League Action !
Clane United AFC 3 Clonmullion AFC 6
Despite scoring six in this tie Clonmullion will feel they left a lot more goals behind them through careless finishing. However it was Clane who opened the scoring after less that two minutes when Cathal Geoghegan hit a long ball straight down the middle of the visitors defence and found Dean Commiskey totally unmarked and he made no mistake from ten yards out. With five minutes on the clock Clonmullion should have drawn level after great approach play saw Nathan Doyle roll the ball to Cody Mulhall but he lifted his effort over. Two minutes later Mark Kelly passed to centre forward Eoghan Maguire but Michael Lawless was equal to his effort. With ten minutes gone the sides were level when Timmy Doyle intercepted the ball and stepped out of the defence and passed to Nathan Robinson who put Lee Doyle through and he made no mistake. Soon after the visitors went close again when the elegant Mark Hughes hit a beautiful diagonal ball to Johnny Fennell who in turn chipped his pass into Jody Dillon who put the ball over the bar from six yards out. Hughes was again the provider this tome to Danny Thompson who rounded the keeper Sean Brennan but then pulled his effort wide. With a quarter of an hour gone Timmy Doyle battled hard to win the ball in defence and beat two players before picking out Dillon who passed to Mulhall who chested the ball back to him and he should have made it 2 1 but blazed over. Dean Fennessy working hard in the middle passed to Mulhall who flicked the ball to Thompson who brought a great save out of Brennan. The Mull finally took a deserved lead on the half hour mark when Nathan Doyle made a great run down the right wing and fed Thompson who crossed first time and Dillon got across Gavin O Dwyer to head home. A minute before half time the visitors thought they had made it 3 1 when Hughes rose highest to head home a Robinson corner but the referee ruled it out for an infringement. The second half started as it had finished with Clonmullion piling on the pressure and when centre half Doyle put a great through ball to Mulhall he rounded full back Byrne but keeper Brennan made a great save. With ten minutes gone in the second half the pressure final paid off when Hughes hit a lovely cross field pass to Dillon who controlled it expertly on his chest and put it into the path of Lee Doyle to get his second of the game. Dillon was again the provider three minutes later when he teed up Thompson who feinted to shoot but instead rounded the keeper Brennan to roll the ball into an empty net to make it 4 1. Hughes was dictating the play from deep and he picked out Lee Doyle who passed to Mulhall but Brennan again saved well. Clane introduced Sean Harnett and he was immediately into the action and he set up Commiskey but keeper Lawless made a great save. With twenty five minutes left Clonmullion got their fifth when substitute Jay Connell played a lovely pass to Lee Doyle who chipped the ball over the defence and Thompson struck a powerful right footed shot into the bottom right hand corner. To their credit Clane never gave in and a great 3 man move saw Eoghan Maguire pass to Commiskey who put Geoghan in on goal and he made no mistake to make it 5 2. Clonmullion emptied the bench and Rickie Moriarity put fellow sub Dean O Sullivan Owens in on goal but he seen his effort crash off the crossbar. With thirteen minutes let Mulhall finally got the goal he deserved when he played a one two with Lee Doyle to rifle home from eighteen yards out. With a few minutes remaining Maguire intercepted a ball as Clonmullion tried to play out from the back and he set up Harnett who was unlucky to hit the crossbar. Up the other end Ross Cardiff brought the best out of Brennan after great approach play by Mulhall and Robinson. In the last minute Clane got a third after long ball to Maguire was excellently cut out by Corey moore but it deflected off Maguire and fell to Commiskey who had the easiest of tap ins.
Best for Clane were keeper Brennan, Byrne and O Dwyer in defence and Commiskey and Geoghan. While for Clonmullion Hughes and Timmy Doyle controlled the game from the back Robinson and Dillon in midfield, goal scorers Lee Doyle and Thompson while Cody Mulhall worked his socks off all game and some of his touches and vision were fantastic.
Lumsden League Cup Action !
Leixlip United FC 4 Kilcullen AFC 8
Kilcullen got their Lumsden cup campaign off to a shaky start away to Leixlip United’s over 35s on Saturday afternoon.
The home side started brighter and were 1 up after five minutes. The hard working number seven chased a lost cause down the right and managed to get a cross into the box that was hammered home by the Leixlip Striker.
The lead was doubled ten minutes later when some neat footwork by the Kilcock winger opened up some space and he sent an inviting cross into the box which was well finished by the home side’s front man.
Kilcullen were finding it difficult to keep the football but they did pull a goal back on 25 minutes.
Mark Wolfe played a neat one two with Mick Fitzgerald and raced behind the hosts defence and slotted the ball home 2-1
Kilcullen were settling into the game at this stage but Kilcock still looked a threat and they scored their third goal on thirty five minutes from a well struck free kick from the edge of the box 3-1
Importantly for the visitors, Dean O’Toole managed to flick a header to the back of the net from a well flighted Eamon Doyle free kick on the stroke of halftime to leave the minimum between the sides. 3-2
The visitors made some adjustments in shape and personnel at halftime and slowly took command of the game. However they missed a hatful of chances ro level in the opening fifteen minutes of the second half until, sixty minutes Keith Scanlon smashed a header home from a Doyle corner to level the game. 3-3
Almost from tip off Tom Healy started and finished a move with some neat passing between the front three to give Kilcullen the lead for the first time 4-3
Goals flowed from this point on. First Doyle played a superb pass over the top to Healy who set up Wolfe for a tap-in . 5-3
Kilcock weren’t finished with the goals either and scored the goal of the game on seventy minutes. Some intricate one touch passing between the 6,10 and 9 sent the 9 clear and he finished with aplomb 5-4
The visitors stretched their lead however when Doyle fed O’Toole who put Wolfe through and he slid the ball between the keepers legs to complete his hat trick 6-4
Doyle was provider again for the next as Jason Keogh smashed home a header from a free kick that was especially enjoyed by a particular member of the travelling support! 7-4
The final goal of the game was created by a beautiful touch by Tom Healy that sent Simon Luttrell free and he kept his composure to finish well 8-4
The 4,6 and 10 stood out for the home side while Wolf, Scanlon, Murphy, Healy and man ot the match Doyle were best for the visitors
Karina Donnelly Senior Cup Action !
