Inchicore make rapid strike to see off Kilnamanagh
By Alex Dunne
INCHICORE ATH: 2
KILNAMANAGH: 0
TWO goals in three minutes from Stephen Faye and Sean Hoare saw Inchicore Athletic turn over Kilnamanagh in their early season LSL Major 1B Saturday clash at Pearse Park.
Two low crosses by Lee English were converted in the 52nd and 55th minutes, handing the homeside the three points in a game they just shaded overall.
The Inchicore front three of English, Hoare, and Corey O’Rourke worked the Kilnamanagh defence hard all through the match, though the visitors did fashion the game’s first chance when David O’Reilly fired over a Paul Ellis knockdown on the volley.
English worked a great opportunity himself after a swift passing exchange with Faye and Adam Ryan, but it flew wide of the target.
It would set the tone with Athletic going forward, however, as they continuously probed the Tallaght side’s defence looking for a way through.
Hoare was twice denied well by Mick Lonergan around the 20 minute mark, as he made instinctive saves to claw away two top-corner bound efforts, while English blazed over then hit the side netting in a frantic ten-minute spell during which Inchicore should have taken the lead.
Dylan Kelly produced a good solo effort towards the end of the first half, but it was Inchicore who hit the front seven minutes into the second, when English drew out the goalkeeper after some clever play saw him clean through the Kilnamanagh cover, before his cross left Hoare with the simplest of finishes.
Three minutes later a sublime ball from Darren Howe found English again, and this time his low drive was bundled in by the onrushing Faye.
In a tight second half, Kilnamanagh struggled to create much as Inchicore seemed content to hold out.
The homeside continued to see much of the ball, and Hoare had another close chance from a corner saved by Lonergan with 20 minutes remaining.
Ger Marshall was called into action to deny a fast-breaking Kyle Fox before Inchicore went up the other end, but Faye rolled past the post when one-on-one with sLonergan .
Late chances for Howe, off a Stephen Kinch cross, and O’Rourke were denied, but ultimately it mattered not for Inchicore, as they confirmed the three points with a fabulous goal-saving challenge from Gareth Byrne on Sean Crowley.
INCHICORE ATHLETIC: G. Marshall, A. Ryan, C. Smithers, G. Byrne, A. Duffy, C. Green, D. Howe, S. Faye, L. English, S. Hoare, C. O’Rourke. SUBS: J. Bolton, L. Cannon, S. Kinch, K. Malone, D. Geraghty, C. Bolton, J. Molloy.
KILNAMANAGH AFC: M. Lonergan, K. Fox, M. Meehan, S. Murphy, C. Guirnan, D. Nolan, D. O’Reilly, C. Hayes, P. Ellis, R. Donoghue, D. Kelly. SUBS: D. McBride, B. O’Keffe, S. Crowley, J. Harding.
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