Newbridge Hotspurs FC 2 Coill Dubh AFC 1
Newbridge Hotspurs continued their fine form of late with this narrow hard fought victory over a strong Coill Dubh outfit on Sunday morning in a warm and humid Sniggs Brogan Park.
The first half saw neither team taking full control. That said, there were some chances for both sides. The first one for Hotspurs was on the fifteenth minute when Shane Smith found the back of the net following a Chris Higgins pass, however Smith was judged to be offside. One minute later Coill Dubh almost made the breakthrough when their striker got on the end of a good pass but his strike went just wide of the mark. On the 20th minute, Hotspurs found the back of the net again when Sean Higgins headed from a Ryan O’Donoghue corner but Higgins was adjudged to have impeded on the shoulders of the Coill Dubh defender. On the half hour mark Hotpsurs Chris Higgins had a chance when he took control of a fine Eamon Doyle pass, he went past two players and struck low towards the corner but Coill Dubh keeper Luke Anderson was alert to the danger. Seven minutes later Mikey Murphy, was unlucky for the home side when he shot from just inside the box following a flick over the Coill Dubh right back, the powerful shot was well saved by Anderson in the visiting goal. Coill Dubh had two chances before half time, on both occasions, the Hotspurs defensive quartet of Eoin Phillips, Barry Doyle, Sean Higgins and Robbie Higgins were alert to deal with the pressure getting their blocks in thwarting the Coill Dubh attack. Just before half time, Shane Smith did have a chance but his header went just wide. The game went in 0-0 at half time.
Hotspurs made one change at half time with Eoin McGrath replacing Shane Smith in attack. The game itself started to open up in the second half. Hotspurs had a double chance on the fifty fourth minute when an Eoin McGrath shot was saved by Anderson, however, the play was still live and Mikey Murphy squared the ball to Eamon Doyle whom shot low and hard but a certain goal was stopped by a fantastic save from Anderson who was living a charmed life in the visiting goal. On the sixty first minute, Sean Higgins had a shot that went over the bar. Hotspurs made their second change of the game when Greg Kelly replaced Ryan O’Donoghue. Four minutes later, Eoin McGrath shot just wide.
A big moment arrived for Coill Dubh’s Ryan Grace, making his senior debut, as he scored a brilliant strike that nestled in to the corner of the net one minute later to put Dubh in front. Hotspurs made another substitution when Scott O’Donoghue replaced Chris Higgins. Coill Dubh were testing Hotspurs at this point but Hotspurs composed themselves. Hotpsurs tactical tweaks bore dividends soon after when on the 72nd minute they equalised when some brilliant play on the left side of the pitch by Sean Higgins and Robbie Higgins led to Sean playing a pass to Mikey Murphy, Murphy held the ball up on the outside of the box and waited for Sean Higgins overlap, Murphy perfectly timed the pass and Sean Higgins crossed to Eoin McGrath who shot from close range, 1-1.
At this point, Hotspurs made their fourth change when Dan Kavanagh replaced Eoin Phillips at right back. At this point, Hotspurs pressure was building with a few half chances occurring. With five minutes remaining on the clock Hotspurs Scott O’Donoghue had a chance following an Eamon Doyle cross but his header was straight at the keeper. Hotspurs found the winner with two minutes to go when cometh the hour, cometh the man, Eoin McGrath, who entered the fray at half time, duly obliged with an absolute stunner of a goal. The goal itself was created when Coill Dubh were on the attack, Dan Kavanagh sensing danger raced over the left back position and made a vital tackle to intercept, Kavanagh took control and made a pass to Eoin McGrath on the left hand side of the Coill Dubh half. McGrath took it on running at the Coill Dubh defence and he then rifled a shot from twenty five yards and it went straight into the top corner of the net, giving Anderson no chance. After this, Coill Dubh did come at Hotspurs again and were awarded a free kick in injury time just outside the box. The Hotspurs wall however blocked the shot, with the home side taking all three points. Best for the winners were Eoin Walsh, Robbie Higgins, Sean Higgins and Hotspurs man of the match Eoin McGrath. Coill Dubh may be disappointed they didn't secure at least a point after a ding-dong battle throughout the match. Standout performances came from Joe Bowers (Defence), Luke Anderson (Goal), Ryan Murran (Midfield), Ryan Grace (Striker), and their man of the Match, Cian MacMahon (Left Full)
Old Fort Celtic FC 1 Clane United FC 3
Clane United made the trip south on a warm Friday evening last looking to bounce back to winning ways after a disappointing defeat to Naas United when they took on Senior League newcomers Old Fort Celtic, still trying to find their feet in the top flight. After a cagey start the first opportunity arrived from the away side from a Cathal Geoghegan header tipped over the bar by the old fort keeper Dean Bland . On the fifteenth minute Geoghegan again rose highest from a Stephen Leavy corner and found the bottom corner to make it 1-0 to the visitors. On twenty five minutes the home side equalised when some nice work down the right from Daryl Ntumba results in Ryan Little’s goal bound effort rebound out to the edge of the box, Robbie Farrell’s initial shot was blocked and the ball landed nicely to Dan Adeoye who hit it on the half volley from the edge of the area giving visiting keeper John Ball no chance, 1-1.
