Lumsden League Cup Action
Athy Town AFC 1 Monasterevin AFC 2
A huge shock in Aldridge Park on Friday evening when KDFL Senior League hopefuls Athy Town AFC
were dumped from the Lumsden League Cup by Monasterevin AFC from the Premier Division.
Monasterevin came into the game on the back of some bad results and we’re missing a few key
players through injury and work commitments and getting a helping hand from a handful of our
masters players. Monasterevin started the brighter of the two sides and were zipping the ball
around with some neat one and two touch football.
Neither side threatened much in the opening fifteen minutes and the game had a good tempo to it.
Athy started to press after the opening stages and were causing some problems on the wing but the
back four of Steven McNally, David Murphy, Andrew o’Gorman and Eoin Phillips held firm and
keeper Eugene Nolan dealt with everything that came his way.
Athy limited Monasterevin to half chances and were assured in their own back line too. Half time 0-
0.
The second half was a more open contest and both teams causing problems for each other. It was
Monasterevin that took the lead from a corner that was swung in and Jonathan Higgins got his head
to it the ball, it was looping over the keeper and defender, when the man on the line headed it into
back into his own players head and into the net.
This spurred Monasterevin on and with Martin Byrne introduced, he gave a bit of pace on the wing
and he was proving troublesome.
The second goal came from Martin getting out of a tight spot and playing the ball to the feet of
Eamon Kelly who turned and played a great cross field ball to Patrick Staniec. He kept his composure
under pressure from defender and slotted it into the bottom corner giving keeper no chance.
Monasterevin were good for their two goal lead and made some changes to freshen things up and
Kevin Kelly now in centre back made some good clearances.
Evan Foley was buzzing about and giving no time on the ball to the midfield of Athy.
Athy got back into game when a clearance from Eugene was well closed down by Athy player who
got a touch that went goal bound.
Monasterevin held firm for last ten minutes and soaked up any pressure to see them into next
round. An all round team performance from the visitors Monasterevin AFC. On a night Danny
Phillips in the first half was Athy Town's best player.
Sallins Celtic FC 1 Coill Dubh AFC 6
Agreat start for Coill Dubh in the illustrious Lumsden Cup with 6-1 win over Sallins AFC. Coill Dubh
were out the traps early with great pressing and passing to get up Barry Noone in the first five
minutes. Coill Dubh doubled the lead with a great strike at the edge of the box coming from Conor
Brady. They continued to have great passing against the Sallins team that pressed very well. In the
thirty third minute Coill Dubh went 3-0 up with Barry Noone doubling his tally on the score sheet
with great switch of play coming from Aeneas Murphy for a ball to be swung in for Barry to finish.
Credit to Sallins who came out in the second half creating chances, with a few offsides but Coill Dubh
then went on to punish again with a fourth goal coming from Billy McNamee with a beautiful dink to
lob the goalie. Coill Dubh made changes bringing on Noel Byrne for Sean Hannon, Trevor McDonald
for Oisin Lawlor, Dylan Hannon for Barry Noone and Mark Kilgallon for Luke Anderson. Sallins went
on to get their well deserved goal coming from a shot across the goal for a tap in across the post.
Billy McNamee then went on to score in the eighty fourth minute with another good finish through
the goal keepers legs. Coill Dubh finished the game with a goal from Dylan Hannon with Sean
MacMahon squaring the ball for a tidy finish.
Suncroft AFC 4 Kilcock Celtic FC 0
Suncroft secured their place in the next round of the Lumsden cup with a comprehensive victory
against a depleted Kilcock side at the Community Grounds on Saturday night. Suncroft had picked up
an early season league win against the newly promoted Kilcock but the two sides were on opposite
ends of the form table going into this tie. Kilcock having won their last two without conceding and
Suncroft having lost their last two without scoring.
The home side looked the most likely to open the scoring from the outset with the industrious Paddy
Flood causing problems for the Kilcock defence and dangerous crosses coming in from both full
backs, Josh Lee and Cathal Mahon. The first real sight of goal came in the tenth minute when KDFL
Player of the month for May Kieran Sheedy failed to make clean contact to a Josh Lee corner with
the goal at his mercy. Suncroft got a deserved opener in the nineteenth minute, a Sheedy through
ball saw Paddy Flood bear down on goal only to have his route blocked illegally by the Kilcock
defender. The penalty was given and duly dispatched by Dylan Connolly. Flood was very unlucky not
to add a second soon after when he latched onto a misplaced back pass and having rounded the
'keeper, lost his footing just long enough for a Kilcock defender to get a last ditch tackle in. The
Suncroft midfield trio of Sheedy, Connolly and Dylan Byrne were beginning to dominate proceedings
with the former two combining excellently to score their side's second goal. Sheedy played Connolly
through on the left hand side of the box, Connolly beat his marker and played a well timed pass in
front of the on-rushing Sheedy whose side foot finish from fourteen yards found the bottom corner
of the net with thirty five mins played. The home side took a deserved 2-0 lead in at the break.
