Naas AFC

Naas afc Blue Squad 7 St John Bosco 1

 

 

Naas travelled to Brickfields on Saturday and put in a brilliant performance. The players belied their age with the quality of football they played with good passing and running off the ball. Naas were unlucky not to score three times before they broke the deadlock through Darragh Faherty's super finish. Patrick Farmer got the second before the home team pulled one back against the run of play. Nicholas Sweeney got on the end of a good move just before half time to restore the two goal lead. The second half was all Naas as the substitutions made did not weaken the team as the four subs had all been starters the week before. Scott O Neill score a brilliant fourth goal with Darragh Faherty getting his secong before Eoghan Merriman got the sixth and Nicholas finished the game off with the seventh. It was a super performance bu a team who have now won four on the bounce. The pitch was in good condition and there was an official ref which is always good. Well done again boys.

 

Mike and James 

It was with a spring in their step that Naas U8 Red panel travelled to take on Templogue Utd in Tymon Park this weekend. The panel was depleted with three regular performers missing. Neil McGarry picked up a bad playground injury, Jack Carroll was partying (still celebrating his great performance of the previous week no doubt) ans Spencer Flanagan was on inter County duty with Naas Cubs.

 

Down on number they may have been but the spirit and energy levels were certainly up. The starting 7 were Daniel Whittaker in goal, Josh Brennan at Left and Jack Hogan at right back respectively. Tom Brown took up the central defencive role in Neil's absence. The middle was marshal led by Aiden Cassidy and captain Cian Horan with Shane Coffey up front.

 

The game was lively right from the start with both sides probing. As ever Naas' game plan was very firmly based on a solid defence, organisation and hard work. Templeogue found the Naas defence just to strong for long periods of the first half. When they finally did manage to break through they met a very focused Daniel Whittaker between the sticks as he thwarted the home team at least two occasions in the first half. Naas were unlucky on a couple of occasions in the first half and should probably have had two or three by half time with Cian and Shane going close after good work by Aiden down the channels.

 

It remained nil all at half time and many of the supporters were glowing in their praise for Daniel as his work in the first half proved to be the foundation for all that occur ed in the second half. Within five minutes of the restart Naas took a deserved lead. A perfect pass from defence to Aiden in midfield saw the midfielder and top scorer in a yard of space. As always this was more than enough to allow him to set of on one of his trademark direct run. He ghosted past 3 players before he calmly slotted into the net past the static keeper. Changes were then made as Cian took a break and allowed Shane to slot into the middle as Jude Sinclair moved to the centre of attack. The change did little to change the pattern of play as Naas became ever more dominant. A similar move to the first saw Aiden once again in space. he turned and slotted home once again from just inside the right handside of the box. Shane Coffey was becoming more influential as the game progressed and he in turn played a pivotal role in Aiden getting his hat trick halfway through the second half. Templeogue pulled one back before Naas managed to restore a 3 goal advantage with less than five minutes to go. More changes were made as Jack was replace by Cian and the back three took on different shape. A tiring Naas outfit allowed Templeogue back into the game as the total football approach was taken to far as we attempted to beat an opposing player from our own goal line. Templeogue then managed to score a third from a corner and the last kick of the game. The 3-4 scoreline did not do Naas justice a sthey were more dominant than the score suggests.

 

Special mention to Daniel, Aiden, Josh and Tom (for his surging runs from the heart of defence and tireless tackling). However man of the match must go to Shane Coffey as he displayed his best performance to date in a Naas jersey. Great performance from all but it's back to work and the basics on Wednesday.

 

 

On 3/2/10, Mark Flanagan <barcaflanagan@gmail.com> wrote:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mark Flanagan <barcaflanagan@gmail.com>
Date: Feb 28, 2010 6:59 PM
Subject: U8e REPORT
To: Naasafcposttoreports@blogger.com

Naas U8e v Mount Merrion.

 

After getting off to a flyer  in 2010 the Under 8 Red team went into this game off the back of 2 defeats. Although beaten in the last two games the manager and coaching staff were feeling confident as the performances have been excellent. With a little rub of  the green both previous games could have been very different.

However at this level the finest details and extra one percent of luck, class or both can be very important.

 

So with this back drop the squad went into the game with a little swagger and no little  confidence. To the spectators this underlying confidence proved to be well founded as Naas got off to a flyer imposing themselves on the game from the first whistle. With a game plan built on solid defence the back three of Jack Hogan, Jack Molloy and Daniel Whittaker looked confident and assured in all that they did. The tackling was tiger like and the use of the ball coming from defence was inspired. Captain Spencer Flanagan had little enough to do in goal. However he had to be alert on a number of occasions as he came to the edge of his box to collect dangerous through balls. His distribution was also to be much admired as he set up a number of attacks with his accurate passes from kick outs.

 

The starting midfield of Aidan Cassidy and Cian Horan were energetic and looked the better of what can only be assumed to be early nights. Josh Brennan up front proved a willing runner as always. The opening goal came after a number of scares around the Mount Merrion goal mouth as Aidan Cassidy cut through their midfield and defence at will in the early stages. Aidan coolly picked up the ball in midfield and with the help of some clever movement from Josh and Cian found himself in front of the agile Merrion keeper. However in his usual self assured style Aidan simply passed the ball into the bottom right hand corner. Daniel at right back and Jack at left proved a constant frustration for Merrion as the continued to thwart their efforts to get down the flanks. Jack Molloy in the centre of defence showed his class as he regularly broke from the centre with the ball to instigate attack after attack. A number of changes were made during the first half with Jack Molloy moving to centre mid along side Aidan and Tom Mcmahon marshaling the left side of defence and lastly Neil McGarry slotting into the centre of defence. To the neutral it must have seemed improbable that Naas would only be one up by the half but that's the way it stayed.

