Feature game - Leinster Leader

KDFL Division 3

Coill Dubh AFC 4 Rathangan AFC 4

It was a share of the spoils at Cusack Park on Saturday evening as the home side took on Rathangan AFC seconds in the KDFL Division 3. Rathangan started strong and got the early break through after only ten minutes. Timus K was fouled on the edge of the box and Oran McDonnell struck a beautiful free kick to the back of the net to put the visitors 1-0 up. The goal sparked Coill Dubh into action and five minutes later they equalised. It was end to end for the next fifteen minutes and scrappy at times. Coill Dubh were next to strike when they broke the Rathangan off side trap to tap home their second and put the home side 2-1 up. 

Rathangan struggled to get a foothold on the game and the home side took full advantage with a third goal from a corner on the stroke of half time leaving them going in at the break 3-1 up and cruising. Rathangan made a couple of changes at half time but things went from bad to worse as Coill Dubh were awarded a penalty just after the resumption to put the home side 4-1 up.  Jordan O'Reilly got down low to his left to save the penalty but could not keep out the rebound. Rathangan now had a mountain to climb. The game ebbed and flowed but with thirteen minutes to go the visitors were thrown a lifeline when Eoin McMullen scored from close range after a scrable in the box to make it 4-2. The visitors reduced the deficit to just one goal two minutes later when minutes later, Jamie Sheridan latched on to a through ball from Darragh Sinnott to finish smartly to the bottom corner. Panic seemed to grip Coill Dubh and they dropped deeper to try hold out. With five minutes to go man of the match Rathangan’s Eoin McMullen swung in a beautiful cross to the back post and Oisin "beans" Dempsey stroked the ball home to level matters. Unbelievably Rathangan comeback. Both teams had chances to win it but there was no more scoring and the game finished 4-4. Best for Rathangan - Eoin McMullen and Mark Cassidy