League action!
Clane United 2 Coill Dubh AFC 3
This local Derby was watched by a huge crowd at doctors Road. It was a sweet result for the Dubh having lost the reverse fixture 2-1 earlier in the season.
Straight from kick-off the visitors put down a marker winning plenty of early tackles, moving ball quickly in transition, causing Clane defence plenty of problems. Conor Brady at centre forward, Noah Byrne and Craig Lenehan on wings, game played at frantic pace with the first chance falling to Brady from a Joe Kenny pass over Clane defence only for Brady too miss narrowly.
Early signs were there for Clane that Dubh's would be no push overs, Clane’s talisman Eoghan Maguire had a close range effort saved by Dubh's keeper Luke Anderson. At this stage Dubh's were winning every individual battle and in the twenty fifth minute they got just reward with a great move by Joe Bowers resulting in a corner and was headed home by Coill Dubh top goal scorer attacking midfielder Ryan Murran for his sixteenth goal of the season.
Clane were awarded a free kick outside the box on the half hour, free kick specialist Andy Brogan found the corner of Coill Dubh net to level matters. The visitors didn't let this affect their game and again some great moves causing the home defence many problems. In the thirty fifth minute a ball whipped in from Brady found the lively Bowers and he drove the ball home to put the visitors 2-1 up with half time looming.
The second half was a mirror of the first, Coill Dubh winning most battles playing some great football and with foothold on the game. Clane keeper pulling off some good saves from Sean Hannon, Brady, and goal line clearance from Barry Noone, as the game entered the final quarter a good move down left involving Sean Hannon who played Noone in to beat defender and finish brilliantly to Clane net 3-1.
Coill Dubh made many changes bringing on Jack O’Brien, Aeneas Murphy, Oisin Lawlor and Sean Hannon to see the game out with fresh legs. Clane however got a ninetieth minute consolation goal from holding midfielder Killian Patchell following a late corner to make it 3-2.
For the Dubh’s it was a night where each player won their individual battles, special mentions for Ryan Murran, Conor Brady , Noah Byrne, Joe Bowers, Lenehan brothers and Joe Kenny had a great game at right full keeping Brogan quiet. Best for clane Stephen dunne Killian Pathchell and Ciarian Kelly .
Kilcock Celtic 0 SPWFC 7
St. Patrick’s Well ensured their KDFL Senior Division status for 2023 with an emphatic win 7-0 win away to Kilcock Celtic on Friday night. St. Patrick’s Well came into this game on the back of earning a well-earned point away to Rathangan on Wednesday night and with Higor Santos, Lee Baldwin, Grant Courtney and Seán Carter all making welcome returns to the team.
Kilcock started the brighter of the two teams but it was the visitors who took the lead as a mix up in the home defence saw Seán Carter through one-on-one with the home ‘keeper to break the deadlock. From that point on ‘Well held the upper hand and soon doubled their lead just before the break through Mohmoud Abdelezum. The Old Bog Road outfit’s dominance continued after the break and it wasn’t long before they were out of sight as Carter and Abdelezum exchanged goalscoring duties again to make it 4-0.
To their credit, Kilcock continued to battle gallantly despite the score line and looked as if they might pull a goal back as ‘Well began to sit on their laurels. However, the hosts did leave themselves somewhat open at the back during this period of dominance and soon found themselves under threat on the break with Reece McLoughlin grabbing a brace either side of Gary Hunt heading home from a corner to put the finishing touches on a convincing victory. Best on the night for St. Patrick’s Well were Abdelezum, Carter, Hunt, McLoughlin, Marvin and Sheldon Mbala and Jamie Headon.
