KILDARE TOWN 0 EMO CELTIC 0
(Emo Celtic win 3-2 on aggregate)
THIS under 15 Midlands Cup semi-final produced an excellent affair on Saturday in Rathbride Road with nothing between the teams, leaving Emo to advance to the final as a result of their 3-2 victory in the first leg
The Midlands Cup is the brainchild of the Kildare League who have gathered together the top teams in Carlow, Kildare , North Tipperary and the Midlands Schoolboys League to compete on a home and away basis with the winners being crowned as Midlands “Kings”.
The game started in explosive fashion when a header by James Ebbs was expertly saved by Emo keeper Niall Gorman, after just 52 seconds of the game.
The game tightened up after that and chances were few and far between as both sets of midfielders cancelled each other out.
Emo had a great opportunity after twenty four minutes when referee Eddie Sullivan awarded them a penalty but Adam Leonard in the Kildare goal brought off a great save from a well struck shot by Niall Dunne.
Most of the game was centred around midfield with James Ebbs, Jason Maher and Nathan Williamson showing up well for Kildare while Emo had under 15 International player Jack Owens and Donal Hetherington pulling the strings for them.
The second half saw Kildare Town have the majority of possession without really troubling Gorman in the Emo goal.
It was Emo who should have gone ahead when a well struck corner kick went straight across the Kildare box with Owens failing to meet the cross where the slightest touch would have directed it goalwards.
With time running out Kildare pushed Gary Kelly up centre forward and although he made a “nuisance” of himself they failed to get the single goal that would have put them through to the Midlands Final.
Emo Celtic now meet AC Celtic in the final following their victory over Naas AFC in the other semi final.
KILDARE TOWN: Adam Leonard, Lorcan Wickham, Ciaran Melinn. Jason Maher, Gary Kelly, David Kelly, Liam Horan, James Ebbs, Liam Robinson-Grimley, Leon Tsang, Natahn Williamson. Subs: Conor Brady, Marvin Mbali, Chris Parker, Oisin O Sullivan.
EMO CELTIC: Niall Gorman, Eoin Keenan, Cian Doyle, Alex Mohan, Sean O Flynn, Tom Kelly, Donal Hetherington, Ronan Coffey, Niall Dunne, Jack Owens, Mark Barry. Subs: Matthew Bryan, Andrew Flynn, Barry Harkin.
REFEREE: Eddie Sullivan
