Feature Game

Connolly Under 20 Cup (Quarter Finals)

Newbridge Town AFC 1 Rathangan AFC 0

Rathangan U20s were the visitors to Station Road to take in Newbridge Town U20s in the

KDFL cup. From the kick off both teams were sizing each other up and six minutes into

the match the first real chance came for Newbridge town as Jona Bocotan & Ben

Shanahan linked up down the right with Ben ending up inside the box and he drags his

shot just wide of the post. A few minutes later Rathangan midfielder Darragh Gilligan

picked up the ball in midfield and played through the number 9 Timas Kacinskas who

made a channel run down the left and was forced wide, He had to square the ball before

it ran over the end line and did it well but no Rathangan player was there to finish the tap

in & Newbridge town keeper Brady Adams collects the ball. 

The opening goal came on the twenty third minute mark when Marco Capocci won the

ball back near his own corner flag & played it forward to Midfield duo Nathan McAuley &

Tommy Mc Guigan who exchanged passes before releasing wide man David Oduntan

down the wing. He cut inside and spotted the run of Jona Bocotan who pointed where he

wanted it and took one touch to set himself before finishing into far bottom corner with a

tidy finish to break the dead lock. 

Rathangan Keeper Sean Moran played a short pass to a defender to who played a

narrow pass into midfield, David Oduntan read it early and intercepted it before dribbling

forward and taking a low shot to the keepers bottom right but Sean Moran got down well

and saved it to put the ball out for a corner.  Right before half time Rathangan got a

corner and winger Oisin Dempsey curled in an in swinger towards the front post, It was

going into the post for a goal only for Newbridge towns Alex O'Reilly Hall to head it clear

off the line and keep the score at 1 nil heading into the half time break. 

The second started slow enough for about ten minutes with Rathangan going direct and

trying to win aerial duals and second balls but Newbridge Towns back line dealing well

with it overall. Both sides cancelling each other out and fighting for loose balls. Fifty five

minutes in David Oduntan won a free kick and took it himself, he curled a good shot

towards the far corner but Sean Moran in goals got a strong hand to it and pushed it

wide. 

On the hour mark, Winger Oisin Dempsey received a lofted pass out of the back line and

took a touch by a Newbridge town player who had gambled trying to intercept it. He then

put his head down drove forward with the ball all the way into the penalty area beating

another defender along the way. Dempsey tries a clever chop back onto his left foot to set

himself up for a shot only for Town's defender Marco Capocci to get a last second touch

and poke it out for a corner kick. Rathangan bring on fresh legs with Niall Ahern replacing

the Midfielder Darragh Gilligan.  Five minutes later one of the best chances of the match

came from Rathangan Winger Oisin Dempsey dribbling down the right and cutting inside

last second, He reached the by line and squared the ball to Striker Timas Kacinskas who

had to take his first touch on the turn and swivel to face the goal, He leaned back and put

the ball over the bar from 10 yards out in what looked a very promising position. 

With twney minutes remaining Newbridge Town take off Goal scorer Jona Bocotan for

Neo Akidu to give them a different dynamic in forward areas. Neo wasn't on the pitch five

minutes and his fresh legs proved useful as he chases down what most players would

have taught was a lost cause, a back pass from Rathangan to the centre back & captain

Eoghan McMullen who then tried to find his keeper Sean Moran but left the pass a little

short which Neo gets a touch on and dribbles around the keeper but gets forced wide to

where he cant shot, he plays a pass back for David who tires to guide in into the net but

the Keeper got back and in position to claim the ball cleanly. 

With only ten minutes left Rathangan change things around and move the athletic centre

back and their top goal scorer Harry Donnelly up front as they chase the game and need

a goal. The tactical change nearly pays off immediately as the very next phase of play

Winger John Dunne cuts inside from the left and plays a nice pass for Harry Donnelly

who ends up inside the box and takes a shot first time with his left foot but it goes

agonizingly just wide of the post.  With five minutes remaining in the cup quarter final,

Rathangan need a goal to keep the tie alive, They have two strikers up top and are

playing a very direct game with high numbers forward. Winger Oisin Dempsey collects

the ball deep and plays a good channel pass behind the Newbridge back line, The wind

and a little confusion caused just enough trouble for Towns Keeper Brady Adams who

came out to claim the ball but the centre back now playing as a make shift striker Harry

Donnelly gets there first and dribbles around Brady, open goal and Harry shoots but out of

no where the far side full back Alex O'Reilly Hall comes sliding in to make a goal line

clearance, His second of the day.

As Rathangan pile bodies forward gaps appear at the back as they go for broke and

between offside calls, poor final passes and another save from Sean Moran, Newbridge

Town could not find the second goal to put the game to bed which lead to a tense ending.

Five minutes added time and more deep crosses and diagonal balls bombard the

Newbridge town back line. Between Conor Duggan, Sean Meszaros & Cameron Keane's

height and aerial ability Newbridge hang on and advance to the semi finals as the match

finishes 1-0 here at station road in a hard fought game by both sides. Best on the day:

Rathangan’s Oisin Dempsey & Sean Moran in goals, Newbridge Town's Alex O'Reilly Hall

, Jona Bocotan & Brady Adams in goals with a clean sheet hardly put a foot wrong all

game. 

Additional Report.

(By Jamie Connolly)

Leinster Football Association Women’s Junior Shield 2025/26 Quarter Final

Bunclody FC 4 Monasterevin AFC 2

A dramatic second-half comeback saw Bunclody FC secure their spot in the LFA

Women’s Junior Shield semi-finals, overcoming a two-goal deficit to defeat a spirited

Monasterevin AFC side. Harnessing a powerful wind at their backs, Monasterevin

dominated the opening 45 minutes. Their clinical finishing and tactical use of the

elements left the hosts reeling.

On 22 minutes The deadlock was broken when Roisin Keogh played a pinpoint ball

into Abby Kemmy, who finished smartly to give Monasterevin the lead. Fieve minutes

before the break, the visitors doubled their advantage. Nicole Moran turned provider,

finding Roisin Keogh, who capped off a fine individual half by finding the back of the net.

Half time score 2 -0 to the visitors.

Bunclody emerged for the second half looking like a different team, aided by the

introduction of Louise Jordan from the bench. Her impact was immediate and

devastating. The comeback began after four minutes of the restart when Kateln

Bates assisted Louise Jordan, who wasted no time making her mark on the game. With

nineteen minutes remaining the pressure finally told as Rebecca Kearney found the

equalizer, pulling Bunclody level and shifting the momentum entirely. Only minutes later,

the turnaround was complete. Goal-scorer turned provider as Louise Jordan set up Katie

Moynihan to put the hosts in front for the first time. With Monasterevin pushing for a late

equalizer, Louise Jordan put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time, netting her second

of the afternoon to seal the 4-2 victory.

While Monasterevin AFC will be disappointed to exit after such a strong start, they can

hold their heads high following a deep run in the Shield.  They will carry the confidence

from this performance into the remainder of their preseason as they prepare for the

upcoming women’s league campaign. Bunclody FC move forward, showing immense

character to overturn a daunting halftime deficit.