KDFL SENIOR DIVISION TEAM FOCUS

Senior Cup action !

Naas United FC 4 0 Rathangan AFC

Naas Utd go through to the Semi Final of the Senior Division Cup after this empathetic win. 2 Goals from Paul Ometeso (8) (86) Along with a goal each from Travis O Neill (53) and 

Niall Faherty (72) gave United the victory. Goalkeeper Keith Higgins returned from injury today and was outstanding making some good 2nd half saves. Especially from No.9’s penalty kick just after the hour mark. Naas will face the league’s most outstanding team now in the next round as Clonmullion set their sights on the treble this year.  Best for Naas Utd today were man of the match Daragh Faherty, along with outstanding displays from Josh McDonald, Scott O’Neill and out wide Travis O’Neill and Owen Moran were unplayable with Paul Ometeso scoring his 2 goals at the crucial moments of the game.

League Action !

Newbridge Hotspurs FC 4 2 Old Fort Celtic FC

There are three certainties in life, death, taxes and entertainment, goals galore in a Newbridge Hotspurs game. Today’s game at Snigs Brogan Park was no different. Hotspurs once again didn’t start great. They did however have a half chance on the 4th minute when Niall Flynn shot across the goal from a Chris Higgins cross. Just one minute later following a corner which was only half cleared, Old Fort took the lead with Sean Savage striking from 25 yard into the corner of the net, 1-0 to Old Fort. On the 9th minute, Hotspurs had a chance when Niall Flynn shot over the bar from a Chris Higgins cross. Three minutes later, Chris Higgins shot wide from a Niall Flynn pass. On the 19th minute, Old Fort doubled their lead when a free kick from Tyler Dempsey from the half way line somehow found its way into the back of the net, 2-0 to Old Fort. Hotspurs responded immediately though and Scott O’Donoghue grabbed one back following a fine pass from Niall Flynn. On the 39th minute, Gary Lowe went close when his shot from over 25 yards out went just wide of the post. On the 45th minute, Hotspurs equalised and it came via a fantastic cross from Scott O’Connor which found Niall Flynn at the back post, Flynn then managed to square the ball back to Chris Higgins who managed to get hit out of his feet and make a fine finish, 2-2.

The second half started slow enough and it was the 60th minute when the first real chance of the half occurred when Niall Flynn’s shot was saved. On the 68th minute, Hotspurs took the lead when Niall Flynn found Mark Wolfe with his pass, Wolfe took on the defender and ultimately ended up taking his shot at goal with a fine finish to the bottom right corner of the goal, 3-2 to Hotspurs. On the 75th minute, Hotspurs had a double chance when a Mark Wolfe shot was saved and also a Niall Flynn shot was saved. On the 77th minute, Scott O’Donoghue hit the post but from the follow up, Chris Higgins done well to ten chip the ball back into the box and it was met by Mikey Murphy whom headed home to make it 4-2. Hotspurs had two further chances when Ryan O’Donoghue shot just over the bar from close range and Niall Flynn had a volley that was saved by the keeper. The game finished 4-2. Best for Hotspurs were Chris Higgins, Niall Flynn, Mark Wolfe and Hotspurs man of the match Scott O’Connor. Best for Old fort were Bland in Goals, Lee Carroll Talbot, Byron Mcguirk and Robbie Farrell

Newbridge United FC 0 9 Clane United FC

Clane visited Newbridge in their last away fixture of the season .  The visitors started strong dominating the early exchanges and took the lead on the 16th minute as Andrew Leavy drove into the box and played a ball straight into the  path of Eoghan Maguire to finish . It was one way traffic now as Leavy scored the second teed up by Liam Deane.  Clane  added 3 more goals all coming from Anaeas Murphy corners converted by Jack Kelly and 2 from Cathal Geoghegan to go 5 up at the break .  The second half continued in the same vein with Clane introducing fresh legs with Ben Kirwin and Nathan Carr having an immediate impact . In a dominant second half display the away side added a further 5 goals through Maguire Deane, Kirwin, Carr, and Ralph to run empathic winners against a Newbridge side missing some key players .  Best for the winners were Andrew  Leavy, Eoghan Maguire, Aneas Murphy and Liam Deane.

Arlington FC 0 3 Clonmullion FC

League champions Clonmullion F.C. made the short trip across the border to Laois to take on Arlington in this Senior Division clash. The visitors rang the changes for this one to give game time to everyone. The Mull took the lead after 8 minutes when Keane Cully hit an accurate cross field pass to Jake Nicholl who picked out Joe Doran at the back post to nod home from close range. Danny Thompson was proving to be a handful and another dribbling attack down the right saw him cut in onto his left foot only to see his effort hit the outside of the post with keeper Luke McEvoy beaten. Corey Moore intercepted the ball from a rare Arlington attack and laid it off to Cully who's spectacular effort from his own half seemed to fool McEvoy and hit the back of the net to make it 2 nil just before the half hour mark. Ten minutes later Adam Dunne went on a mazy run down the right and tried to curl the ball into the other side of Evan Grattan’s goals but the keeper had it well covered. Grattan was well positioned again a minute later when Olumaide Solanke fired a stinging effort from the edge of the box. Just before half time Keane picked out Doran who went around the keeper and shot but Phelim O Kane recovered well to clear off his line only for the ball to fall to Tom Nolan who's effort was stopped by the recovering McEvoy. 

Five minutes into the second half Thompson crossed to Ceilum Maher who's first time effort was blocked by Chris Hoskins. Thompson was again denied by the woodwork after brilliant build up play between Maher, Nathan Robinson and John Ryan on the hour mark. Moore played a clever ball between the centre halves and full back Alex Dunne which Maher took in his stride and he was very unlucky to see his shot go narrowly wide. Johnny Fennell returning from a long lay off was causing Arlington all sorts of problems with his marauding runs down the left and one such run and cross was met beautifully by Maher who's first time effort was deflected out of danger by O Kane. Thompson got the goal his performance deserved when he was taken down 25 yards out and he got up to curl a delightful free kick into the bottom corner to make it 3 nil. Best for Arlington were captain Iain Higgins, who never stopped driving his side forward, Phelim O’Kane, who defended solidly, and Mark Ugochukwu.