Boys U15 (2010) Premier - Kilcullen
What a team performance from the lads. To a man they were fantastic but they don't like to make things easy for themselves.
On a beautiful Wednesday evening, these two rivals locked horns again in another absorbing, heart stopping match. It is easy to see why these two teams have won the league the last three years, with Kilcullen leading two one on that score.
The game started slowly with both teams feeling each other out and not wanting to give much away in the first few minutes. Naas started to get on top, were stronger into tackles, would not give any time to Kilcullen on the ball. Naas started to create some half chances, with Aaron O Donnell going close from a 20 yard strike which was well saved by the Kilcullen goalkeeper. Naas continued to press and were winning corner after corner and starting to turn the screw. The work rate of the team was unrelenting and started with Ned and Aaron up top, and went through the entire team. Finally Kilcullen wilted under the pressure. Following some good work down the right with Fred Cowdell and Evan Malone, the ball was slipped in Aaron O Donnell down the channel. Aaron made a beeline for the box and was taken down by the Kilcullen centre half. PENO!!! Ref pointed to the spot, Aaron dusted himself down and coolly slotted into the bottom corner. Deserved lead.
Following the goal, Naas's energy levels dipped a little and Kilcullen started to get have more of the ball, and can knock the ball around when they are let. Kilcullen had one clear cut chance, ball was whipped in from the left, centre forward got a toe to it and it looked to be heading into the empty net. Sean Stafford had other ideas, reacted brilliantly and cleared the ball off the line, much to the protests of the Kilcullen mgt who were 60 yards away!!! Get out of it!!
The boys had already put in a huge shift in the first half but mgt asked for more at the start of the second, and the lads duly obliged within 4 minutes with the goal of the game. Following good work by Adam Bracken who won the ball deep in our half, showed composure to play the ball back to Ben Harrington. Ben played a lovely low long ball into Aaron on the counter. Aaron laid a first time ball back to his strike partner Ned Keogh, who played a glorious through ball to Aaron, who raced onto the ball and, with ice in is veins, casually slotted past the Kilcullen keeper to put us 2 up. The lads did not sit back and could sense Kilcullen were on the ropes. We continued to probe and have a high press, and more chances arrived The third arrived midway through the half, following good work from Kian Lawlor, Aaron had a shot from a tight angle, which was saved, ball rebounded to Aaron who slid it across the 6 yard box for the on-rushing Tadgh O Neill to slot home for 3-0. Kilcullen looked dead on their feet and Naas were causing huge problems on the counter with the pace of Max Galvin, Aaron and Kian. We spurned several good changes to male it 4 and 5.
Kilcullen showed why they are current champions by not rolling over and kept fighting. There biggest threat was from set pieces all day, and they got one back from a header from a corner with 10 minutes left. This gave them a little bit of belief. We were starting to tire and started to give away silly free kicks in dangerous areas. With 5 minutes left Kilcullen pulled another one back, again it was a set piece, which fell to their player, who hit the back of the net from 6 yards, despite the best efforts of James Lennon. Squeaky bum time for Naas now. There were several scares in the last few minutes with balls pumped into our box but we managed to get a block, body in the way. Mercifully the ref blew the final whistle and we hung on!!!
Massive win for the lads. The back 5/6 on the night were superb, particularly Sean Stafford and Fred Cowdell in the full back roles. Max, Evan Malone and Evan Moriarty worked tirelessly down the flanks. Adam Bracken and Tadgh o Neill were brave on the ball and came out on top against a midfield 3. Ned/Kian and Aaron worked like dogs up top and were a constant thorn in the Kilcullen back line.
The huddle with the entire squad, lads who did not tog out together and lads who did not get much game time tonight, showed a real togetherness and was lovely to see.
Another 6 pointer away to Clane this Saturday but that win keeps us in the title conversation.