Rathangan AFC 3 Kildare Town AFC 1
Rathangan were victorious over near neighbours Kildare Town on Sunday to progress in the Karina Donnelly Senior Cup.
For the first fifteen minutes both teams were playing good football but couldn't managed anything on target. After twenty minutes Kildare Town could have made it 1-0 but it was keeper David Tyrell who pulled off a great save. On the half hour Rathangan’s Arun Doyle had a free about thirty yards out but was denied by a great save by Kildare Town Keeper. It was fair to say the two keepers were keeping both team in the game. Four minutes later on when Dan Mulpeter was causing problems for Kildare on the wing to send in the perfect ball to the ever reliable Lee Moore's head to make it 1-0 for the home side. From the tip off Rathangan made it 2-0 when a side line ball from Lee to Alex Conlan to pass the ball through to Arun Doyle to get Rathangan second goal. Kildare weren't giving up easy on the 37th minute had a free which ended up number 10 getting the ball and getting Kildare first and only goal. The second half was a bit like the first with Rathangan getting their last goal in the fifty third minute when a bit like the first goal a superb cross by Iain Doyle to again land on the head or Moore to header the ball to the back of the post. Rathangan never really looked to be in to much trouble but the away side never gave up. Best for Rathangan were Dan Mulpeter, Tommy Power, and the Doyle Brothers Iain and Arun.
Ballycane Celtic 0 Suncroft AFC 3
Suncroft kicked off their Senior cup campaign with a convincing away win against Ballycane Celtic on Sunday morning. Suncroft took an early lead in the match when Kieron Morris beat his man on the right wing and his inch perfect cross found Dylan Connolly who headed home at the back post with only one minute on the clock. Eoin Doyle almost doubled the lead moments later when he did well to make space for himself in the area but dragged his shot wide of the near post. Morris, who was proving a handful for the Ballycane defence in the early stages, made it 2-0 with fourteen mins played latching onto a perfectly weighted Kieran Sheedy through ball and sliding the ball past the on-rushing Keggy McDonald in the Ballycane goals. The 'Croft defence, well marshalled by Ryan Farrell and Liam Knight, were restricting the home side to long range efforts which Colin Farrell in the croft goal was dealing with comfortably. Sheedy almost got the third goal in the twenty five minute when he got on the end of another good Morris cross only to see Keggy get across the goal to keep his header out. On the half hour Suncroft added the third goal their play deserved, Keith Kinsella flighting a perfect corner and Eoin Doyle flicking his front post header home. The 'Croft could have added further goals in the first half with both center halves Knight and Farrell forcing goal line clearances and Kieran Sheedy having a sight of goal from fifteen yards after a Connolly pullback but somehow his effort ended up as a Ballycane throw-in
Suncroft having dominated the opening period started the second half sloppily, Ballycane forcing two early chances requiring last ditch tackles and blocks from Paddy Flood and Ryan Farrell to ensure the three goal advantage remained intact. After weathering the early storm Suncroft took back control of the game with Dylan Byrne particularly impressive at the base of the Suncroft midfield. The link up play between Connolly and Doyle in the Suncroft attack continued to cause the home side problems with both players creating and having chances throughout the half but both were unable to find the net again. Josh Lee, having replaced the injured Craig Durney early in the second half, twice came close to adding a fourth goal. His first effort hitting the post and his second forcing another excellent save from Keggy. Cathal Mahon and Bryon Reid both entered the game midway through the second half and their pace and energy helped the 'Croft see out the game in a comfortable manner. The Suncroft front three of Connolly, Doyle and Morris were a constant threat throughout, Knight and Farrell were in top form at the back and Dylan Byrne put in man of the match performance in midfield.
Athy Town AFC 4 SPWFC 0
Athy proved too strong for SPW in the preliminary round of the senior Cup here on a warm summers evening in Aldridge park.
In a first half that was dour at times, David Bríde broke the deadlock after thirty five mins for the home team after a mistake by the SPW centre half allowed Bride in to lob the ball over the oncoming keeper to make it one níl.
The home team finally got going in the second half with goals from Darragh Faherty, Chris Chanders and a debut goal for Craig Reddin, both Feherty's and Chanders's goals were worthy of the admission fee alone.
Fehertys was a goal made on the training ground, some superb one twos with Adam O'Keefe and Eoin Molloy just outside the SPW box saw Molloy deftly find the onrushing Feherty who struck a rasping drive into the top corner from 18yrds out.
Chris Chanders kept up his impressive goal scoring rate by get his head on the end of a superb Murt Brennan cross, Brennan was particularly good when he came on for captain Aaron Meade with 20 mins to go. Craig Reddin rounded the the scoring with a smart finish from 12yrds on the 80th minute.
Best for Athy were Eoin Molloy, and Darragh Feherty up top, Aaron Meade in the middle and Mark Boland, Mick Walsh and Victor Oladapo in the defence.
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