Following the equaliser Clane had a patch fifteen minute spell but then started to take control and nearly restored their advantage as Dean Commisky looked set to score only be denied by the alert Bland in the home goal. On the half hour mark James Ralph made it 2 - 1 to the visitors with a fine individual goal. During a period of dominance Geoghegan burst into the box only to be fouled and a penalty awarded. Up stepped Aidan Ralph to make it 3 - 1 going into the break .
The second half Contined in the same vein with Clane looking comfortable defending a dangerous Old Fort attack were twarted every time by the visiting back four of Sean Sheridan, Jack Kelly, Gav Dwyer and Mark Kelly with John Ball rarely callled into Action. Clane failed to add to their tally as Old Fort had solid performances from Lee Carroll Talbot, Eoin Carroll and David Costigan despite the best efforts of Clane’s Kelly, Geoghegan, James Ralph and Liam Deane. Best for the home side were Captain Dean Bland in goals with so many very Important saves to keep them in the game, Byron McGuirk, Dan Adeoye, Lee Carroll also excelled.
Kilcullen AFC 4 Rathangan AFC 1
It was a great morning for a game of football, fabulous conditions and a large expectant crowd were back on the Avondale pitch watching KDFL Senior football after a nearly two years absence. Both sides came into the game needing a positive result to move up the KDFL Senior team table. The large crowd were not to be disappointed as Kilcullen started off the better side and got their first goal fifteen minutes in with a nice tidy finish from our senior team captain Dylan Aulsberry. The next goal came twenty minutes later as Dean Conroy slotted in and another nice composed finish from some great work from Niall Flynn. Kilcullen kicked on from there and got another from Dylan Aulsberry right at the half hour mark with another cool finish from a Darragh Kelly cross. Dean Conroy stepped up again just before half time to make it 4-0 to the home side.
A different performance from the visitors saw them shore up their defence and come back into the game with Tommy Power leading by example and they got a deserved goal from the edge of the box which was a lovely finish from the hardworking Power. The warm conditions caught up with both teams and the game finished 4-1 Kilcullen AFC. Best for Kilcullen we’re Dylan Aulsberry, Dean Conroy and Cian Gilson but man of the match has to go to Robbie Lee who was superb, composed from the very start and back to his very best. Best for Rathangan Tommy Power, Finn Black and Oisin Conroy. Special mention and a thanks from all at Kilcullen AFC to “el presidente Freddie Mitchell” for his endless work to prepare the Avondale for football. It is a credit to the time and effort he puts in for our club.
Naas United FC 2 Clonmullion FC 0
Last Season’s Lumsden League Cup winners Naas United FC hosted the current Senior Division Champions Clonmullion FC on a sunny Sunday morning in Clane United’s all weather facility at Doctor’s road. In what was a very hotly anticipated game, both teams started at a very high intensity. The first chance of the game fell to the ever - dangerous Stephen French but his chipped effort went over the Clonmullion cross bar. Five minutes later Clonmullion’s Nathan Robinson picked out Joe Brennan who passed onto Mark Hughes who played a neat one two with Cody Mulhall and shifted the ball onto Chris Chanders but his effort flew just over. Naas’s Sheldon Mbala hit a long ball over the top to French who cushioned it down to Daragh Faherty but he shot wide. Ten minutes before the break Clonmullion’s Jay Connell played a lovely diagonal ball to Hughes who's volleyed pass found Mulhall in space and he returned the ball to Hughes but Higgins got down to save. Just on half time another Clonmullion attack saw Jack Brennan battled hard to win the ball back in the middle of the park and passed out to his brother Joe who found Keane Cully who jinked past Faherty and laid the ball off to Hughes who's shot went narrowly wide. At the other end Naas’s Jordan Martella and Wayne Long were linking well but just failed to find French up front for the all important opener.
The inevitable Naas breakthrough came eventually just after the hour mark when the superb Daragh Faherty danced his way through a few defenders before rifling the ball into the bottom corner for a super goal. Clonmullion pushed hard for an equaliser and Chanders and Cully combined well to create space out wide for Benny Lawlor who's cross was just taken off the head of Mulhall by Higgins. The visitors continued to press and a Mulhall corner could only be parried by Higgins but no one in a white shirt reacted quickly enough as the ball dropped and it was booted to safety. A quickly taken Robinson free kick to Mulhall caught the Naas defence off guard but his effort flew narrowly wide. With Clonmullion pressing so high for a goal they were leaving it scarce at the back and a long ball out of defence found French who flicked it on to Mbala who finished front an acute angle to make it 2 – 0 in added on time. Best for the winners were Jamie Dunne, Keith Higgins, Sheldon Mbala, Jamie Nolan, Daragh Faherty, Martella, Wayne Long, Stephen French and MOTM J.P Higgins. Best for Clonmullion were Connell, Lawlor, Hughes and Chanders.
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