LFA Competition !
Hardwick FC 4 Suncroft AFC 2
Suncroft bowed out at the first hurdle of the Leinster Junior Cup, letting a two goal lead slip to AUL
side Hardwick FC. Josh Lee had the away side's first opening and was unlucky to see his right footed
effort just slip past the post. Eoin Doyle put the 'Croft ahead in the twenty five minute when he curled
a first time effort into the top corner from just inside the area when played in from a Dylan Connolly
pass. Suncroft went 2-0 up when Ben Kinsella pressure on the defender forced an own goal with thirty
five minutes played.
Suncroft led 2-0 at the break but suffered a second half collapse, conceding four goals. Hardwick's
first goal was scored from close range after a rebound in the 55th minute. The home side then drew
level 5 mins later with a defence splitting pass leading to a one on one and the Hardwick player made
no mistake with the finish. Hardwick took the lead in the 70th minute from the penalty spot. Suncroft
almost drew level soon after when Niall Flynn saw his headed effort crash back off the crossbar after
a fine cross from Stevie Coyne. With the 'Croft pushing to get back on level terms Hardwick took
advantage of the space afforded them by sealing the win and their place in the next round with the
fourth goal in the eighty fifth minute. Suncroft, although not at their best, were served well with fine
display's from Ryan Farrell, Cathal Mahon and Eoin Doyle.
Clane United FC 7 Knockmitten United FC 3
Clane dominated the opening period playing some lovely football . It took twenty minutes for the
opening goal to arrive with Ciaran Kelly shooting from distance to fire Clane ahead . Clane on top
should have really added an extra goal or two were made to paid the price as Knockmitten equalised
through a penalty and soon added a second to take the lead at half time . In the second half Clane
came out strong but were hit on the counter attack as the away side took a 3 1 lead. On the forty
seventh minute the home side took control again and threw everything at Knockmitten and scored six
goals without reply all courtesy of Kelly and Comiskey who were the stars on the night in all round
fantastic team performance.
Rathangan AFC 4 Kilcock Celtic (LSL) 0
Rathangan started well in the first half of this game against Leinster Senior League side Kilcock Celtic
FC and were three up at half time. In the twelfth minute Lee Moore struck the back off the net.
Rathangan's second goal came in the thirty ninth minute when the home side got a free and Iain
Doyle placed it in the bottom right hand corner. In the forty second minute Alex Conlan was taken
down in the box. The ever reliable Moore steps up to make it three nil going into half time. The second
half was a quiet affair but Rathangan's team play was magnificent and in the seventy ninth minute
with some great skill by Arun Doyle to beat three players to cross the ball to Alex Conlan who shot but
Moore was at the end of it to make sure it was going over the line. Great team play by Rathangan.
Best for the winners were Darragh O'Loughlin,Stefan Lawlor, Alex Conlan, Iain Doyle and man of the
match Lee Moore
Clonmullion AFC 6 Curracloe United FC 0
Curracloe made the long journey to Micheál O Neill Park for this Leinster Junior Cup tie and found the
home side in clinical form. The Mull went close after only three minutes when Cody Mulhall and
Nathan Robinson combined for a short corner routine that saw the latter fire just over the bar. Only
three minutes later Jodie Dillon opened the scoring after Dean O Sullivan Owens set Mulhall inside
full back Ryan Kiely and his whipped cross was headed home by Dillon. On the tenth minutes
Robinson went close to doubling the lead after great approach play by Lee Day and Lee Foley but his
effort was tipped over by keeper Andrew Bolger. The visitors first attack came on the quarter hour
mark when Stephen McGuire passed out wide to Diarmuid Byrne but his driven cross come shot flew
just wide of Michael Lawless's goals. With twenty minutes gone Owens and Day combined to put
Ross Cardiff in at the back post but he blazed over from close range. Cardiff was in on goal again a
few minutes later after the influential Day clipped a lovely ball over the top but Kiely slid in to block the
shot. The Seasiders had their best chance of the game on the half hour mark when McGuire raided
down the right and his cross was met by the head Byrne but flew over the top from ten yards out. Five
minutes later the home side went two up when Cardiff battled hard to win the ball back in the middle
of the park and laid it off to Mulhall who expertly picked out Dillon who made no mistake. Just before
half time Jay Connell won the ball at the back and stepped out defence and squared to Mulhall who
again put Dillon through on goal and he lifted the ball over the advancing Bolger to complete his hat
trick. The second half started in the same pattern as the first with Clonmullion on the front foot and
Cardiff was again involved when he won the ball back and fed Foley who picked out Mulhall whose
twenty five yard effort squirmed just under Bolger to make it 4 nil. With ten minutes of the second half
gone Robinson had a shot charged down that bounced in front of Owens who hit it first time on the
half volley and it flew into the back of the net before Bolger could react. Rickie Moriarty was unlucky
not to get on the score sheet after he was quickest to react to a parried header from Connell but it hit
the outside of the post. Owens got his second of the game to make it six nil after he latched on to a
Robinson pass and slotted beautifully with his left foot low to the bottom corner. The winner's were
best served by Connell and Foley at the back Day, Cardiff and Robinson in the middle and Owens
and the deadly duo of Mulhall and Dillon up front. Best for the visitors were keeper Bolger, and full
back Kiely and McGuire and Byrne in the middle.
Clara Town AFC 3 Athy Town AFC 4 (AET)
In an absolute thriller reminiscent of times gone by between these two clubs, Athy Town
came out on top with club captain, Aaron Meade, sealing the win for the ‘Town in the second
half of extra time to send Athy through to the next round of the Leinster Junior Cup. It had all
started so well for Athy, two goals in rapid succession by top scorer, Steven French, saw the
Town go two up before the eighteenth minute.
A proud club like Clara were not going to go down this easy though and pulled one back
from the penalty spot just before half time. Again, Athy started the second half like the first
and were unlucky not to score another brace before midfielder, Stephen May, scored the goal
of the game with a screamer from twenty five yards out, yet again, Clara found another gear
and clawed Athy back with two smart finishes in the sixtieth minute and seventy eight minute
sending the game into extra time.
The town, making several subs, again got on top and were unlucky not to score in the first
half of extra time, the Clara custodian making several excellent stops. The winner came in
the second minute of the second period after a excellent run by Meade himself saw him go
one on one with the keeper, a smart finish under the on rushing keeper saw the ball nestle in
the bottom corner to send the Town through to the next round.
Best for Athy were veteran, Brendan Curtis, Aaron Meade, Stephen French and Stephen
May, also a welcome return to action for keeper, Conor Germaine, who was out injured for
the best part of three months.