Life Credit Union U12 Championship Semi-Final
15-11-24
Kildangan 3-7 Monasterevin 2-6
Kildangan U12's created their own piece of history in reaching the County Final after coming from behind in an epic battle with Monasterevin before a very large attendance in Ballykelly last night. With both sides having played each other several times this year already and knowing each other well, it became a battle not only on the field but also tactically on the sideline as mentors made move and counter move to try get the edge on their opponent. The game ebbed and flowed with both sides having the upper hand at times but it was our Super 12's who prevailed to joyous scenes at the final whistle.
Kildangan were dealt a blow in the lead up to the game with regular goalkeeper Aidan Casey being ruled out to a sprained thumb. Daragh Coughlan took his place in the Kildangan goal. The first half opened with Kildangan looking nervous in greasy conditions. With the game being played at a helter scelter pace, Monasterevin were quicker to settle and open the scoring a couple of minutes in. Kildangan answered quickly with a nice point from Senan O'Tuama operating in a new position of centre forward. Monasterevin replied with a point to put them ahead again but a Kildangan free was put over the bar by Jack Fitzpatrick to draw the sides level. Kildangan then suffered a setback when hesitation at the back for Kildangan allowed Monasterevin in for a goal to put them three points ahead. Like any good team Kildangan answered when Josh O'Rourke slipped his marker and blasted the ball over the bar for a point. Disaster struck for Kildangan moments later when a ball was side footed home for a Monasterevin goal to put them five points up and looking like they could pull clear from Kildangan. Kildangan made several positional and tactical switches at this point. Jake Curran and Annabelle Torpey switched positions at the back with both going on to have crucial games. It was obvious Monasterevin tried to split our midfield paring of Jack Fitzpatrick and Niamh Gleeson to opposite sides of the field so Josh O'Rourke was tasked with joining the midfield on Monasterevin kickouts to counter this. This seemed to have the desired effect as Kildangan out scored their opponents 1-2 to 0-0 for the remainder of the half as Oscar Law, Seamie Fitzpatrick, Sophie Stynes and Abigail Fenlon all got the upper hand on their markers at the back for Kildanagan. After good work from Oisin McWey, Casey McEvoy MacCullagh answered the Monasterevin goal with a point for Kildangan. This was followed by a second point of the half by Senan O'Tuama. A rocket of a goal from Jack Fitzpatrick had the Kildangan support bouncing on the sideline as we drew level coming into half-time. The Monasterevin lead was now wiped out with the half-time score Kildangan 1-5 Monasterevin 2-2.
The second half began with Monasterevin announcing their intentions early on with two early points to once again give them a two point lead. Kildangan were under real pressure in the early stages of the second half, however Alice Mahon and Sean Casey never stopped showing for the ball in the wing forward positions. With Sam Worrell now in for Kildangan and having an influence, we answered with a goal by Jack Fitzpatrick to give us a life line in the game. Monasterevin replied with a point to equalise but with superior hunger and fitness from Kildangan, we slowly began to turn the screw on our opponents. Jack Fitzpatrick kicked a monster "45" to put Kildangan ahead once again, a lead that we never relinquished. Kildangan really rolled up their sleeves for the last 10 minutes. Senan O'Tuama stretched our lead with his third point of the game as Alice Mahon, Sophie Stynes, Jake Curran and Niamh Gleeson became more prominent in what was now a real dog fight of a game. Monasterevin answered with a pointed free however Casey McEvoy MacCullagh and Josh O'Rourke, on more than one occasion, took the pressure off us with surging carries up the field. A combination of Daragh Coughlan and Abigail Fenlon saved a certain Monasterevin goal with the ball being taken off the Kildangan goal line as the Kildangan support held their breath. Kildangan were holding a slender one point lead and but Monasterevin just couldnt get out of their own defence in the closing minutes with the Monasterevin kickout now on lockdown. The final nail in the Monasterevin coffin came with a Kildangan goal, to send the Kildangan mentors, subs and supporters into dream land. I'm reliably informed it was scored by Senan O'Tuama. In the wild celebrations that followed the goal no one seemed to know who the scorer was. The final whistle sounded soon after sparking a mini pitch invasion with the final score Kildangan 3-7 Monasterevin 2-6.
This has to be one of Kildangan's best displays of the year so far given the circumstances. We affected a nine point turn around which shows the character in this young team. The County final is down for 29th. Thank you to all our support last night that helped get us over the line, you were the sixteenth man, woman and child! For anyone wanting to continue the celebrations our Senior Teams Championship medal presentation takes places in the Silken Thomas tonight (Saturday) from 8.30pm. That's after our U14 girls and U23 lads play in County Finals today also. Best of luck to them both. It goes to show our coaching setup is really starting to bare fruit. Training continues for our U12s on Monday in Kildangan.
We had a full panel of 25 players togged out for last nights game. Nothing was going to stop any of the players being there for this Championship Semi-Final. Goalkeeper Aidan Casey was devastated to have been ruled out by injury. Seamie Fitzpatrick even cut short his attendance at his godmothers wedding celebrations (see photo below).
Seamie being wished well by the groom and former Kildare county star Paddy Brophy before his departure for the game.
