So Fresh Entertainment Womens Division
Edenderry Town AFC 2 Kilcullen AFC 5
Kilcullen AFC chalked up their first win of the season away from home last Monday evening when they overcame a game Edenderry Town AFC on a 5-2 scoreline.
The opening few minutes of the game was a cagey affair with both teams keeping possession and looking to test each other out.
Kilcullen struck the first blow of the game in the seventh minute, Kilcullen’s Emma Hannon played a super ball over the Edenderry defence looking for her teammate Kaleigh who did well to keep herself onside. With her first touch of the ball, she slotted the ball under the advancing Edenderry goalkeeper Ciana Mangan for a good finish.
Edenderry looked to get back into the game and were working the ball around very well, with good play and movement from Courtney Farrell, Sarah McNeilis and Ciara Braddock in particular.
Both defences were giving little away and dealing with each other’s threats.
On the twenty second minute Kilcullen hit the post with good work again from the ever-dangerous Kilcullen pair of Emma Hannon and Jayne Peacock only for Edenderry captain to clear the ball from danger.
This seemed to kick Edenderry into action and Ava Doyle played a good ball up to Edenderry centre forward Karen who laid off the ball to Sarah McNeilis and she made a great run into the opposition box only to see her shot go narrowly wide of the right-hand post on twenty three minutes.
The home side kept pushing forward looking for the equalising goal, with thirty seven minutes gone on the clock Edenderry were now working well as a team and with great inter passing between Karen, Sarah McNeilis ended with Drew Moss having a shot from distance that the Kilcullen keeper claimed under her post.
The visitors were looking to beat Edenderry’s offside trap with long balls over the top and on thirty nine minutes Emma Hannon found herself running through on goals, but for good work from Edenderry goalkeeper Ciana Mangan forced her wide of the goal and ended up shooting wide.
Half time score – 1 -nil to Kilcullen AFC.
Edenderry were on top in the early stages of the second hand and Sarah McNeilis was causing the Kilcullen defence all sorts of problem with her direct running on goal. The home side kept pushing looking for the goal to get them back into the game however despite their best efforts Kilcullen’s defence were dealing with everything that was being thrown at them. Kilcullen began to get on top and home keeper Ciana Mangan was on top form and made two vital saves in the 48 and 52 min to keep her team in the game. The visitors experience was starting to shine through and in the sixty fourth minute of the game Kilcullen Stephanie hit a shot from the edge of the box putting the ball into the top corner of the net giving the Edenderry keeper no chance to double their lead.
Another sucker punch for Edenderry just two minutes later on sixty six minutes when Kilcullen got their third of the game, excellent work between Emma Hannon and Stephanie down the line who laid the ball to the unmarked Kaleigh just inside the box to slot the ball home from eighteen yards out.
Edenderry’s very young team didn’t give up and despite the score line they started to play good football and were taking the game to Kilcullen.
In the seventy second minute Edenderry were award a free kick twenty five yards from goals. Up stepped Molly Ryan with a blistering free kick that got Edenderry on the score sheet to make it 3-1.
Edenderry had their backs up now and on seventy sixth minutes of the game Courtney Farrell weaved her way past two Kilcullen players and was bearing down on goals when she was taken down inside the box, giving the Referee no choice but to award Edenderry a penalty. Up stepped the impressive Farrell to blast the penalty home to put the minimum between the sides at 3-2.
Edenderry emptied the bench and were pushing forward looking for that elusive third goal when they were hit on the counterattack in the eighty fifth and ninety first minute of the game to give all three points to Kilcullen.
The visitors took all 3 points from the game but Edenderry’s young new team can hold their heads high, they never gave up hope and kept fighting to the end. Best on the day for Edenderry were Ciana Mangan, Ciara Braddock, Courtney Farrell and Sarah McNeilis.
A special mention to referee Alan Finn who throughout the game talked and encourage both teams.
Player of the match was Kilcullen Emma Hannon.