Boys U13 (2012) Premier White - Kill Celtic
It was a bruising encounter for Naas AFC, who were handed a sobering 6–1 defeat by a fired-up Kill side determined to keep their title hopes alive. On a day when absentees hit the Naas squad hard, the visitors were ultimately overrun by a ruthless Kill outfit that showed no mercy.
Yet for all the final score suggests, the opening exchanges were evenly contested. The first seven to eight minutes saw Naas hold their own, matching Kill stride for stride in possession and physicality. The defence kept its shape, repelling wave after wave of Kill attacks, until a moment of miscommunication cost them dearly. A wayward back pass meant for stand-in goalkeeper Michal Mazur was pounced on by the Kill striker, who made no mistake rolling it into an empty net.
Naas responded with composure and nearly equalised soon after. A slick move down the right culminated in Kaspian Zielenski firing narrowly over the bar from just inside the area. But just as the boys in blue looked to be finding their rhythm, disaster struck again. In the 14th minute, the referee pointed to the spot, penalising Jacob Abella for a tackle on the Kill frontman. Mazur guessed the right way, but the spot-kick was struck with precision and power, doubling Kill’s lead.
With the title race on the line for Kill and revenge on their minds after a 4–0 pre-Easter drubbing at the hands of Naas, they showed no signs of letting up. The halftime whistle blew with the scoreboard reading 2–0, and Naas faced an uphill task.
Despite the coaches’ best efforts to rally their troops, the second half brought more woes for Naas. Kill turned the screw and added four more to their tally, capitalising on tired legs and stretched gaps. A glimmer of class came from Ben Cox, who offered a moment of consolation with a beautifully lofted finish from 18 yards, catching the Kill keeper off his line.
It was a game the Naas lads will want to forget—but perhaps need to remember. Football, as they say, is a game of highs and lows. This was one of the lows. But it's in these moments, when nothing seems to go right, that players grow stronger. The final whistle may have brought relief, but the lessons learned will shape their character ahead of a season-ending clash with Naas Blues.
Sometimes, it’s not about the scoreline. It’s about how you respond.