Clonmullion AFC 5 Rathangan AFC 2
Rathangan met Clonmullion for the third time having played in the Senior Division Cup earlier this season. With five minutes gone Lee Doyle made a great run down the wing and squared the ball to Jodie Dillon who in turn laid the ball off to Cody Mulhall but his shot was well saved by Rathangan keeper Craig Shannon. A few minutes later Mulhall made a jinking run passed two players before being fouled on the edge of the box by Dan Mulpeter. Mark Hughes stepped up and hit a bullet of a free kick but Shannon tipped it over the bar. Hughes was involved again shortly after but this time at the other end of the pitch when he headed clear an Arun Doyle cross and the ball fell to Tone Byrne but he skyed his effort over. With twenty five minutes gone the home side finally got the opener after the alert Johnny Fennell took a quick throw in to Mulhall who powered into the box only to be tripped by Mulpeter and referee Billy Conlon pointed to the spot. Injured in the tackle Mulhall left it to Nathan Robinson who tucked it low into the corner of the net. On the half hour mark Robinson swung in a free kick which Hughes rose highest to head back across goal but there was no one there to apply the finishing touch. Five minutes later the industrious no 8 Byrne intercepted a pass from Timmy Doyle and as he was one on one with keeper Michael Lawless, Hughes came out of nowhere to deflect his shot out for a corner. From the corner centre half Doyle headed clear and it dropped to Nathan Cullen whose shot took a wicked deflection off Robinson and fell to the feet of Byrne who made it 1 all. Five minutes before half time winger Lee Doyle made a great run out wide and put in a cross to the back post which was headed back into the danger area where Mulhall applied the finishing touch. Doyle was rampant at this stage and a great individual run saw him beat three Rathangan defenders and he unselfishly tried to square the ball to Dillon when he probably should have shot and Mulpeter cleared the danger. With only two minutes left in the half Lee Day played a hopeful ball over the top and Mulhall shielded the ball as it bounced before swivelling to volley the ball over Shannon to make it 3 1. On the stroke of half time Mulhall completed his hat trick from a direct free kick having been fouled himself just outside the box.
Five minutes into the second half the home side were pushing for another and great inter play between Nathan Doyle and Mulhall saw the full back whip in a cross come shot but Power deflected the ball out for a corner. Lawless had to be on his toes a few minutes later when midfielder Byrne made a great run down the end line but the Clonmullion stopper was equal to the shot. Full back Fennell was up and down his wing all day and he jinked inside Cullen and laid the ball to Mulhall who delayed his pass to Lee Doyle but he fired over the bar from ten yards out. On the hour mark a quick Mulhall free picked out Dillon who laid the ball off to Dean Fennessy who dragged his effort wide with only the keeper to beat. With twenty five minutes left Dillon chested the ball to Lee Doyle who’s low cross was just missed by the in rushing Ross Cardiff. A short corner by Robinson to Fennell brought the best out of Shannon as he tipped the full backs effort over the bar. With a quarter of an hour left Lee Foley won a great tackle in the middle of the field and the ball broke to Robinson who took the ball around the keeper but Shannon tripped him and the ref had no choice but to point to the spot for the second time. Robinson again made no mistake. Rathangan battled away and when Arun Doyle broke down the right he fired a great shot from an acute angle but sub keeper Nathan Germaine tipped it round the post. From the resultant corner by Doyle , Jim Doyle rose highest to pull one back for the visitors. With five minute remaining The Mull should have made it 6 when the Doyle brothers combined out wide and Nathan crossed but Cardiff mis timed his diving header and it trickled just wide. Best for Rathangan were Shannon in goals Tone Byrne in midfield, Arun Doyle up front, Sam Horgan and Ross Lyons. Best for Clonmullion were Lawless who was always calm and assured on the ball, Hughes, Doyle and Fennell at the back, Robinson, Fennessy and Day in midfield while Lee Doyle and Dillon were dangerous every time they had the ball and hat trick hero Mulhall was terrific despite carrying an injury throughout.
Suncroft AFC 6 Ballycane Celtic FC 0
Suncroft completed their home league fixtures with a comprehensive 6 - 0 victory over Ballycane on Sunday morning. Suncroft opened the scoring with fifteen minutes played when Keith Kinsella was first to react when his own shot came back off the crossbar to score from close range. The second goal arrived on the thirty minute mark, Dylan Connolly dispatching from the penalty spot after Kieron Morris had been brought down. Liam Knight almost made it 3 - 0 just before half time when his well timed run was found by an excellent Morris cross but Ballycane 'keeper "Keggy" McDonnell was equal to his headed effort. Ballycane posed some real threats off set-pieces with Bubba Doyle and Craig Byrne going close on two separate occasions. Suncroft had the lions share of possession, but Ballycane did have their chances through Sam Allison and Leon Doyle doing well down the Flanks
Suncroft scored their third soon after the restart with Morris again breaking free on the right and his low cross found Kinsella who tapped home for his second of the day. Kinsella would go on to complete his hat-trick on the hour when his long range effort flew into the bottom corner. Ben Kinsella added the fifth goal of the game with his fifth goal of the season, Stevie Coyne with an inch perfect cross found Kinsella with room in the area and he fired the ball past the 'keeper from ten yards out. Niall Flynn, having another impressive performance from the bench, completed the scoring in style with eighty minutes played. Having earlier had a miss of the season contender, Flynn more than made up for it with a beautifully struck effort from the edge of the area flying straight into the top corner with the Ballycane 'keeper even moving. Youngsters Niall Costigan and Ben McInereny both came close to adding a seventh goal in the closing stages, Costigan forcing a good save from Keggy and McInerney just missing the target and unable to get the goal his performance deserved.
