Kilmore Rec ceded a goal late on to share points with Abbey Villa
The NAFL,
Premier League,
Venue: Robert Adams Park, 7th February 2026.
Final Score: Kilmore Rec 1 1 Abbey Villa.
Kimore Rec got off to a flying start against Abbey Villa with James Mahoney hammering in the ball from the middle of the Abbey Villa box after some early pressure from the Rec writes Jim Masson.
The home side were attacking quire strongly with a long ball from Tomas Murphy to Joe Healy who passed to Fionn Muhern who went marginally offsides in his break.
Declan McComiskey then passed through to John Mahoney who left-footed a great volley forcing Abbey keeper James Darlington to push the ball over the top bar for a corner.
Abbey settled and came back more into the game, which swung to and fro at a quick pace. Ryan Convery was just wide on one volley, then Mark Cooling hit a 30-yarder low but it was well held by Kilmore keeper Casey Courtney.
In one attack, Kilmore’s Henry Smyth hit a solid ball on target but it was just blocked by a defender. Abbey through the first half had a series of corners as they pressed forward trying to equalise but the Kilmore defenders were holding out well.
(Photos: Jim Masson/DownNews©).
Abbey seemed to be getting the ball into the danger area but were not finishing well.
The second half commenced with the Kilmore defence doing strongly to keep Abbey from scoring. There was one early moment of danger as Adam Arthurs tried to squeeze the ball into the Kilmore net but he was eventually dispossessed in the goalmouth. Kilmore were treading on thin ice.
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As Kilmore pressed forward, Joe Healy shot and hit the crossbar. Kilmore Rec were trying to raise their game and keep Abbey out of their half. Forwards Mulhern, Conlon and (James) Mahoney worked hard in vain to try and create a second goal.
Declan McComiskey hit a low volley and it bounced off the Abbey right hand post from a defenders leg. Kilmore were certainly looking like the team most likely to score by the run of play.
But Abbey stepped up their game and won another corner, Mark Cooling hit a shot just over the Kilmore top post.
And Abbey won yet another corner and had three efforts at scoring until eventually Jake Wilson seized the moment and blasted the ball from the middle of the box. It came off two Kilmore players and the referee deemed it an own goal with Abbey equalising at 1-1 in the 68th minute.
Kilmore fought back and were on the break and Mulhern went on a solo run tagged by three defenders. He did well to get into the box and hit the ball at a sharp angle at the goal and just missed the back post.
In one play Conlon fed the ball through to Smyth on a charge but he was just deemed offside.
Abbey keeper James Darlington was in good form as he managed to finger the ball over the top bar for a corner after a fierce Kilmore drive.
When Abbey’s midfielder Smyth was taken down, a free kick was awarded and the 30-yard effort by McComiskey low to the right hand corner was on target but Kilmore keeper Blake Henry made a brilliant diving save putting the ball out for a corner… and Kilmore then survived that spell of attacks.
Abbey came more into the game at the tail end of the second half.
On one occasion Kiimore managed a break with a pass from Conlon to Smyth but the referee blew for an offside as he went clear.
Then Kilmore’s last fling saw the Abbey keeper’s finger the ball over the top post for a corner denying them a winner in the dying embers of the match.
The last real moment of drama came when Abbey’s Smyth was taken down in the Kilmore half 30 yards from their goal. Mark Cooling took the free kick aiming for the top right hand corner and was on target but was denied a goal by a terrific flying save by Kilmore keeper Blake Henry.
Both keepers had made great saves in the match and a draw seemed the logical result for the match with both teams cancelling each other out.
Abbey Villa are now sitting in third position in the Premier League table while Kilmore Rec are positioned at the bottom of the table, but with a bit of form they will pull themselves out of the relegation zone.
Kilmore do have a few young players on their squad and it will a a couple of years before they all firm up and compete more strongly in the top flight of the NAFL Premier League.
Keeper Blake Henry was nominated the Kilmore Player of the Match by supporter Ted Ellison.
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Kilmore Rec: 1 Blake Henry (GK) 2 John Mahoney 3 Matthew Stewart 4 Tomas Murphy 5 Christopher Magee 6 Joe Healy 7 Declan McComiskey 8 Henry Smyth 9 Fionn Mulhern 10 Caolan Conlon (C) 11 James Mahoney. Subs: 12 Cal Gemmel 14 Shay McGrattan 15 Conor McCarron.
Abbey Villa FC: 1 James Darlington )GK) 2 Ross Murphy 3 Casey Courtney 4 Adam Arthurs (C) Matthew Dempster 6 Joshua Barnes 7 Mark Cooling 8 Ryan Convery 9 Jake Wilson 10 Ross Arhurs 11 Jack Uprichard. Subs: Jonathan Angis 14 Gregg Fleming 15 Sam Millar.
