Boys U16 (2009) Premier - Naas United
Naas AFC vs. Naas Utd – A Derby Domination
A local derby, blue vs. black—and by the end of the match, it was the away team left feeling black and blue. For clarity, we'll refer to the teams as AFC and UTD.
From the opening whistle, AFC set the tone, pressing forward with intent. Both teams showed early respect for each other, but it was Matthew Greene who ignited the crowd with a crunching tackle just three minutes in. That moment set the tempo, and AFC stamped their authority on the game.
A delightful through ball from Liam O’Shea found Brody Power, who slid the ball home—only for the goal to be ruled out by a dubious offside call. UTD had a rare attack in the 10th minute, but stand-in goalkeeper Dawid Kolter slowed the striker down just enough for Jack Tilly to make a spectacular acrobatic goal-line clearance.
AFC continued to pile on the pressure. Ryan Murtagh found himself one-on-one with the UTD keeper in the 13th minute but sent his shot wide. Three minutes later, O’Shea ran through midfield and unleashed a 30-yard rocket that skimmed the crossbar. UTD had a free kick well saved by Kolter in the 21st minute, but the breakthrough finally came in the 24th. A Tilly clearance over the UTD defense found Mescal, who pressured the goalkeeper, allowing Oran Sherry to tap home. 1-0 AFC.
AFC continued to dominate. O’Shea won possession and set up Huey Phelan, who played in Murtagh. His cutback found Sherry at the back post, but the UTD keeper saved again. Moments later, Sherry had another chance after a clever through ball from Conor Fagan, but he was once again denied. A Phelan free kick in the 31st minute found Murtagh free at the back post, but his effort went over the bar. Just before halftime, a Fagan cross found Phelan, whose well-struck volley narrowly missed.
Second Half: AFC Turns Up the Heat
AFC picked up right where they left off. Just minutes into the second half, O’Shea’s drag-back set up Sherry, but his effort was saved. However, Sherry wasn’t about to let frustration get the better of him. In the 49th minute, Murtagh’s clever dribbling opened up space, and his cutback found Sherry in acres of space. This time, he made no mistake. 2-0 AFC.
The third goal came in the 54th minute when Fagan played in Mescal, who unselfishly squared it for Murtagh to tap home the goal his performance deserved. Five minutes later, Sherry was taken down for a penalty and stepped up to complete his hat-trick. 4-0 AFC. Not to be outdone, Fagan got in on the scoring in the 67th minute, making it 5-0.
UTD’s coaches had seen enough. The referee blew the final whistle 13 minutes early, bringing an end to an utterly dominant display.
Final Thoughts: The Only Team in Naas
This was more than just a derby win—it was a statement performance. The defensive wall of Kolter, Greene, Tilly, Dooley, Power, and Reilly stood firm to secure a clean sheet. The midfield, marshaled by Phelan, Mattias, O’Shea, and Campbell, controlled the game with ease. Wingers Mescal, Murtagh, and Jake Pitt Byrne tormented the UTD full-backs, while Sherry and Fagan wreaked havoc up front.
Naas AFC proved beyond doubt that when it comes to football in this town, there’s only one dominant force.