Suncroft had some standout performances in Stevie Coyne, Dylan Connolly and man of the match Keith Kinsella. Best for Ballycane Celtic under tough circumstances today were Allison in the first half, Jake O Reilly up top and the evergreen Bubba Doyle.
League Cup Action !
Kilcullen AFC 3 Naas United FC 0
Kilcullen and Naas met for the third time this season in the Lumsden cup on Sunday morning. The Naas side had beaten the home team by a single goal in both previous encounters so Kilcullen knew they had to improve to advance.
The game was a scrappy affair early on but on ten minutes Eamon Doyle swung an inviting corner to the back post that was met with a powerful header from Dean O’Toole 1-0
On twenty fifth minutes Darren Kilbey hit the post with a header after a delightful Daragh Kelly cross and that turned out to be the closest either side got to another goal in the first half.
Naas started the second half with more of the ball but their attacking efforts were well marshalled by the home back four of the Scanlon brothers, Shane Higgins and Daragh Kelly.
On the hour mark Dean O’Toole struck again. Keith Scanlon won a good ball in defence and fed Rob Lee who in turn fed Eamon Doyle who slid a lovely pass in behind for O’Toole to run onto and he made no mistake with a thunderous finish 2-0
Naas pushed hard to get back in the game but began to leave a bit of space at the back for Kilcullen to exploit and Doyle took full advantage with fifteen minutes left. After battling hard for the ball he had the presence of mind to feed Mark McGinley who reacted well and scored to put the game to bed 3-0. Best for Naas were the 4 and 5 while Kilcullen were best served by Colin Scanlon, Brian Murphy,Rob Lee and the tireless Eamon Doyle
Newbridge Hotspurs 2 Kildare Town AFC 1
MIDWEEK LEAGUE ACTION!
Ballycane 2-5 Kilcullen
Kilcullen overcame an energetic Ballycane on Wednesday evening in a good tussle. The away team started well and 5 minutes in, Eoin O’Leary put them in front after some intelligent play between Mick Fitzgerald and Brian Murphy. Murphy’s cross evaded all but O’Leary who popped up at the back post and finished well 1-0
The second came ten minutes later when Rob Lee worked hard to get possession and played Mark Wolfe through who hit a sweet strike to double the score 2-0
Kilcullen were in control now and added a third when Shane Higgins hit a first time cross that Fitzgerald got on the end of to get the goal his work rate deserved 3-0
Ballycane came out in the second half like a different team and were back in the game after two goals in eight minutes, the first finished well by the 12 after some excellent work in the middle by the 8, making it 3-1.
The second was a class individual goal by the 6 who finished cooly after dribbling through the Kilcullen defence 3-2
The game was slipping away from Kilcullen but they managed to steady the ship and with ten minutes to go got a penalty after Daragh Kelly hit a pass to Mark Wolfe with a sublime touch and Wolfe was bundled over in the box. Wolfe dispatched the penalty clinically 4-2
Shane Higgins finished the scoring in the 90th minute when he managed to untangle his long legs in the box and guide a Simon Luttrell cross to the back of the net. 5-2. Best for Ballycane was Doyle at rightful. While for Kilcullen Shane Higgins had a solid 90 minutes and Rob Lee and Mick Fitzgerald put in a good shift
Rathangan AFC 0 SPWFC 0
A combination of endeavour and good defensive organisation proved enough for St. Patrick’s Well to take away a well-earned point from Canal Road on Wednesday night as they frustrated a Rathangan side to whom they had lost to twice already this season.
The first half was a scrappy affair somewhat bereft of chances with both midfields cancelling each other out. With St. Patrick’s Well keeping things tight in the central area of the pitch, Rathangan targeted the away side’s flanks by looking to deliver long balls over their full-backs. Their efforts were in vain however with Sheldon Mbala and Richard Kenna sniffing out any threat the said tactic might have posed.
The second period was played out in a similar fashion although it must be said Rathangan did seem to tire less than the visitors on the hard surface underfoot. As a result it was they who held the upper hand in terms of territory and chances but without posing any real serious threat to Adam Doyle in the Old Bog Road men’s goal. Best on the night for St. Patrick’s Well were Doyle, Mbala and his brother Marvin, Seán Carter, Richard Kenna and Tim Cullen.