KDFL Senior Cup Final
Clonmullion FC 1 0 Clane United FC (AET)
St. Pat’s Boys FC was the venue for this the final Cup competition of the season on Wednesday evening between Senior League winners Clonmullion FC and League runners up Clane United FC in the hotly anticipated Cup Final, In the League there was very little between these two sides, Clonmullion coming out on top in a five goal thriller in May and Clane United reversed the scoreline in September inflicting the only league defeat on the League winners.
Clonmullion FC looking to secure the Senior Cup for the second year in succession while Clane United were in search of the trophy they had won in 2021.
Clane started on top and the youthful James Ralph tested Clonmullion keeper Will Kenny after ten minutes. Disaster struck for Clonmullion just moments later as Captain Jody Dillon saw red and received his marching orders for a challenge. Soon after as Clonmullion tried to adjust to the man down Clane United’s Dean Comiskey was unlucky to see his effort just wide of Kenny’s post from outside the box. Clane were very much on top for the remainder of the half and on the half hour Noel Haverty hit the crossbar with a deflected header while with ten minutes to go the impressive James Ralph hit the crossbar. Clonmullion weathered the storm with Mark Hughes at the heart of their defence being very impressive. The half ended with Clane very much on the ascendancy.
Clonmullion regrouped and came out with intent in the second half and took the game to Clane. Jay Connell was causing havoc for Clane with his pacy runs. Clane struggled at times to stem the tide of the ten man Clonmullion attack and they looked very dangerous in the final third of the pitch. Clane did create some chances of their own with Rasdi Nsimba firing across goal early in the second half and Dean Comiskey had some late chances including a shot which rattled off the crossbar with ten minutes remaining. James Ralph had the final chance for Clane in normal time when he brought a great save from Kenny in the Clonmullion goal with time almost up.
It was end to end in the early stages of the first half of extra time, until two minutes to go when Jay Connell opened the scoring for Clonmullion following good work by Keane Cully from a Gary Comerford free kick. Try as they might Clane could find no way back as Clonmullion shut up shop and counted down the second half. Aidan Ralph for Clane did find a way past the Clonmullion defence but was unlucky to see his effort just wide of the post and the Athy men held on to claim the Senior Cup title for the second year in succession.
Best for Clonmullion were Mark Hughes, Gary Comerford and Jay Connell while for Clane Dean Comiskey, Mark Kelly and Stephen Leavy.