The youthful Kilcock side, to their credit, were not prepared to give up the ghost in this tie just yet.
Early in the second half they began to move the ball around quickly and cause the home side some
problems only to have their path to goal continually shut down with the resolute defending of Ryan
Farrell and Craig Durney and the safe hands of 'Croft 'keeper Colin Farrell who seemed to gather in
every ball that found its way into the box. Suncroft got the all important third goal in the sixty fifth
minute. Ben McInerney, making his first senior start, played a perfectly weighted through ball into
the path of Dylan Connolly who took the ball around the Kilcock 'keeper and tapped into an empty
net for goal number 10 of the season. Eoin Doyle and Bryon Reid stepped off the bench to mark their
return from injury layoffs, with Doyle having missed the last 10 games with injury and Reid the last 6.
Doyle making an immediate impression, when only minutes on the pitch he beat two players on the
left hand side to work his way into the box but saw his powerful effort come back off the post. Reid
then thought he had set up his side's fourth when his inch perfect back post cross found Niall
Costigan but the Kilcock 'keeper somehow kept out his close range volley. Suncroft were not to be
denied their fourth goal, Doyle winning possession twenty five yards from goal and taking one touch
before firing powerfully past the keeper in the eighty fifth minute. The home side had strong
performances all round but particularly impressive on the day were Dylan Byrne, Kieran Sheedy,
Paddy Flood and a man of the match performance from Dylan Connolly
Rathangan AFC 2 SPWFC 1
Rathangan was happy to have their first round of the Lumsden Cup at home. When the sides met
the last time it was Rathangan who came out on top with a 7-1 win but knew anything can happen
on it's day. It was a slow start and Rathangan had a few chances but couldn't seem to find the target
while at the other end SPWFC’s Stephen Millane and Marvin Mbala had chances. Grant Courtney,
Gary Hunt, Shaun Walsh and Marc Dowling kept everything tight for the visitors. It took thirty two
minutes for Rathangan to get on the score sheet with some great team play then Lee Moore sets up
Dillon Broderick to strike the ball into the net. Rathangan were unlucky not to capitalize before half
time. In the second half St Patrick's wells put on some pressure with Rathangan again solid in the
backs with Jim Brennan doing superb work. In the fifty fifth minute Rathangan were starting to
dominate Alex Conlan was a class act to watch as he beat three players with some skilful display to
strike a long range power shot to the left hand corner of the net. A class goal that will be hard to
beat as goal of the year. Rathangan seemed to drift shortly after the goal and St Patrick's Well made
some changes and were causing some problems, on the eighty third minute when Rathangan didn't
clear the ball in midfield and St Patrick's well capitalized as
Rathangan couldn't clear and James Callan was on hand to tap home for SPWFC. Rathangan again
couldn't seem to get anymore shots on target as they saw the game out to reach the next round of
the Lumden cup. Best for the winners were Jimmy Brennan, Dylan Broderick, Iain Doyle and Alex
Conlon. While for the visitors Headon, Millane, Dowling and Hunt excelled with their Man of the
match Sheldon.
Clonmullion AFC 3 Caragh Celtic FC 0
A comprehensive win in the KDFL Lumsden League Cup for the current holders Clonmullion AFC
when they put six past Division 1 side Caragh Celtic FC. Jolie Dillon striking two and one from Dean
Fennessy for home side.
Senior League Action
Clane United FC 6 Kildare Town AFC 2
Both sides started reasonably well in the early exchanges with Clane coming close to opening the
scoring within five minutes as right back Stephen Dunne ventured forward and fired just wide from a
Andy Brogan cross . The home side took the lead on the ten minutes when Eoghan maguire found
space just inside the Kildare box and found the bottom corner . Kildare still in the game looked at
threat up front with plenty of pace and nearly equalised through a header from their lively number
10. Clane on top searching for the second goal went close through a Brogan close range shot and a
Maguire header . Maguire let fly from thirty yards hitting the underside of the bar somehow staying
out . Five minutes from the break Clane finally got their second when Cathal Geoghegan scrambled
one into the net from a Ciaran Kelly corner to leave Clane going in at the break 2-0 up.
