Coill Dubh AFC 5 Kildare Town AFC 2
Another eventful Friday night under the lights at home for Coill Dubh. An amazing turn out from the supports for both home and away teams. Coill Dubh started off with great intensity with a few created chances coming from Conor Brady, Billy McNamee and Barry Noone. four minutes in Coill Dubh were awarded a penalty after great passing from the back line up to the front and which led to Barry Noone been taken down inside the box. Barry then went on to take the penalty to score and put Coill Dubh 1-0 up. Coill Dubh continued to create chances but just couldn’t execute them. Kildare Towns fighting spirit paid off when they scored from a penalty in the twenty ninth minute and put the pressure back on Coill Dubh for their missed opportunities. The first half finished off with the sides level and all to play for.
Both teams started off the second half in full force. With an early save from Luke Anderson, Coill Dubh brought back the intensity shown in the first twenty five minutes of the first half, pressing Kildare towns limits which paid off as nine minutes into the second half when Billy McNamee finished off a goal won by the great pressing by Conor Brady on the goal keeper. Not long after Kildare town struck back again with another goal conceded by a penalty making the scores even once again but not for long when Coill Dubh scored an unbelievable third goal starting off by Luke Anderson passing from the back to string multiple passes from the defence to Conor Brady who crossed in a perfect ball for Billy McNamee to get his second goal on the scoresheet. Substitutions were made with Aaron Lenehan coming off for Sean Hannon and Mark Grace coming off for Joe Bowers who wasn’t long on the pitch before making an impact with a goal in the seventy eight minute from a great strike twenty five yards out from a pull back. Coill Dubh was driven by the massive home support by then two minutes later getting another goal by Barry Noone who went around the goal keeper and put it in. Once again substitutions were made when Sean MacMahon came off for Alex Kilmurray and Billy McNamee for Josh McKeon. Another great performance from the squad and another show on the depth of the squad, Kildare town showed great fight throughout the game and never gave up. Standout performers for Coill Dubh on the night were Ryan Murran, Conor Brady and Billy McNamee.
St. Patrick Well FC 1 Rathangan AFC 7
Rathangan A.F.C. returned to winning ways on Easter Sunday with an emphatic 7-1 away to St. Patrick’s Well at Old Bog Road.
The hosts, who made five changes to the starting eleven that beat Kildare Town last week came into this game looking to build on last week’s win but were considerably slower out of the traps than the Canal Bank Road men who managed to stick four past emergency netminder Karl Carey who put in an admiral performance between the sticks.
Rathangan took the lead early on following a wonderful cross from Nathan Cullen who found Lee Moore in the box with a lovely header, 1-0 Rathangan. A quick fire two goals from Arun Doyle and Lee Moore had Rathangan 3-0 up twenty minutes into the game. Rather than throw in the towel with such a hefty deficit to recover from at such an early juncture, Seán Casey’s side set about clawing their way back into the game with Seán Carter, Charlie Swords and Jamie Headon leading a charge that ultimately failed to yield a goal before the break in part due to the heroics of Craig Shannon in the away goal. The visitors closed off the first half with a fourth through a Lee Moore penalty to see them go in 4-0 up.
SPW came out out much better in the second half and pulled one back through Neil Lynch to make it 4-1. Almost from the tip off Rathangan went 5-1 up through an excellent Alex Conlan effort.
Rathangan eased throught he second half through good performances from Power, Lawler and Brennan putting in fine performances. David Tyrell, who had replaced Craig Shannon at half time, pulled off a brilliant save to stop SPW grabbing there second goal of the game.
Arun Doyle and Lee moore added 2 more goals for Rathangan late on with the final score finishing 7-1. Best for Rathangan on the day was Tommy Power, Stefan Lawler and Lee Moore. Best for the home side – who will somewhat hard done by the size of their final losing margin – were Grant Courtney, Gary Hunt, Swords, Carter and their man of the match Headon.