LEINSTER HEAT PUMPS SENIOR DIV TEAM FOCUS

League action !

Clane United FC 4 Newbridge United FC 1

Clane hosted Newbridge Utd for their first encounter of the season .  The game started at a fast tempo with both sides looking to start on the front foot .  The first chance of the game fell to Newbridge striker Denis Keve who broke in the behind but only to be denied by the pacey Sean Sheridan to snuff out the goal bound effort.  Clane started gathering momentum in the attacking side mainly through Eoghan Maguire’s direct running.  The home side applying pressure went close on few occasions through the in form Rasdi Nsimba and Ryan Murran .  The pressure paid off on 18 mins as Rasdi s effort on goal was handled and the ref pointed to the spot.  Up stepped Aidan Ralph who put down the middle to give Clane the lead.  The next 10 mins were all Clane as they looked to get a second.  Maguire missed a gilt edged opportunity from inside the box saved from veteran stopper Kevin Mc Donald.  Moments later Clane went close again as Maguire this time was unlucky hitting the post from a tight angle.  On twenty eight minutes the away side drew level from a moment of brilliance from number 10 James Mahoney.  Mahoney picked up the ball on the left channel cut inside Mark Kelly and rifled a shot into the far top corner from 30 yards giving John ball no chance.    Clane reacted positively to the setback and on the 43 mins Mark Kelly broke from right back  beating the offside trap and finished from a tight angle  to give Clane a lead going into the break. 

Newbridge introduced Ryan Kearney at half time who found space immediately and got a shot away but firing wide . Newbridge enjoyed a spell of possession without really causing too much danger to the home side with the experienced Haverty and Sean Sheridan looking comfortable.  On 55 mins the home side introduced key player Dean Comiskey who within a minute of coming on set up Maguire to score  to make it 3 1 .  Clane having the luxury of bringing on the quality of Comisky, Andrew Leavy, Cathal Geoghan and Nathan Carr in the remaining 3o minutes to be in control of the game.  The points were secured on 73 mins as Ryan Murran shot from edge the box to Make it 4 1 .  Clane ran out deserved winners. Best for the winners were Sean Sheridan. Noel Haverty Ryan

Murran, killian Patchell and  Eogjham Maguire. 

Coill Dubh AFC 1 Clonmullion FC 5

Clonmullion made the long journey up to Cusack Park on Friday night to take on a very young and talented Coill Dubh team. The visitors dominated possession in the early stages but found keeper Ryan Bagnall in fine form denying Cody Mulhall with a full length save in the 12th minute great link up play between Danny Thompson and Lee Doyle. Two minutes later Nathan Robinson picked out full back Doyle with a beautiful left footed pass and his first time cross was handled inside the box by the unfortunate Adam McLoughlin who slipped while trying to intercept the ball. Mulhall stepped up and sent Bagnall the wrong way to put his side one up. Determined to make their dominance pay the visitors pushed forward at every opportunity and made it two nil when a Robinson corner was headed goalwards by Mark Hughes but Bagnall could only parry it back into the path of Keelan Lacey who crashed the ball into the roof of the net. The home side pulled one back a minute later when Jamie Mooney intercepted the ball in the middle of the park and put Cian McMahon in on goal and he finished clinically from just inside the box. Clonmullion regained the two goal advantage on the half hour mark after great interplay by Lacey and Joe Doran to set up Mulhall who was terrorising the home defence. Five minutes later Doran and Mulhall combined to put the latter through but the keeper denied him his third with a terrific double save. Just before half time the elegant Hughes played a lovely diagonal ball from the back to Mulhall who laid the ball into the path of Doyle who whipped in a great cross to the back post where Doran headed down to Chris Chanders who's first time effort just clipped the bar.

Five minutes into the second half Mulhall dropped deep into the middle and put Thompson through but he curled his effort just wide. A minute later a Jake Nicholl diagonal pass was beautifully controlled by Mulhall and laid off to Thompson who was again denied by Bagnall. On the hour mark Mulhall completed his hat trick when Thompson took a quick throw in to the striker who's left footed effort from 25 yards out crashed off the underside of the crossbar giving Bagnall no chance. With twenty minutes left Garry Comerford and Chanders played a lovely one two with the latter curling a right footed effort just wide. Clonmullion keeper Evan Gratton was called into action with five minutes remaining after Emmet Doherty put Conor Comiskey through but Gratton advanced quickly to smother the ball and deny the full back. With two minutes remaining Ceilum Maher beat a couple of defenders down the left hand side before pulling the ball back from the end line where the brilliant Mulhall was on hand to get his fourth goal and round off a masterful display by a player who is right at the top of his game at the moment. 

