O35 Mens Leixlip United 3 Ballycane Celtic 1.
Congratulations to our O35 Mens team who beat Ballycane Celtic 3-1 in the ACE Sports Awards Masters Cup Final. Goals from Eammon Lynch, Robbie Murtagh and Ross Rovers. Well done to all involved.
         

U17 Major Girls Larkview 4 Leixlip United 1.
First v second and an early morning ambush for us - they’d recruited very well in the last month since we beat them heavily & they were very up for this. Larkview scored early and steadily progressed into a 4-0 lead, taking the 4 chances they created in pretty much the whole game. Cara Moriarty scored a nice free us and Faye Kelly went really close after making her own opportunity and we also hit the crossbar from an indirect free. We didn’t do enough to get it close though. We’ll be a better team if we take all the learning from this morning.

U16 Premier Boys Home Farm 1 Leixlip United 1.
We starred really slowly and almost gave away a goal in the first minute. More poor play eventually presented Home Farm with the first goal. Without doing much we got back into the game when a speculative shot from Tadgh Kapostins deceived the keeper and ended up in the net. A small improvement in the second period was not enough to claim the 3 points.

U17.2 Boys Castleknock 0 Leixlip United 2.
Great result against the league leaders today and while we were missing 5 players. Very good contest and both sides were well in it throughout. Leon McDonnell scored his third of the season after 27 minutes with a finish from outside the box. Castleknock pushed for an equaliser but lads held firm with some great defensive performances. McDonnell popped up in the Castleknock box on 75 mins with great determination to score his second and settle the game. Two wins and a draw in last 3 games so lads are building good momentum.

U14-7 Boys Belmont 3 Leixlip United 2.
Very close game today where the bounce of the ball just didn't go our way. We went one nil down after 10 minutes when their speedy striker out paced us and got onto a through ball to slot home. We were on top for the rest of the first half but didn't take our chances, hitting the bar twice from one free kick. We started strong in the second half but conceded a similar goal to go two nil down. We battled and battled, and finally Ryan O'Neill finished off a lovely team move to make it 2-1. Building on the goal, we dominated, and Ryan got his second with a tap in from a corner, making it 2-2 with 5 minutes left. In the last minute of normal time, we lost our composure and conceded. But fair play to the lads, for the 3 minutes of injury time they gave everything and were unlucky not to have gotten a free kick just outside the box.

U13 Major Boys St.Mochtas 1 Leixlip United 3.
After a very strong start we found ourselves 1 nil down after 15 minutes following a defensive mistake. We equalised almost immediately after William Whelan found Jacob Mehigan at the back post and after his shot was saved by the keeper Zach Pringle Tighe reacted quickest to tap in the rebound. 5 minutes before half time we went in front with a well taken finish from Nicholas Gajovic. We conceded a penalty just after half time but a brilliant save from Conor McGrath kept us in front. We continued to push for a third and it came with ten minutes left when a long ball forward from Hayden Wynne bounced up between the keeper and Alan Maly and Alan out jumped the keeper to head home. We missed a penalty in the closing minutes but it didn't take away from what was a brilliant performance.

U15 Major Boys Leixlip 3 Home Farm 2.
Cracking game on new Astro we wanted the lads to start fast and we did creating two great chances for Nathan Byrne down the right side but the keeper was equal to both efforts but after that we lost our shape and we were getting overrun in midfield albeit we were against a strong wind so they were hitting us long and were first to the scraps there 10 in particular finding space. We went 1 nil down after 25 mins failing to clear a second ball in the box and a looping shot went in over our keeper. Halftime we made two changes and with the wind behind us it had an instant impact with Harry Habington finding Max Farnan on the left wing and Max skinned the full back and drilled a brilliant shot to the bottom corner across the keeper. Our tails were up and we played some really good football after that and Max Farnan was causing chaos down the left and another cross from that side 5 mins later landed with Nathan Byrne at the back post and his left foot shot was on target and took a little deflection but the goal was his 2-1 up. After that the best move of the game with Harry Habington and Michael Cavanagh combining to slip Nathan Byrne in again and this time he drilled his shot across the keeper 3-1. We should have put the game to bed after that Senan Moriarty had a ball 12 yards out that just wouldn’t fall for him and Daniel Bradley was clean through 1v1 only to be called offside. Daniel also headed just over from a corner and their keeper was equal to 2 other efforts. Then as the lads do they switched off at a throw in and their forward cracked a shot to the top corner cue a final 5 mins that my heart is not the better for but we saw it out with Isaac Fox winning a couple of corners to take the sting out of the game and after a 40min second half ref blew up. Great win as we have to be winning home games, very proud of lads resilience in second half.

U15.1 Boys Arklow Town 2 Leixlip 3.
We started off brightly today and took lead after 20 minutes after missing 2 chances. We won a free kick 20 yards out and Zach Fitzpatrick drilled low shot into bottom right corner giving their goal keeper no chance. Arklow started to come back back into the game and scored a sloppy goal with ball over the top beating our defence and their forward finishing. We went into half time 2-1 up. Again great delivery from a Zach Fitzpatrick corner and Conor Watkins finishing with a neat header into top corner. We rode our luck into the 2nd half by not clearing our lines and Arklow eventually equalised after 25 minutes after a couple of mistimed tackles. With 5 minutes remaining Arklow conceded late penalty after push in back on Liam O'Hagan. Up stepped Aidan McConville to the penalty spot resulting in a lovely finish in bottom right corner to earn a very satisfying win.

U18 Major Boys Lakelands 1 Leixlip United 7.
We went into today's game without the service of 3 players due to injury and sickness but the boys with the help of Lewis Kelly from the u17s got on with the task of keeping pace with the teams at the top. On a wet slippery surface and a very early kick off out in Leopardstown our lads started a little sloppy with every second touch becoming a tackle but we grew into the game and to be honest dominated the game for the next 80 mins.1st half goals from Dylan Horan Dean Quigley and Arthur Centuro gave us a 3-0 half time lead. The second half continued as the 1st ending with total domination all over the pitch and further goals from Luke Cowzer Noah Delaney and Conor Mcelhany gave us a 6-0 lead before Lakelands got a consultation goal. With the last seconds of the game we broke away and u17s striker Lewis Kelly finished off the scoring to make it 7-1 and 4 wins from 5 to leave us sitting joint top with Cherry Orchard. A big thank you to Lewis Kelly for being part of today's squad and to his coaches at the U17 major team for allowing him out.