Kildare Football Focus: Athy hit Kilcock for eight as Naas edge Kilcullen

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. 

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 . 
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 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.

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.

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 35 minutes Kilcullen had their best effort again from Wolfe who’s left foot shot cannoned off the post.

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.

KDFL Lumsden League Cup Action

Straffan AFC 2
Rathangan AFC 3 aet

On a perfect day for football in Straffan it was the home side who got off to the better start and went 1-0 up in the third minute.

Five minutes later Rathangan’s Nathan Cullen took the ball off his line to make sure Straffan weren't going to go two up this time. Rathangan then got to grips of the game, a minute later with some good team play Nathan Cullen sent the ball in to Lee Moore to find the target to header the ball to top left hand corner.

Some 24 minutes later when Rathangan were on top, some great team play with some smart swift passing between Iain Doyle and Sam O'Loughlin for Sam hit a bullet of a strike and hit the back of the net. It was 2-1 at half time and everything to play for in the second half.

The second half wasn't as exciting compared to the first but just two minutes reminding the referee deemed for Rathangan to have fouled and pointed to the penalty spot.

Straffan made no mistake to send keeper Craig Shannon the wrong way to send the game into extra time. Rathangan seemed to have the legs and just before the break of extra time. Skipper Tommy Power won the ball in the middle and had the vision to spot Iain Doyle on the right wing who cut inside and drove the ball into the roof of the net. That was game over lights out as Rathangan marched on to the next round. 

Ballycane Celtic FC 2
Suncroft AFC 3

Suncroft made their third trip of the season to Ballycane, this time for round two of the Lumsden League Cup.
In a high scoring game it was the home side who struck first with only six mins played, with 'Cane striker Ross Hazard finding the top corner from just inside the area with 'Croft 'keeper Colin Farrell getting his fingertips to the ball but unable to stop it hitting the net.

Farrell came to his side's rescue moments later with a fine save from close range to keep Ballycane from taking a 2-0 lead within ten minutes.

Suncroft slowly began to gain a foothold in the game and had the equaliser in the eighteenth minute, Cathal Mahon's driving run down the right resulted in a whipped in cross that the Ballycane defender turned into his own net attempting to stop.
The 'Croft side took the lead in the twenty fifth minute, some neat play between Dylan Connolly and Kieron Sheedy resulted in the latter sliding a through ball into the path of Eoin Doyle who fired home.

Suncroft were looking the more dominant as the half wore on but Ballycane always looked dangerous on the counter attack and 'Croft defender Ryan Farrell was forced into a number of last ditch tackles and blocks to keep the lead intact.

Suncroft added a third with thirty six minutes played, Sheedy finding himself through on goal and forcing a save by Keggy in the Ballycane goal, Sheedy reacted the quickest to the resulting rebound and his clever cut back found Doyle in the six yard box who made no mistake in adding his second goal of the game. 

Suncroft added a fourth goal early in the second half, Ballycane failed to clear a Cathal Mahon corner and some nice footwork from Connolly created the space to fire the ball back into the box where Ryan Farrell was waiting to rifle home his first goal of the season.

The home side scored a second goal in the 65 minute to give themselves a shot at a comeback, Suncroft failed to clear their lines properly from a free-kick with the ball falling kindly to the Ballycane attacker just inside the area and his shot flew into the net through a crowded defence. In the ten minutes that followed Ballycane's  second goal they pushed hard for a third but found a stubborn Suncroft defence.

The away side scored their fifth to all but wrap up the tie in the seventy fourth minute, Eoin Doyle completed his hat-trick with a powerful back post header from a pinpoint right wing cross from Kieron Morris. The scoring was completed in the 85 minute when Ben Kinsella was on hand to steer home Connolly's low cross.

Despite not being at their best on the day Suncroft secured their passage into the next round of the Lumsden aided by a man of the match performance from hat-trick hero Eoin Doyle who was run close for that award by Ryan Farrell who excelled in the 'Croft backline. Other strong performers were found in Sheedy, Mahon and second half substitutes Paddy Flood and Niall Flynn