 

The second half followed a similar pattern with Naas creating and missing numerous chances. Shane Coffey and Jude Sinclair came on to ad fresh legs. Judes movement up front caused problems and he almost got his first of the season with a shot from just inside the box and Shane's workrate was admired by teammates and spectators alike.. Tom McMahon likewise saw a strong run and shot just miss the target. Midway through the second half Naas's mercurial talisman Aidan Cassidy struck again. A lovely slide rule pass from defence to Aidan's feet saw the tricky midfielder turn and beat two Merion players on his way to the left hand side of the box before unleashing a ferocious right footed shot across the keeper which nestled neatly in the bottom right of the net once again. Merrion did manage to pull one back robbing Spencer Flanagan of a coveted clean sheet which he so badly wanted after experiencing one in the opening game of 2010. Although this wasn't to be, the result never looked in doubt as Naas controlled the game from start to finish and ended up deserving winners.

 

Well done to all and it's back to the bread and butter of the training ground as this squad continues to develop.

 

 

Naas afc Blue Squad 6  St Josephes Boys 1

 

This was a superb performance. The rotation system was continued and all players have had equal starts for the season. The system was seem to work because we had six different scorers and a number of very good performances. Naas started well and Scott O Neill put Naas ahead with a great shot from outside the box after five minutes. Five minutes later Matthew Geoghegan scored his first goal of the season when he robbed a defender and scored from a narrow angle. It was two nil at half time and we had a clean sheet mainly because of good defending from Charlie Lytton and the safe hands of Alex Moody. The second half was very even for the first five minutes and then Callum Banim scored a lovely goal after deceiving two defenders with a dummy before slotting home. St josephs got one back with a deflected shot with ten minutes to go. The goal seemed to drive the Nass players to higher levels and Nicholas Sweeney cooly added a fourth. Conor McAtamney then made a great run to get on the end of a Patrick Farmer cross before Eoghan Merriman hammered a sixth into the roof of the net. It was a pleasue to watch them and it is a great testament to the academy. An intertesting thing is that the players come form Naas, Two Mile House, Athgarvan. Ballymore Eustace, Dunlavin and Eadestown. 

 

The Red and Green squads had no games.

 

 

Mike and James 

   

Naas afc Blue Squad 4 Raheny United 2

 

There was an early start for the little lads on Saturday morning as we had to leave Naas at nine. The performance made the early start worthwhile and Naas were well worth their win. The only surprise was that the scorline was so close. Naas dominated the first half and played some lovely football with Eoghan Merriman and Darragh Faherty particularly prominent. Nass went in two goals to nil ahead at half time courtesy of an own goal after Callum Banim's terrific cross wnet in off a defender and a second from Patrick Farmer. Naas were unlucky not to get three more early in the second  half but the post a goal line clearance and a smart safe kept Raheny in contention. Then against the run of play Raheny scored when a Naas pass was intercepted and the Raheny player gave Alex Moody in the Naas goal no chance. Naas grabbed a third almost straight away from a super move and finish from Scot O Neill. Raheny got back into the game with another goal from an intercepted pass. Naas nerves were calmed when Nicholas Sweeney ran through the defence to make the game safe. All the boys did well and four players took their turn to start and all played at least twenty minutes.

 

Naas afc Red Squad 1 Sacred Heart 5

 

The boys travelled to the foothills on Saturday and played in very cold conditions on a very bumpy pitch. They struggled to get going and were three down in a few minutes despite goalkeeper Conor Brady pulling off a couple of fine saves. One player had to be substituted  because of the cold. The second half was more evenly contested with Naas holding their own and pulling a goal back through Cameron Lee. The boys did their best and tried to play passing football on a pitch that was more suited to Sacred Heart's direct game. It is this squads first defeat this season and they will bounce back. All did well and had almost equal pitch time.

 

Green Squad had no game.

 

 

Mike and James

15/02/10

 

Naas afc Blue Squad 2 Dunboyne 2

 

This was a great game played on a lovely pitch in Dunboyne. Max O Toole got Naas off to a great start with a goal after five minutes when he beat three players in a run and scored from ten yards. Dunboyne were level within five minutes when a long ball caught out the Naas defence. Patrick Farmer put Naas in front again immediately with another good run and finish. This time the lead lasted two minutes when a mix up in defence gifted Dunboyne a goal. Surprisingly there was no further score though Naas camped in the Dunboyne half for most of the second half.  Naas missed some chances but to the credit of Dunboyne they had a couple of super defenders and a great little keeper. All twelve Naas players played at least twenty minutes and all did very well.

 

 

Naas afc Red Squad 5 Templeogue 1

 

The red squad had a super win on Saturday. We were very quick out of the blocks and were three up in five minutes Dylan Stewart opened the scoring after five minutes with a tidy finish. Cameron Hughes grabbed the second to top off a great performance. Dylan made it three when he cooly slotted a peno. Naas the made five changes which interupted their play a little but the lads soon settled. Templeogue pulled one back with a peno before goals from Alec Rogers (super free kick) and Pierce Devine wrapped up the game. All twelve players played almost equal time and some of the passing and play was terrific.

 

The Green Squad played their first match on Saturday going down 4 2 away to Phoenix. It was a great performance and Naas were the stronger team in the secong half. For all  these kids it was their  first match on a full size pitch. Thanks to Derek Duff for taking charge of this squad.

 

 

For 2002 we now have two squads of twelve and one of thirteen with seventeen other kids yet to be accomodated onto teams. 

 

Mike