Kildare pulled one Back from a set piece five minutes into the second half. Clane needed to respond
after a bit of Kildare pressure and did so on the hour when Kelly broke from midfield and made it 3-
1. The home side made it 4-1 through Dean Commisky seemingly securing the points but Kildare
continued to not give In and pulled one back on the seventh minute . After a bit of Kildare pressure
Clane finally secured the three points as Brogan headed in from a Maguire cross . Clane seeing out
the game well on top saved the goal of the game through Commisky jinking around two Kildare
defenders in the box and neatly finishing to make it 6 - 2. Best for Clane on a overall good
performance were Dean Commisky and Cathal Geoghegan.
Naas United FC 1 Kilcullen AFC 0
Naas United returned to winning ways after this hard fought victory over a very good Kilcullen outfit.
It was the away side who began a little more lively, earning a couple of early corners. But neither of
them brought any trouble to the home keeper Keith Higgins. Naas had their first real move of the
game in the 8th minute when Samson Ometeso linked well with his brother Paul to set up a chance
for Abdul Karim, but his shot was just wide. Kilcullen again were finding set pieces as their main
outlet for chances and they probably should have done better with two free headers on 12 and 18
minutes. Samson Ometeso was having a terrific game on the wing for United as he ran away again,
this time he linked up with Karim, who laid the ball perfectly off to Paul Ometeso who forced a
brilliant save from Jamie McGowan in goal for the away side. It was a bit of an end to end game after
this and Mark Wolfe had a header go just wide before up the other end Dunphy and Marshal played
some lovely one touch passing with Rob Heavey in defence and he set Samson Ometeso away again,
he drove at the defence and whipped a low cross, helped on by his brother Paul only for Adam
Colton to see his well struck volley to go just over and the score remained 0-0 at half time.
Naas were in this exact position last time out and it ended in 4-0 defeat at the hands of Clonmullion.
So they knew they still needed to up there level going in to the second half. Liam Marshal was
beginning to really assert himself into the game in midfield and his passing and ability to drive at the
defence was causing problems as they struggled to get back with him. The chances began to come
for Naas now as we came in to the fiftieth minute Colton saw a chance go just over before two
minutes later a strike from distance went just wide. Paul Ometeso has an incredible ability to hold a
ball up, and he turned and played a ball out to the right to Samson Ometeso, who’s excellent cross
was brilliantly cut out by No.2 of Killcullen just as Colton was about to strike on the volley from
inside the six yard box in what was a fantastic piece of defending.
Naas finally did get the break through that the second half start deserved when newly appointed
captain Paul Ometeso swooped in behind after Abdul Karims flick on, and he looped the ball over
the out rushing keeper who had no chance with dealing with the early finish. Naas came into the
game missing 4 players through injury and with Ver Nolan suspended also, so after the hour mark
they began to look a little tired and it was Samson Ometeso who came off first after a terrific
performance, (replaced by Johnny Finnegan). Unfortunately for Naas soon after that, Coltan was
forced off injured (replaced by Bulent). This kind of stopped the Naas momentum for a couple of
minutes and Kilcullen almost pulled a goal out of the fire with a speculative shot from distance from
their No.18 which took a huge deflection and smacked back off the cross bar. Naas got their
composure back though and continued to create with Liam Marshal storming away up the right after
intercepting the ball off of an out of sorts Alan Crowe, Marshal sprinted away and unselfish passed
inside to Bulent, who should have struck a shot from 8 yards out, but he laid off to Paul Ometeso,
who saw his shot saved from the edge of the box. Naas were 1-0 and in similar shape at home to
Kildare Town 2 games ago and were made to pay for missing chances to go 2-0 up as that game
ended 1-1. So Stephen Burkes side new they needed to remain compact and switched on
defensively, and that they were as Matt Drewitt and Jamie Dunne were outstanding in the full back
positions at one stage both combined to make a brilliant block from Mark Wolfe, Kelvin Dennan was
a calming influence in central defence alongside Rob Heavey who once again played brilliantly and
Dennan made a sensational block with 5 minutes left as No.9 looked destined to score. Naas had a
brilliant chance to put the game to bed soon after but Bulent struck just over after more excellent
hold up play from Ometeso up front. Eoin Giblin at the ripe age of 51 came off the bench for the
dying minutes. A goal mouth scramble and a Wolfe free kick almost resulted in that leveler Naas
feared, but they have to thank Goal keeper Keith Higgins for an unbelievable save from point blank
range late on as Naas got over the line to come away with the 3 points.
The home side had top performances all over the pitch as players in every position worked their
socks off for each other. On another day Liam Marshal would have won man of the match, but today
it has to go to New Captain Paul Ometeso for an incredible display up front and of course a terrific
finish for the goal that separated the sides at full time. Kilcullen were best served by Keith Scanlon,
Dean O’Toole and Jamie McGowan