League Cup action !
Coill Dubh AFC 4 Clonmullion FC 9
This Lumsden Cup tie was a very high scoring affair played out in Coill Dubh last Friday evening. The visitors almost went ahead after only three minutes when a Garry Comerford corner kick was well defended by Billy McNamee but his header fell to Jody Dillon whose shot was blocked down by Dan Small. Five minutes later Clonmullion did go ahead from a brilliant free kick by Nathan Robinson after Dillon had been fouled just outside the box. The home side almost drew level straight away when Small threaded a great ball through to Evan Moore but his first touch just ran away from him allowing keeper Michael Lawless to come off his line to clear. With fifteen minutes gone the Dubh drew level when Joe Bowers picked out Barry Noone who lifted the ball over the advancing Lawless. However five minutes later the visitors went ahead again in bizarre circumstances as the keeper Philip Doyle rolled the ball to the edge of the box unaware that the alert Dillon was hovering and pounced to take the ball round the keeper and tap into the empty net. The Mull increased the lead on the twenty five minute when Robinson whipped in a great corner kick and Mark Hughes rose highest to head home to make it 3 1. Dillon got his second soon after when Johnny Fennel picked him out with a fine cross. Chris Chanders then scored his first and second goals for Clonmullion on the fortieth and forty third minutes after great approach play between Comerford and Robinson which left the visitors with a comfortable 6 1 lead at half time.
Manager Barry Hughes rang the changes at half time and when a Robinson corner was headed clear Dylan Harmon substitute Dean Fennessy’s half volley was just too high. On the hour mark the home side got a second when Barry Noone intercepted a pass from Lawless and his shot deflected in off Keane Cully. A few minutes later Coill Dubh got a third when Moore found Conor Commiskey and he made no mistake from 1ten yards out. Dubh continued to push and a Harmon corner was headed just over the bar by Bowers with twenty five minutes left. However from the kick out Lawless picked out Lee Day in the middle of the park and he hit a sublime ball to Lee Doyle who hit a first time shot past Doyle to make it 7 3. Nicky Leonard got his sides eight of the game when he got on the end of a brilliant free kick from the back by Cully. The home side continued to battle and got their fourth of the night when Moore and Bowers combined to put Commiskey through on goal and he made no mistake. Chanders almost got his third after Leonard set Ross Cardiff free down the right wing and his excellent cross picked out the striker but he headed just wide. Cully deservedly his sides ninth when he rose unopposed to head home a Robinson corner. Best for Coill Dubh were Dan Small, Joe Bowers, Dylan Harmon and Connor Commiskey. While Clonmullion had stand out performances from Hughes and Cully who's distribution from the back was very impressive and Comerford and Robinson who's work rate and creativity in midfield continues to dominate teams and the pairing of Dillon and Chanders is really starting to bear fruit.
Arlington FC 4 Kildare Town AFC 1 (AET)
Arlington made it to the last eight of the Lumsden League cup with a 4-1 win over a good Kildare town side after extra time. Kildare Town started brightly and forced Evan Grattan into a good save down low to his left. Arlington created some chances of their own in the early minutes through Olu Solanke and Ceilum Maher , Grattan was again called into action this time down to his right to palm a strike from distance to safety, The game hit a patchy spell with neither side getting to grips with the slippy conditions. On the half hour mark Shane Nealon flashed a shot just into the side net after good work down the right. Three minutes before the break Arlington got a corner from the right which just went wide , Craig Fleet unfortunately dislocated his shoulder challenging for the ball from the corner and was forced off. It was 0-0 at the break. Kildare started the better and got the lead goal on fifty minutes after they broke the Arlington back line. Arlington thought they got back on level terms when a good ball from Jake Nicholl found Ceilum Maher in the middle who finished calmly only for the ref to whistle for offside. Arlington introduced Joe Gorman after sixty minutes to give more attacking treat and a tactical switch in midfield gave Arlington a better foothold in the game and started to play some good football. The equaliser came on the sixty fifth minute when Ceilum cut in from the left and squared the ball to Shane Nealon to smash the ball home from just outside the box. The home side nearly took the lead on seventy three minutes when Jake Nicholl struck a free from the right hand side which looked to be heading into the top left corner only for the Kildare keeper to get his fingertips to it to send it out for a corner. Both sides failed to create much in the last fifteen meaning extra time was on the cards.
Arlington got off to a flying start in extra time and took the lead after five minutes when Olu Solanke was brought down for a penalty. Nealon stepped up a sent the keeper the wrong way a slot into the bottom right to leave Arlington 2-1 up going into the second half of extra time. Kildare nearly got back into the game after two minutes of the second half when they won a free kick twenty five yards out and caught Arlington napping with a ball slid into the striker to shoot. Evan Grattan was quick off his line and bravely dive amongst bodies to save down to his left and clear the rebound.
Arlington went up the other end and killed the game off when Olu Solanke beat four Kildare defenders, went around the keeper only to loose his footing but Joe Gorman was free to just roll the ball home from five yards to put them 3-1 up. Arlington got a fourth nearly straight away when a mix up at the back for Kildare who played the ball directly across their box where Daniel Stefanov reacted and scored from eight yards with the keeper out of his goal. Best for Arlington were Solanke, Nealon and Man of the Match Evan Grattan
League action !