15-11-24
Kildangan 3-7 Monasterevin 2-6
Kildangan U12's created their own piece of history in reaching the County Final after coming from behind in an epic battle with Monasterevin before a very large attendance in Ballykelly last night. With both sides having played each other several times this year already and knowing each other well, it became a battle not only on the field but also tactically on the sideline as mentors made move and counter move to try get the edge on their opponent. The game ebbed and flowed with both sides having the upper hand at times but it was our Super 12's who prevailed to joyous scenes at the final whistle.
Kildangan were dealt a blow in the lead up to the game with regular goalkeeper Aidan Casey being ruled out to a sprained thumb. Daragh Coughlan took his place in the Kildangan goal. The first half opened with Kildangan looking nervous in greasy conditions. With the game being played at a helter scelter pace, Monasterevin were quicker to settle and open the scoring a couple of minutes in. Kildangan answered quickly with a nice point from Senan O'Tuama operating in a new position of centre forward. Monasterevin replied with a point to put them ahead again but a Kildangan free was put over the bar by Jack Fitzpatrick to draw the sides level. Kildangan then suffered a setback when hesitation at the back for Kildangan allowed Monasterevin in for a goal to put them three points ahead. Like any good team Kildangan answered when Josh O'Rourke slipped his marker and blasted the ball over the bar for a point. Disaster struck for Kildangan moments later when a ball was side footed home for a Monasterevin goal to put them five points up and looking like they could pull clear from Kildangan. Kildangan made several positional and tactical switches at this point. Jake Curran and Annabelle Torpey switched positions at the back with both going on to have crucial games. It was obvious Monasterevin tried to split our midfield paring of Jack Fitzpatrick and Niamh Gleeson to opposite sides of the field so Josh O'Rourke was tasked with joining the midfield on Monasterevin kickouts to counter this. This seemed to have the desired effect as Kildangan out scored their opponents 1-2 to 0-0 for the remainder of the half as Oscar Law, Seamie Fitzpatrick, Sophie Stynes and Abigail Fenlon all got the upper hand on their markers at the back for Kildanagan. After good work from Oisin McWey, Casey McEvoy MacCullagh answered the Monasterevin goal with a point for Kildangan. This was followed by a second point of the half by Senan O'Tuama. A rocket of a goal from Jack Fitzpatrick had the Kildangan support bouncing on the sideline as we drew level coming into half-time. The Monasterevin lead was now wiped out with the half-time score Kildangan 1-5 Monasterevin 2-2.
The second half began with Monasterevin announcing their intentions early on with two early points to once again give them a two point lead. Kildangan were under real pressure in the early stages of the second half, however Alice Mahon and Sean Casey never stopped showing for the ball in the wing forward positions. With Sam Worrell now in for Kildangan and having an influence, we answered with a goal by Jack Fitzpatrick to give us a life line in the game. Monasterevin replied with a point to equalise but with superior hunger and fitness from Kildangan, we slowly began to turn the screw on our opponents. Jack Fitzpatrick kicked a monster "45" to put Kildangan ahead once again, a lead that we never relinquished. Kildangan really rolled up their sleeves for the last 10 minutes. Senan O'Tuama stretched our lead with his third point of the game as Alice Mahon, Sophie Stynes, Jake Curran and Niamh Gleeson became more prominent in what was now a real dog fight of a game. Monasterevin answered with a pointed free however Casey McEvoy MacCullagh and Josh O'Rourke, on more than one occasion, took the pressure off us with surging carries up the field. A combination of Daragh Coughlan and Abigail Fenlon saved a certain Monasterevin goal with the ball being taken off the Kildangan goal line as the Kildangan support held their breath. Kildangan were holding a slender one point lead and but Monasterevin just couldnt get out of their own defence in the closing minutes with the Monasterevin kickout now on lockdown. The final nail in the Monasterevin coffin came with a Kildangan goal, to send the Kildangan mentors, subs and supporters into dream land. I'm reliably informed it was scored by Senan O'Tuama. In the wild celebrations that followed the goal no one seemed to know who the scorer was. The final whistle sounded soon after sparking a mini pitch invasion with the final score Kildangan 3-7 Monasterevin 2-6.
This has to be one of Kildangan's best displays of the year so far given the circumstances. We affected a nine point turn around which shows the character in this young team. The County final is down for 29th. Thank you to all our support last night that helped get us over the line, you were the sixteenth man, woman and child! For anyone wanting to continue the celebrations our Senior Teams Championship medal presentation takes places in the Silken Thomas tonight (Saturday) from 8.30pm. That's after our U14 girls and U23 lads play in County Finals today also. Best of luck to them both. It goes to show our coaching setup is really starting to bare fruit. Training continues for our U12s on Monday in Kildangan.
We had a full panel of 25 players togged out for last nights game. Nothing was going to stop any of the players being there for this Championship Semi-Final. Goalkeeper Aidan Casey was devastated to have been ruled out by injury. Seamie Fitzpatrick even cut short his attendance at his godmothers wedding celebrations (see photo below).
Seamie being wished well by the groom and former Kildare county star Paddy Brophy before his departure for the game.
