Bocotan bags the winner for Newbridge
Sean Meszaros (Newbridge) and Oisin Dempsey keep aclose eye on the ball.
Rathangan U20s were the visitors to Station Road to take in Newbridge Town U20s in the KDFL Cup.
From the kick off, both teams were sizing each other up and six minutes into the match the first real chance came for Newbridge Town as Jona Bocotan and Ben Shanahan linked up down the right with Shanahan ending up inside the box, but dragged his shot just wide of the post.
Rathangan midfielder Darragh Gilligan then picked up the ball in midfield and played through the number nine, Timas Kacinskas, who made a run down the left and was forced wide. He had to square the ball before it ran over the end line and did it well, but no Rathangan player was there to finish the tap-in.
The opening goal came on the 23rd minute mark when Marco Capocci won the ball back near his own corner flag and played it forward to idfield duo Nathan McAuley and Tommy McGuigan who exchanged passes before releasing wide man David Oduntan down the wing. He cut inside and spotted the run of Bocotan, who pointed where he wanted it and took one touch to set himself before finishing into the bottom corner with a tidy finish to break the dead lock.
Rathangan won a corner right before half time and winger Oisin Dempsey curled an in-swinger towards the front post. It was going in for a goal only for Newbridge’s Alex O’Reilly-Hall to head clear off the line and keep the score at 1-0 heading into the half time break.
The second started slow for the first ten minutes, with Rathangan going direct and trying to win aerial duals and second balls.
55 minutes in, David Oduntan won a free kick and took it himself; curling a good shot towards the far corner but, goalkeeper Sean Moran got a strong hand to it and pushed the shot wide.
Rathangan Winger Oisin Dempsey received a lofted pass out of the back line and took a touch. He then put his head down drove forward with the ball all the way into the penalty area beating another defender along the way. Dempsey tried a clever chop back onto his left foot to set himself up for a shot only for Town defender Marco Capocci to get a last-second touch and poke it out for a corner kick.
One of the best chances of the match fell to Dempsey after 70 minutes, dribbling down the right and cutting inside. He reached the by-line and squared the ball to Kacinskas, who had to take his first touch on the turn and swivel to face the goal. He leaned back and put the ball over the bar from ten yards out in what looked a very promising position.
With 20 minutes remaining Newbridge Town take off Goal scorer Jona Bocotan for Neo Akidu to give them a different dynamic in forward areas. Neo wasn’t on the pitch five minutes and his fresh legs proved useful as he chases down what most players would have taught was a lost cause, a back pass from Rathangan to the centre back & captain Eoghan McMullen who then tried to find his keeper Sean Moran but left the pass a little short which Neo gets a touch on and dribbles around the keeper but gets forced wide to where he cant shot, he plays a pass back for David who tires to guide in into the net but the Keeper got back and in position to claim the ball cleanly.
With only ten minutes left Rathangan change things around and move the athletic centre back and their top goal scorer Harry Donnelly up front as they chase the game and need a goal. The tactical change nearly pays off immediately as the very next phase of play winger John Dunne cuts inside from the left and plays a nice pass for Harry Donnelly who ends up inside the box and takes a shot first time with his left foot but it goes agonizingly just wide of the post.
With five minutes remaining in the cup quarter final, Rathangan need a goal to keep the tie alive, They have two strikers up top and are playing a very direct game with high numbers forward. Winger Oisin Dempsey collects the ball deep and plays a good channel pass behind the Newbridge back line, The wind and a little confusion caused just enough trouble for Towns Keeper Brady Adams who came out to claim the ball but the centre back now playing as a make shift striker Harry Donnelly gets there first and dribbles around Brady, open goal and Harry shoots but out of no where the far side full back Alex O’Reilly Hall comes sliding in to make a goal line clearance, His second of the day.
As Rathangan pile bodies forward gaps appear at the back as they go for broke and between offside calls, poor final passes and another save from Sean Moran, Newbridge Town could not find the second goal to put the game to bed which lead to a tense ending.
Five minutes added time and more deep crosses and diagonal balls bombard the Newbridge town back line. Between Conor Duggan, Sean Meszaros & Cameron Keane’s height and aerial ability Newbridge hang on and advance to the semi finals as the match finishes 1-0 here at station road in a hard fought game by both sides.
