Boys U15 (2011) Premier - Newbridge United

KDUL Cup 1/4 Final

Naas AFC 0 - Newbridge United 1

In beautiful weather and with Pitch 1 in perfect condition this Cup 1/4 final tie kicked of at 2pm.

Naas settled the better and we're probing looking for openings in the initial stages. Conor Gillespie picked up a ball on the right wing in the 7th minute and despite being body checked stayed on his feet and his shot come cross looked like it could loop over the keeper who did really well to hold it cleanly under his crossbar.

The half continued with not a lot beetween the sides. It was clear this Newbridge team who will be in Premier next season certainly belong there. They are a better outfit than a number of sides we have played in the league so far this current season.

Openings were proving hard to come by for both sides. Tyler Gleeson a top performer on the day sent two super crosses into the Newbridge box one in particular was defended really well with Conor Gillespie ready to pounce only for a top class intervention.

Ilya Cerepanovs who also played very well throughout the match struck a free kick from distance really well but it stayed central and the keeper made a comfortable save.

At Half Time we still felt strongly that the team would find the breakthrough. The loss of Dara o Shea to injury before the match was being felt. If there was a game this season where we really needed the combined threat carried by Dara and Conor Gillespie together in attack it was this one.

The second half started with not much beetween the sides. Naas had defensively dealt comfortably with long balls during the first half. Unfortunately in the 40th minute what looked to be a routine clearance was not dealt with as previous similar situations had been. Newbridge then won the ball in the left wing area and following a couple of good passes their striker finished very well past Alec Walsh. This was to be really the only clear cut chance Newbridge created and they capitalised.

You could feel the oxygen the goal gave the Newbridge players for the remainder of the match. Nass continued to stay patient and look for openings. The team were now facing a Newbridge team on which their players were collectively battling for every ball.

Naas won multiple corners in the last 20 minutes all brilliantly flighted by Roddy Cummins who was by now playing upfront with Conor in the hope the team could find an equaliser.

We were struggling to win the midfield battle to assist in creating real opportunities from open play with Newbridge again very tenacious in this area. It felt that a play from a corner was going to be our most likely route to an equaliser.

Unfortunately we were struggling to get a clean contact on Roddy's deliveries and when we did get a touch a Newbridge body always appeared to be in position to clear. There were two exceptions with 5 mins to go. A ball did fall to Jamie Byrnes who appeared to be fouled around the penalty spot area but the ref only awarded a further corner. On the delivery that followed a ball sent towards the back post saw the keeper go straight through Conor Gillespie to get a touch on the ball.

The ref again gave a corner and advised the keeper had got a touch on the ball so it was no penalty. He got a touch but this was only after clearly taking Conor out in doing so. It just felt at this stage we were not going to get the break the team needed to find an equalising goal.

To be fair to the referee he did play 6 minutes injury time to allow for some time wasting antics from Newbridge in the later stages. The final whistle went and this was a tough loss for the lads to take.

The game was lost through the concession of a disappointing goal in what was otherwise a very solid display at the back from all players operating in that area today.

However we do have to congratulate Newbridge Utd on their victory and the manner in which they supported each other as a unit once they had taken the lead. They were defensively very well set up and difficult to break down. It was certainly a victory for their team as a collective.

This will be a big disappointment for our players but there was certainly no issue with the lads attitude or application as every player committed fully and they are a group of young men who present the Club in an excellent manner and will continue to do so.

We will now

have to now roll up our sleeves and go again for the 5 remaining league fixtures the next of which is away to Athy on Wednesday evening

Best for Naas today

Tyler Gleeson

Ilya Cerepanovs

Roddy Cummins

Conor Gillespie