CK United make winning start to newly formed FAI National League

Two goals in the opening 20 minutes gave CK United a dream beginning to the FAI National League as they overcame Newbridge Town at the SETU Sports Campus in Carlow on Saturday afternoon.

Played in front of a very large attendance, the cold and wet conditions didn’t put any onlookers off with the Group 3 affair kickstarting the new competition as home supporters went home happy.

From a Kilkenny point of view, all eyes were on striker Emmet Nugent and while he had a couple of half-opportunites, the former Fort Rangers player was unable to hit the target.

It was a historic occasion for all associated with the Carlow/Kilkenny outfit and after nine years in existence with numerous underage teams, it was a long time coming for the CK United side and it was the first time since Kilkenny City’s demise back in 2008 that a team from the county competed at this level.

The game itself was hard-fought all the way through and while Newbridge began well, two quickfire goals from the home team allowed CK United to make the ideal start to the campaign.

A brilliant strike from Callum Warfield got the ball rolling for Tom O’Connor’s team and within seven minutes, the advantage had been doubled when team captain and man of the match on the day Ethan Boyle headed past Mark O’Connor from a corner.

Newbridge began to get a foothold on the contest with their biggest opportunity arriving when a Noah Byrne shot rebounded off the crossbar before CK United took a 2-0 lead into the break.

The Kildare side continued that momentum at the start of the second half when Eric Bhung Munongo scored in the 50th minute after he headed home on the back of a well directed flick from Finn Cowper Gray.

Newbridge could never kick on though and CK soon regained control of proceedings as they held on to claim a crucial three points on the opening afternoon of action.

CK United: Gavin O’Brien, Raveli Kilonda, Dan McGrath, Kyle Foley, Mamadou Doumbia, Cian Carmody, Ethan Boyle, Harry Sherlock , Callum Warfield, Dean Kelly, Emmett Nugent.

Subs: Shane Barnes for Warfield, Liam McDonnell for Carmody, 69 mins; Mark Imiren for Sherlock, 81 mins; Feo Adeogun for Nugent, 81 mins

Newbridge Town: Mark O'Connor, Finn Cowper Gray, David Oduntan, Seamus Brown, Eric Bhung Munongo, Nathan McAuley, Noah Byrne, Ruairi Brown, Conan Krüger, Alex Akinrintoyo, Isaiah Phillips.

Subs: Ethan Mills for Oduntan, h-t; Lewis McKeon for Kruger, h-t; Darragh Bolton for Akinrinoyo, h-t; Moses Alabi for Phillips, 59 mins.

Referee: Patrick Sinnott