Moone Celtic FC 3 Newbridge Hotspurs FC 6

In a thrilling encounter packed with goals, Newbridge Hotspurs FC emerged as deserved victors over Moone Celtic FC with a comprehensive 6-3 win, despite an early setback.

Moone Celtic made the perfect start to the match, taking the lead in just the 2nd minute through Dylan Dunning, who found the net with a composed finish. However, the early advantage didn’t last long. In the 21st minute, Newbridge Hotspurs equalised in fortunate fashion when a Mark Wolfe cross was inadvertently turned into the Moone net by a defender. Just a minute later, Newbridge took the lead as Mikey Murphy capitalised on a defensive lapse to make it 2-1. Moone Celtic refused to lie down and got themselves level once again in the 36th minute when Garry Carroll coolly converted from the penalty spot.

The teams went into the break at 2-2, but the second half was a different story. Newbridge Hotspurs seized control after the restart. On 61 minutes, Mikey Murphy grabbed his second of the game from the penalty spot, restoring Newbridge’s lead at 3-2. Seven minutes later, substitute Eoin McGrath extended the advantage to 4-2, finishing well after being set up by Michael Murphy. Murphy was again involved in the 82nd minute, providing another assist—this time for Niall Flynn, who made it 5-2. Hotspurs weren’t done yet. McGrath netted his second and Newbridge’s sixth of the evening on 85 minutes, putting the result beyond any doubt. Moone Celtic managed a late consolation goal in the 88th minute through Callum Kelly, but it was too little too late as Newbridge Hotspurs ran out emphatic 6-3 winners. A strong second-half performance and a clinical attacking display from Newbridge Hotspurs sealed a deserved three points in this high-scoring affair.

Best for Moone Celtic were Dylan Dunning & Garry Carroll. Best for Hotspurs were Mark Wolfe, Eamon Doyle, Ryan O’Donoghue and Hotspurs man of the match Mikey Murphy

Rathangan AFC 2 Naas United FC 2

Naas United were forced to settle for a 2–2 draw away to Rathangan in a fiercely contested encounter that saw the visitors dominate for long periods but ultimately fall short of taking all three points—dealing a major blow to their league title aspirations.

The match began poorly for Naas, with a sluggish and error-prone opening five minutes in midfield gifting Rathangan early possession. The home side punished them swiftly, breaking from a Naas corner to open the scoring in the 6th minute. Rathangan’s Colm Cunningham met the ball cleanly on the edge of the box, unleashing a brilliant volley that flew past Keith Higgins to give the hosts the lead.

Naas though, responded impressively. Jack Conway came close after controlling a long ball from John Paul Higgins with a deft touch, only to fire into the side netting. Shortly after, Niall Faherty weaved through defenders at the edge of the area but dragged his shot just wide.

Growing in confidence, Naas began to take control midway through the half. Niall Faherty and Paul Ometeso were linking up well, causing the Rathangan defence problems and earning two corners as pressure mounted. The deserved equalizer came in the 31st minute when Daragh Faherty burst down the left, beat two defenders, and fired a powerful strike past the keeper at the near post.

Three minutes later, Daragh turned provider, delivering a dangerous cross that Ometeso volleyed just over the bar. Naas nearly snatched the lead in the 36th minute when Niall Faherty’s excellent control and vision set Ometeso through one-on-one, but his effort rattled the post. Despite a dominant spell, the teams went into the break level at 1–1.

Naas came out strong again in the second half, with Travis O’Neill causing real problems down the right wing and twice nearly creating goal-scoring opportunities. But despite being on top, the visitors were punished for a defensive lapse. A loose pass at the back led to keeper Keith Higgins being forced to foul a Rathangan attacker just outside the box. From the resulting free kick, Rathangan’s Iain Doyle bent a perfect strike into the top corner to regain the lead in the 53rd minute.

Undeterred, Naas took control of the game once more, dominating possession and territory for the remainder of the match. John Paul Higgins, Daragh Faherty, and substitute Joe Mills all tested the Rathangan keeper, who pulled off a series of outstanding saves to keep his side ahead.

The breakthrough for Naas finally came in the 73rd minute. Niall Faherty, who had been instrumental all game, showed composure in midfield to slide a precise pass into the path of Paul Ometeso. The striker made no mistake, finishing calmly under the onrushing keeper to level the score.

Naas pushed relentlessly for a winner in the final stages, with Ometeso, Mills, and Ruben Maher all going close, but the elusive third goal never came. Rathangan held on to claim a point—just enough to derail Naas United’s title charge. Top performers for Naas included, man of the match Niall Faherty, whose vision and control drove the team forward, Jamie Dunne, strong and steady in defence, Scott O’Neill, who worked tirelessly in midfield and Paul Ometeso, who once again delivered a vital goal when it mattered.

For a very impressive Rathangan Colm Cunningham, Iain Doyle and Keith Scanlon excelled.