Lumsden League Cup Action !
Castle Villa AFC 0 Rathangan AFC 5
The first round of the Lumsden Cup seen Rathangan run out impressive 5-0 winners over Division 1 Leaders Castle Villa in perfect conditions on Sunday morning in the pristine Mullarney Park. The home side started well and in the first ten minutes had two scoring chances, It was the brilliant goal keeping of Feilim Doyle keeping a clean sheet. Rathangan started to get on top and in the fifteenth minute Iain Doyle in possession spots younger brother Arun who perfectly on his left to chip it into the top left corner. Three minutes later on the opposite side of the pitch Alex Conlan made it 2-0 superb strike near the corner flag didn't give Peter Cogan a chance. Rathangan third came in the fifty third minute with Colin Scanlan doing what he does best and a low shot beating two defenders left to the post to make it 3-0. It was young Arun Doyle again on target soon after to make it 4-0. Their final score following great approach work from Tone Byrne doing well to win a 50/50 ball for Iain again to be there to use his skill to pass it off to Alex Conlan who chipped the ball into the box only for Lee Moore to tap it home.Best for the winners were: Keeper Feilim Doyle, Alex Conlan and the two Doyle brothers Arun and Iain Doyle.
Liffeybank FC 0 Newbridge Hotspurs 7
Hotspurs first round game in the Lumsden Cup saw them make the trek to the Kildare/ Dublin border to take on Liffeybank FC from Leixlip. Hotspurs started the game slowly and were forced into an early change following an injury to Shane Smith. Hotspurs first chance of the game came on the twelfth minute when Scott O’Donoghue had a superb shot well saved by the Liffeybank keeper. On the twenty fifth minute, Scott O’Donoghue had a goal disallowed following an alleged infringement on the Liffeybank defender. It was Scott O’Donoghue who once again went close on the twenty ninth minute when his shot hit the crossbar. Hotspurs breakthrough came on the thirty third minute when fine individual play from Chris Higgins on the right eventually led to him passing into the box where Mikey Murphy who was on hand to take a touch and score from close range, 1-0 to Hotspurs.
Hotspurs nearly made it 2-0 on the fortieth minute mark when good build up play by Anthony Durney led to a pass to Mikey Murphy who shot just over the bar. On the forty fourth minute, Eoin Walsh had a shot that was deflected just wide following a Greg Kelly cross. Just before half time, Anthony Durney had a header go just over the bar following a Greg Kelly corner. The game went in at half time 1-0.
A few tactical tweaks and instructions at half time saw Hotspurs come out in the second half with increased vigour and intensity. On the forty seventh minute, Greg Kelly had a shot from just inside the box well saved. On the fifty second minute, Scott O’Donoghue for the second time in the game had a shot hit the crossbar. On the fifty fourth minute, Mikey Murphy had a shot go just wide following a fantastic Sean Higgins pass. On the fifty sixth minute, Hotspurs got their second of the game. Sean Higgins pass found Chris Higgins, Higgins took on the full back and squared it to Scott O’Donoghue, O’Donoghue took a touch and decided to pass to Mikey Murphy who bent his shot around the keeper to make it 2-0. Murphy nearly made it 3-0 two minutes later when he had a shot go just wide. It was on the sixty first minute when Hotspurs made it 3-0, a Conor McLoughlin pass found Chris Higgins who took on the defender and slotted home with powerful strike just inside the box. On the sixty fifth minute, Eoin Walsh nearly made it 4-0 when his strike from close range hit the post. Hotspurs got their fourth goal of the game on the sixty eight minute when a Sean Higgins pass found Chris Higgins, Higgins again took on the defender and passed to Eoin McGrath who scored from close range. On the seventy eight minute, Hotspurs made it 5-0 when Mikey Murphy got his hat trick and scored following a Scott O’Donoghue pass. On the eighty fifth minute, Hotspurs made it 6-0 when an Eoin McGrath corner found Anthony Durney at the front post who got a deft touch to deceive the Liffeybank keeper. On the stroke of full time, Hotspurs made it 7-0 when a superb cross field ball from Ciaran Glynn found Eoin McGrath who took a fantastic first touch to set himself up nicely for a shot to curl around the keeper. The game finished 7-0 to Hotspurs. Best for Hotspurs were Mikey Murphy, Scott O’Donoghue, Anthony Durney and Hotspurs Man of the Match Eoin Walsh
Newbridge Town AFC 0 Clane United FC 5
Clane overcame current Masters League Champions Newbridge Town FC in the opening round of the 2023 lumsden League Cup on Saturday. Both teams took time to settle and Clane opened the scoring on the twentieth minute through a James Ralph goal. They doubled their advantage three minutes later through Sean Harnett and the score remained the same until the break.
The visitors were 3-0 up just one minute into the second half when Dean Comiskey was on target. It was even steven for the next fifteen minutes until Clane got their fourt through Rasdi Nsimba following good work by the impressive James Ralph. The final goal of the game came with fifteen minutes remaining through Liam Deane to leave the finals core at Station road 5-0 to the visitors. Best for the winners were Cathal Geoghegan, Dean Comiskey and James Ralph.
League Action !
Suncroft AFC 1 Clongorey FC 0
Suncroft bounced back from last week's defeat to Naas United with a 1-0 win at home to Clongorey on Sunday. 'Croft started the brighter of the two sides with Dylan Connolly and Kieran Sheedy linking well in the middle of the park and carving out some early chances in the opening twenty minutes.
However with Seán Carter, Jamie Headon and Emmet O'Brien soon coming out on top in the engine room, Clongorey began to hold the upper hand with Danny Callan going close and them forcing a number of corners which were well dealt with by the home rear guard.
The second half was very much an evenly contested contest but midway through Suncroft took the lead. The visitors responded well and with Sheldon Mbala beginning to look dangerous, clear-cut opportunities fell the way of O'Brien and Callan.
Clongorey will feel aggrieved not to have a penalty at the death when a mazy run from Mbala ended with him appearing to be fouled inside the area, but in the end Suncroft held on for a victory that sees them leapfrog the Old Bog Road men in the table.