Boys U16 (2009) Premier - Rathangan FC
The Clash of the Titans: Naas AFC 3-3 Rathangan FC
From the first whistle, Naas AFC looked dangerous in attack. Just minutes in, a Dawid Kolter free kick found Conor Fagan, who sent his header just wide. It didn’t take long for Fagan to find his mark, though. In the 5th minute, Liam O’Shea played a perfectly weighted through ball, setting Fagan up one-on-one with the keeper. With calmness and composure, he slotted home to put Naas 1-0 up.
The same duo combined again four minutes later, but this time, Fagan’s shot was well saved. Rathangan looked to respond, but excellent tracking back from Ryan Murtagh and O’Shea shut down a dangerous attack, with O’Shea winning a free kick to ease the pressure. However, just two minutes later, Rathangan were awarded a free kick of their own. The initial shot was saved, but the away side reacted quickest to stab home the rebound—1-1.
As the game opened up, showcasing end-to-end football at its finest, Oran Sherry found himself through on goal in the 28th minute. He made no mistake, restoring Naas’s lead at 2-1. Rathangan pushed for another equalizer, and Jack Tilly produced a trademark last-ditch tackle to prevent a certain goal. But on 37 minutes, the away side finally broke through again, levelling the score at 2-2 before halftime.
Second Half: A Dramatic Finish
Just after the restart, Rathangan took the lead for the first time, making it 3-2 in the 42nd minute. With time slipping away, Naas dug deep, searching for an equalizer. They threw everything forward, knowing they’d be vulnerable on the counter, but a strong Jake Dooley tackle stopped Rathangan from extending their lead.
Sherry and Mattias both saw their efforts saved, while Murtagh and Fagan continued to push forward, urged on by the Naas fans on the side line. As the game neared its conclusion, Rathangan must have thought they had done enough to hold on.
But football has its twists. Deep into injury time, Naas’s coaching staff made some tactical changes that proved decisive. After some brilliant work from Murtagh, Liam Mescal popped up in the right place at the right time, tapping home a dramatic equalizer. Rathangan thought it was over—well, now it was. 3-3.
A Victory in Spirit
While the scoreboard read a draw, this result felt like a victory for Naas and a crushing blow for Rathangan. The relentless never-give-up attitude of this team was on full display.
This was a true squad performance, with every player playing their part. Huey Phelan, Christy Reilly, Brody Power, Oliver Curran, Luca, Jack Campbell, Jake Pitt Byrne, Conor Murtagh, and Matthew Greene—all of you are vital to this team.
You win together. You lose together. You draw together.
And if this squad continues to perform with this level of heart and determination, they won’t just be drawing games—they’ll be celebrating a league title together.
