Match Reports

A quick goal had us on the back foot from the start. 1 nil down after 90 seconds. Leixlip settled for a period but fell asleep again to concede another 2 quick goals before half time. Leixlip stepped it up in the second half and Thomas Reilly got us a goal back a few minutes in, setting us up for a comeback that unfortunately didn't come. Lots of chances at both ends but the game finished 3-1. The boys are showing they can compete but need to stop falling asleep for spells. More positives to take away from this week, some really good passing sequences and Cillian Carroll has his best game in Leixlip jersey.

Early morning kick-off today. Leixlip started really strong and on the attack from the get-go. Leixlip went 1 up in about the 15th minute. Going into half time, the Girls could've been & should've been up 3 or 4 nil. But the first half ended 1-1. The second half started strong like the first half and Leixlip quickly went 4-1 up. With some fantastic saves from our keeper, Leixlip kept the advantage until Lakelands got a 2nd. Tiredness kicked in but that is to be expected when you have a squad size of 9 but the girls kept pushing through. Toward the end of the game, Leixlip hit the crossbar with a speculative shot from half-way and their keeper made an unreal save from a close rebound. 7 points in the last 3 games, with a bare bones squad, is not bad in the Premier division. Lots still to work on. Our recruitment over the Christmas break is critical. Great effort. 

Our thin squad had an understandably sluggish start with 5 our players had played and won county finals the night before. We were 2-0 down in a flash. Then we got playing and had a series of corners which the girls are getting pretty great at, 3 unanswered goals from corners; captain Lauren Doyle bundled one in, Marie Isabel Merenciuc-Sadoveanu rifled one in that they didn’t deal with, and then Marie Isabel got the 2nd ball found Sophie Dalton who, as usual, slotted it away. In all that only went 3-2 up thanks to a fantastic double save from Avah Quinn from a penalty. Clonee passed the ball around lots, and we harried and chased but the girls were wrecked. They equalised early in the second and Faye set up Sophie to give us the lead. We were running on fumes, and we thought we had it. Danielle Tjurin made a lovely save on her near post, but their equaliser was a fantastic strike which ended up as a draw. Special thanks to Gwen Sullivan from u16s who came so we had one outfield sub.

Another 3pts in a tough fought win for our boys. Leixlip played some lovely football but when it was needed, we were able to scrap to win it back. 2 first half goals gave us a 2-1 lead at halftime the 1st a lovely little flick from Noah Delaney into the front post and the 2nd a 35yard screamer from Cillian Mantalan which flew into the top corner. The second half was more scrappy with us not putting our foot on the ball and instead trying to hit 40-yard passes but a lovely individual goal from Tom McCormack gave us a 3-1 lead and we held on for another win. That's 8 wins from 9 games 24pts and sitting pretty on top of the league.

U17.2 Boys Cabinteely 3 Leixlip United. Leixlip created enough chances to win this game twice but we have a real problem lately with converting chances. Defensive indecisiveness is costing us at the back. The only highlight today was a wonder goal from Charlie McCarthy from outside the box into the top corner to make it 1-1. At that point we thought we would push on and win the game but missed a bag full of chances while Cabinteely took the two other chances that fell their way. One to forget and move on to next week.

A good win against a team in the league below we were down to the bare bones with players sick but a big thank you to the 2014 girls who came out after their match, they were really needed. We hadn't played in 3 weeks, and it showed first 10 minutes as it was all Dalkey, we eventually settled into the game and started passing it around we went 1 nil up through Khloe Keegan who scored from well outside the box with a shot that bounced on front of the keeper and went in. The second half was better from Leixlip and we played most of the game in the Dalkey half some latch ditch defending kept it 1 nil. With 10 minutes to go there was some good passing move which resulted in Rebecca Andreas being 1 on 1,  calmy finishing in the bottom corner to seal the win. Big thank you to the 2014 girls who travelled out to play with us, Rebecca Andreas goal scorer Cara McConvill, Emily Rose Murphy, Olivia Flood and Lara and Sophie Keegan.

Playing a team a couple of divisions below we made hard work of the first 15mins but from a superb delivery in swing corner from Oisin Kelly, Daniel Bradley headed in our first and that settled us, Dan should’ve bagged a second a few mins later when he dispossessed their keeper but he hit a tame shot and keeper recovered but after 25 mins Harry Habington hit a clean half volley to the bottom corner from 20 yards to leave us two up at the half. After the break we put the game to bed with Daniel Bradley dispossessing the center half and even though he was pulled back in the box ref played advantage and he finished to the corner. Goals 4 and 5 came quickly after with Nathan Byrne running on to a bouncing through ball and lobbing the keeper with a smart finish and then Nathan crashed a strike off the bar which Senan Moriarty reacted quickest to and nodded it home past the keeper. In truth we should have had a couple more before the end but clean sheet and next round but tougher tests ahead. 

U13.1 Boys Leixlip United 3-4 Mount Merrion. 

Tough loss to take after being 3 ahead at half time. Lightning start had us ahead in the first minute with a great finish from Jack Power and two more well taken goals by Dylan Plunkett had us well in control. Unfortunately, our lack of subs cost us in the end as we ran out of legs in the second half and Mount Merrion made 5 changes. Referee didn’t help with 5 minutes added time with no delays and they nicked it with the last kick of the game to leave our lads out on their feet and very disappointed. On to next week we go. 

Some lax defending and poor finishing saw Leixlip come up short today. Portmarnock are a decent strong team, but we gave them a 2-goal head start today. Brendan Carolan pulled a goal back just before half time with a wonder strike from 20 yards. Second half we were much better and had a lot of chances, but the final decision was off. Against the run of play Portmarnock got another when our defence didn't deal with another long ball into box. Steve McLoughlin pulled one back with a lovely strike with the last kick of the game, but we left ourselves with too much to do.