Clongorey FC 3 Ballycane Celtic FC 0
A young home side produced a well drilled performance. David o Callaghan controlled everything in midfield with Sean Carter. Bryan Levey and Ronan Kelly worked their socks off from start to finish. Clongorey opened the scoring with Reece MC Loughlin who produced an outstanding goal poacher performance but also was man of the match with his work rate and commitment to the game . Danny Callan caused the away side many problems and worked well with Reece up top . Clongorey found themselves 3-0 up after twenty five minutes with Reece MC Loughlin scoring a second and one from Bryan Leavy. Ballycane finally settled down lead by Wayne and Leon Doyle at the back both making some vital interception and getting their foot on the ball to control the tempo. Keelan Noone really started to make some penetrative runs throughout the Clongorey defence, opening up gaps for Martin Stafford and Liam Dreamy but they could find no way through a solid home defence. Dean Preston was winning a lot ball in the midfield for Ballycane putting in serious shift to get his team on the front foot. Ballycane went very close on a couple of occasions from corner kicks some excellent deliveries by Leon Doyle but that telling touch eluded Liam Dreamy on two separate occasions. The away side when in 3-0 down at halftime but still very much in the game.
The travelling Ballycane were on the front foot from the opening tip of the second half with Wayne Bubba Doyle spraying balls left to right probing for an opening .A great exchange between Doyle , Preston which culminated in Keelan Noone skipping by two Clongorey defenders and bending a shot just over the crossbar to the sighs of the Ballycane bench. Ballycane having some joy down the right wing with Leon Doyle , Stephen Durney and Jonny Sullivan all linking up well. Clongorey posing some real threats of their own with Micheal Dohney Wayne Bubba Doyle make some vital tackles to keep the game competitive. Shane Herbert made a string of spectacular saves in the Ballycane goal to keep his side a float midway through the second half. Both sides rung in the changes and Ballycane pushed for a goal to get them back into the game but couldn't breakdown a good Clongorey Rearguard. Best for the winners were Man of the the match Reece MC Loughlin best of the rest were Bryan Levey, Ronan Kelly , David o Callaghan, Sean Carter and Marvin Mbala and Gary Hunt and Adam Doyle who per usual very good. Best for Ballycane were Keelan, Noone and Preston in the Middle the Father son Doyle duo at the back along with Doheny and Herbert.
Rathangan AFC 0 Naas United FC 3
Naas United travelled to Rathangan on Friday for an eagerly awaited senior league game, in perfect conditions and with a beautiful Rathangan pitch the game started at breakneck speed with both sides playing very attractive football .Naas though began to take control and on the twenty minute great work by Dano Adejo to supply Jordan Martella who beat two players before sending a beautiful cross over to Manny who superbly rose to guide his header into the top corner of the home sides net .Rathangan tried to respond with some good interplay but Joe Breen and Doyle were denied by some staunch defensive play from Matt Drewitt ,Jamie Dunne ,Rox Higgins and the superb Daniel Philips .On the twenty fourth minute Darragh Faherty was fouled thirty yards out Brian Nolan stepped to curl a superb left footed shot into the top corner leaving Rathangan goalkeeper Craig Shannon with no chance .Naas were well on top now and had two penalties appeals turned down , Rathangan were hoping to get into the game and Joe Breen came closest with a stunning strike but only to came off the cross bar. The In the fortieth minute the ever dangerous Manny Philips was fouled thirty yards out and when Brian Nolan stepped up again you could see the trepidation in the Rathangan players and goalkeeper Shannon once again Nolan hit a beautiful left foot bullet this time to the opposite top corner leaving the keeper a spectator once again .The first half ended with Naas 3 nil up .
The second half understandably was slower than the first with both sides having a lot of the ball but not any real goal mouth incidents and a few player injuries making it stop start too often .The game finished with Naas utd very deserving 3-0 winners. Best for an excellent Naas side on the night were Dano Adejo , Rox Higgins , Manny Philips and the superb Daniel Philips and man of the match Brian Guzzer Nolan with two excellent free kicks. Best for Rathangan was Colin Scanlan, and Dan Mulpeter
Newbridge Hotpsurs FC 4 Suncroft AFC 3
Suncroft started the game better and took an early lead after some poor defending and good finishing. They added a second soon after with a finish at the back post after a free kick was floated in. This seemed to spark Hotspurs into life and they started to create chances and take control of the game. They got their reward when a foul on Greg Kelly led to Christopher Higgins smashing his free kick into the top corner. Things were all level just a few mins later when Shane Smyth cut inside and scored low into the bottom corner to make it 2-2. In an amazing first half Hotspurs then took the lead with Smyth scoring again following good play from Scott O Donoghue yet again. Soon after Suncroft were awarded a penalty for a foul in the box but the home Keeper Reece Winders saved low to his left. Half time 3-2. Suncroft came out meaning business at the start of the second half and eventually got an equaliser. Some good team play resulted in a great shot and finish and it was tied up at 3-3. From here both sides had chances with posts and crossbars hit by both teams in what had turned into a game of many chances. The home team then took the lead with not long left on the clock with MOTM Scott O Donoghue scoring with a great shot to leave the score at 4-3 to the home side. Suncroft pushed and had a few chance in the remaining fifteen minutes and Hotspurs could have grabbed another goal to seal the game but in the end hung on for the three points.