Kyle Moloney; however, Robert

Thompson made a phenomenal goal-line clearance with twenty-five minutes on the clock.

Rathangan started to find their rhythm offensively with Paul Lynch controlling a long

diagonal from Robert Thompson, then getting to the endline to deliver a low cross. JP

McDonagh made a quick save, and Eoin Hetherington’s follow-up clearance kept the

sides level at half-time. Credit goes to Rathangan’s solid defensive effort for denying

Newbridge any goals in the first half.

In the second half, Rathangan showed more attacking intent, committing more players

forward to support Paul Lynch. JP McDonagh had to make two routine saves early on

from efforts by Johnny Igoe and James McEvoy. Rathangan also crowded Benitez, who

had to drop deep to get involved, with McEvoy, Angelini, and Igoe all swarming him, much

to his frustration.

The physical battle intensified as both sides challenged fiercely, disrupting the flow of the

game—a situation more beneficial to Rathangan as it progressed. Paul Loughlin

delivered excellent set pieces for Newbridge, with Noel Curran forcing Kyle Moloney into

another vital save with a powerful header, and Patrick Murphy sweeping up leftovers to

keep the match tied with fifteen minutes remaining.

Almost an hour in, Paul Lynch struck a beautiful dipping volley from thirty yards, narrowly

missing JP McDonagh's right-hand post. The match was end-to-end, played at a frantic

pace, yet neither side created the clear-cut chances of the first half. Curran found himself

in a prime position, but Dean O’Toole overhit the pass, allowing Kyle Moloney and Patrick

Murphy to intercept in a three-way collision, as both sides' intent was to win the ball.

Rathangan were awarded a free-kick after Hetherington and Lynch contested a JP

McDonagh kick-out. Hetherington won the header, but the referee judged an

infringement, giving James McEvoy—again outstanding in the second half—a chance on

goal. McEvoy’s well-placed free-kick looked destined for the top corner but was brilliantly

saved by JP McDonagh, who could only parry it away. Paul Lynch reacted quickest,

pouncing on the loose ball to smash it into the net from four yards, bringing jubilant

Rathangan supporters rapturous applause with five minutes remaining.

In the closing moments, Newbridge had to abandon their build-up play, resorting to a

long, route-one approach with time of the essence. They created two

opportunities—Milton Benitez’s free-kick that didn’t trouble Kyle Moloney and Dean

O’Toole’s shot flying over the bar. Tensions and Passions boiled over into injury time, but

Rathangan’s got the vital interceptions down the home stretch secured a memorable

victory. Best for Newbridge:, Eoin Hetherington CB, Richie Kelly RB, Noel Curran CM,

Milton Benitez ST. Best for Rathangan: Kyle Moloney GK, Patrick Murphy CB MOTM,

Johnny Igoe CM, James McEvoy CM,

Paul Lynch ST.

Additional Report

Leinster Football Association Junior Cup (Round 3)

Clonmullion FC 2 Evergreen (Kilkenny) 1

Clonmullion hosted current champions Evergreen in this Leinster Junior Cup tie. The

game took a while to settle with both sides trying to adjust to the blustery conditions. After

10 minutes Garry Comerford won a header in the centre circle and directed into the path

of Cody Mulhall but just as he was about to pull the trigger Craig Wall slid in to clear the

danger. Comerford was again the provider when his quick free kick to Ceilum Maher was

just touched away from his head by goalkeeper Cian Rowe. The excellent Comerford was

really dominating the middle of the park and he read an attempted pass Wall and stroked

the ball into the path of the dangerous Mulhall who took 2 touches to compose himself

and drilled the ball coolly to the bottom corner of the net. The home side were completely

on top and could have doubled their lead in the 40th minute when the brilliant Mark

Hughes headed clear out wide to Lee Doyle who laid the ball off to Mulhall who touched

the ball on to Chris Chanders but it just bobbled as he lined up his shot and went straight

into the keepers hands. Shortly before half time a short corner routine by Comerford and

Mulhall seen the latter put it in to the mix where Ben Hickey shanked his clearance and it

fell to Maher who volleyed goalwards over his shoulder only to see his effort go just wide.

Evergreens only chance came just before the half time whistle when Ethan Phelan

launched a long ball straight down the middle and danger man Mikey Drennan ran onto it

but he was pushed wide by Cully and his defensive partner Hughes cleared the danger. 

Five minutes into the second half Clonmullion were awarded a free kick for a foul on

Nathan Robinson about 30 yards out. Mulhall stepped up but his shot rebounded of the

wall back into the centre circle where Ify Nzewi broke dangerously before laying the ball

off to Mikey Clifford but Jake Nicholl tracked him all the way and slid in to clear the

danger. The visitors were on the front foot and David Grincell set up Nzewi on the edge of

the 18 yard box but his powerful low effort was well smothered by Evan Grattan. With 20

minutes remaining The Mull doubled their lead when substitute Danny Thompson got on

the end of a pass from Robinson and toe poked it past the advancing Rowe to spark wild

celebrations in Micheál O Neill Park. Evergreen piled on the pressure but fantastic

defending by the home side kept them at bay until the 80th minute when an in swinging

corner by James Kearney bobbled around in the 6 yard box and deflected over the line off

Nzewi leading to a nervous ending. But a combination of brilliant defending and strong

gold up play by substitute Noel Kelly and tireless work from Robinson, Chanders and co

in midfield ensured that the home side go into the hat for the next round of the Leinster

Junior Cup. This was the ultimate all round team performance and every single player

and subs that came on carried out the instructions and game plan constructed by the

coaching team of Timmy Doyle, Barry Hughes and John Phillips and goal keeping coach

Martin Redmond. Another great day in the history of Clonmullion F.C. and for the KDFL.