On a bright and sunny day in Castledermot, the Naas U10 Green team faced Castle Villa. A big pitch with an uneven surface meant this would be a day to dig deep.

The first half was fiercely contested, with excellent defensive outings from Michael O’Connell and Tadhg Maher denying Castle Villa any significant chances. The midfield duo of Mikolaj Podgorniak and Raphael Kehoe kept the rhythm flowing. Despite their efforts, Castle Villa managed to slip in a goal just before half-time, taking a slender lead into the break.

At half-time, the coaches applauded the team’s effort and urged them to continue supporting each other. The response was immediate and positive. The second half began with renewed vigor, and it wasn’t long before Ben Reilly set up Jamie Lillis, who equalised and maintained his remarkable scoring streak for the season.

Castle Villa pressed for a response, yet Naas’ defense stood tall, with key contributions from Sean Browne and Shuayb Islam. Any attempts from the opposition were thwarted by brilliant saves from keeper Thomas Friel.

Gradually, Naas regained control, and after a flurry of near misses, Faniel Futsom delivered a beautiful assist to Gavish Gaba, who scored to put Naas ahead. With Patrick Hanrahan and Alex Hackett close to extending the lead, the moment finally arrived when Vlad Caracu sealed the victory with a stunning strike into the bottom corner.

A tough game that could have turned at any moment showcased the Naas U10 Green’s tenacity and fighting spirit, as they proudly maintained their unbeaten record this season.