League Action!
Athy Town AFC 8 Kilcock Celtic 1
Despite the early exchanges being quite even, the town absolutely blitzed Kilcock between the fifteenth and thirtieth minutes when goals from Darragh Faherty (2) and a Stephen French hatrick saw the game over as a contest, it could of been more only for the Celtic keeper who made some excellent saves through out the night.
Athy conceded their first goal in ten games when kilcock finished a slick move on the hour.
Athy finished off the game with goals from the excellent Chris Chanders and Sub Craig Phillips. Best for Athy Town on the night were Chris Chanders, Stephen French, Eoghan Molloy and Murt Brennan in the middle of the field.
Clane United AFC 5 SPWFC 0
Clane didn’t take long to open the scoring on the fifth minute as Stephen dunne crossed from the right by line to find Sean Connolly to convert from close range . Clane soon made it 2-0 when Ciaran Kelly headed down the ball straight into Eoghan Maguire to finish it off into the bottom corner. Having gone two behind the away side came into the game and threatened the Clane goal on few occasions through Tim Cullen and Stephen Millane and Danny Callan. Clane made it 3 - 0 through Connolly again on the thirtieth. Connolly was then very unlucky not to make it a hat trick as his close range shot hit the crossbar. Clane went in leading 3-0 at the break.
The home side came out strong in the second half and on the forty ninth minute Andy Brogan sealed the win with a fine individual goal . Maguire added a fifth minutes later to finish the scoring . To SPWFC’s credit they never gave up with the game seemingly beyond them and created numerous good chances through Richard Kenna, Ronan Fennessy and Aaron Akanji. Best for Clane were Kelly Maguire Connolly while for SPWFC Grant Courtney and Marvin Mbala done well for the away side.
Kilcullen AFC 0 Naas United FC 1
Naas United travelled to Kilcullen on Saturday evening to take on a well oiled Kilcullen side on what was a fantastic pitch. Fergal Finn’s side definitely began the brighter of the two sides as they created a couple of early opportunities, Colin Scanlon came closest early on with two headers but neither was accurate enough to worry Higgins in the Naas goal. Mark Wolfe, who was on fire down the left side, saw a good effort tipped over the bar after 20 minutes.
The visitors have had a strange period of injuries and it had coincided with players away on holiday which once again meant numbers were low. They had an early free kick go close early on when Ver Nolan was unlucky with a strike from twenty five yards out five minutes later Keith Higgins had to be alert to pull off a good save from former United player Paul Clifford who struck from the angle of the box. The home side had the better first half chances, both Clifford and Wolfe found Higgins in brilliant form. Naas got themselves into the grip of the game as we came to the half hour mark. Long distance shots from Adam Colton and John Paul Higgins forced easy saves for the home keeper before Johnny Finnegan was unlucky not to get on the end of Dane Higgins cross. Liam Marshall was making his first start in over six weeks and his class in midfield really began to show the more the game went on. They won a free kick in a dangerous area on thirty seven minutes, Nolan clipped a lovely ball in behind the line and Paul Ometeso’s flick came back of the top of the cross bar. Colton and Finnegan momentarily swapped position on forty third minute and Finnegan beat his man well before turning in a cross that Scanlon did well to get a touch on as Colton was about to pull the trigger. 0-0 it was at half time.
Naas kept their momentum going into the second half, Kelvin Dennan has been excellent since signing when the window opened and he had a cracking game at right full, with John Paul Higgins partnered with Rob Heavey and the ever reliable Jamie Dunne at left full, this was not going to be an easy defence to break. Liam Marshal went on a mazy run and was unlucky to see his shot blocked. Kilcullen got back into the game. First Eoin O’Leary sent an inviting cross to the head of Wolfe but his headed effort was just wide then O’Leary shot wide from an Eamon Doyle cross. On thirty fifth minutes Kilcullen had their best effort again from Wolfe who’s left foot shot cannoned off the post and the scores remained level. As is often the case, the team that don’t take their chances get punished and with 10 minutes left Naas got the goal to settle the tie. The away side could sense the chance was coming and it looked like they were about to go 1-0 up on seventy sixth minutes but Johnny Finnegan after beating the offside trap saw his attempt just cleared about cleared off the line two minutes later though the breakthrough goal finally arrived and it was another set piece delivery from Nolan which caused the problem for the home side as he once again picked out Ometeso whose deft touch this time beat the keeper and dropped into the net sparking great celebrations from the traveling support. Naas did of course have to defend well in the final minutes John Paul Higgins having his best game of the season with some precise tackles and brilliant headers. Wolfe was the biggest threat, but he didn’t get much of a look in late on either as Dunne kept forcing him into the crowded midfield areas..
Its harsh on a brilliant team performance to pick a man of the match. But there were Top displays all around. All three Higgins brothers were excellent, Dennan, Heavey and Dunne. Finnegan up front was incredible late on and of course the goal scorer Ometeso once again capping a fine display with the goal. Best for Kilcullen were Alan Crowe, Mark Wolfe and Brian Murphy stood out.