Superb team performance helps Leeds to big win over Kinsale in U18 Premier league game

Leeds 3 

Kinsale 0

Leeds put in a superb team performance when they beat Kinsale in a Daly Industrial Supplies Cork Youth League U18 Premier encounter at Leeds Park.

Leeds were terrific on the night and played with a great shape and style, however, the players had the freedom to make their own decisions which is a credit to all their coaches.

Leeds were a goal to the good at the half time break courtesy of a wonderful strike from Alex O’Sullivan in the 21st minute. 

They went two goals up four minutes from the restart after a great passage of play that was finished by Adam Sienicki and sealed all three points with a late effort from Euan Weighton.

It was the visitors, Kinsale who made the better start to the game with their winger Amir Al-Masri stretching the Leeds back four on the right flank at every opportunity. 

However, Leeds came close the breakthrough in the 20th minute when Cillian O’Callaghan released Ian Fitzgerald with an excellent through ball, but Kinsale’s Jake Howey recovered to make a vital block. 

From the resulting corner, Jamie O’Halloran found Alex O’Sullivan on the edge of the box and he curled his effort into the roof of the net to give Leeds a 1-0 lead. 

Kinsale made a positive response after that setback and Darragh Murphy stung the hands of the Leeds stopper David McCabe with a long range drive in the 26th minute. 

The visitors came close to levelling the game ten minutes later, Ollie Ahern floated in a beautiful free kick and when Dan Foley headed effort was heading for the corner of the net, McCabe got down well to expertly stop his effort on the goal line. 

The home side then could have increased their lead in the 42nd minute, O’Callaghan raced down the right wing and when he put in a dangerous cross, Kinsale’s keeper Steven Linehan raced off his line to take the ball off the toe of in incoming Fitzgerald.

Leeds made the perfect start to the second half when they increased their 2-0 in the 49th minute with the goal of the game, it all started when O’Halloran took two Kinsale players out of the game with a superb turn, he then found O’Callaghan of the edge of the box and he then squared the perfect pass to Adam Sienicki, who struck an unstoppable effort to the far corner of the net. 

Leeds were now in full flow by playing through the lines and came close to adding another goal ten minutes later when O’Callaghan’s 25 yard free kick shaved the post. 

Kinsale did have a half chance to reduce the deficit 65th minute when Al-Masri found a pocket of space outside the box, but his powerful effort was well saved by McCabe. 

Leeds came very close to a third goal in the 82nd minute, substitute Euan Weighton picked up a loose ball outside the box from all of 30 yards, but it took another fine stop from Linehan in the Kinsale goal to push his effort around the post. Weighton didn’t have to wait long to get his goal and Leeds third, he received a pass from an of match O’Halloran on the left wing and he cut in to unleash an bullet of an effort that found was in the back of the net. 

Leeds have strengthened their team and backroom staff this season and although it’s early in the season you can see a huge improvement from last season and should challenge for silverware.

LEEDS: David McCabe, Craig O’Sullivan, Alex O’Sullivan, Padraig Foley, Adam Patterson, Jamie O’Halloran, Cillian O’Callaghan, Luke Murray, Adam Sienicki, Ian Fitzgerald, Isaac Hayes.

Subs: Daniel Duhig for Fitzgerald (60), Euan Weighton for O’Callaghan (66), Alberto Cunha-Fernades for Sienicki (69), Craig Virgo for Hayes (82).

KINSALE: Steven Linehan, Thomas O’Donovan, Oran Sheedy, Jake Howey, Art Rahilly-Scully, Dan Foley, Darragh Murphy, Charlie O’Dowd, Luke Barlow, Ollie Ahern, Amir Al-Masri.

Subs: Darragh Kingston for O’Dowd (70), Dylan Prior for Barlow (77).

Referee: David Hickey.