16/06/2026
ABBEYFEALE RETURN TO THE PREMIER
Division 1 Promotion playoff
Abbeyfeale United…………………………………………………..2
(E. Riordan 45 +2, D. Murphy 105)
Athea United ………………………………………………………….1
(M. Nolan 42)
After spending two seasons in Division 1, Abbeyfeale will return to the Premier Division for the 2026-27 season after beating Athea United 2-1 in extra time in a riveting Division 1 Promotion playoff in sunny Mick Hanley Park on Sunday afternoon.
Having finished deadlocked at the end of the regular season, it was expected that there would be little between the sides on the day and that’s how it turned out. Athea drew first blood with a goal from Mikey Nolan in the 42nd minute, the peerless Eliah Riordan equalised with a trademark thumping header on the stroke of half-time and Dylan Murphy scored the winner with a deflected shot midway through the second period of extra time.
Abbeyfeale was well represented in the large crowd, who took the opportunity to catch some welcome rays by populating the terracing and banks on the dressing room side, rather than opting for the cool shade of the stand. The team’s most ardent supporters this season, the extended Quille family, were joined by many club members and followers, all willing the team to do the business.
It was the Athea supporters who had most cause for optimism in the opening ten minutes, with Noel O’Donnell’s charges looking sharper in their pressing, passing and movement. It was during this period that Shane O’Connell pulled off the save of the match, and possibly of the season, somehow getting a firm hand to a point-blank shot that had goal written all over it.
Abbeyfeale got into it after that and the rest of the half was even. Athea had a let-off on the half-hour when Jamie O’Connor’s free-kick from halfway came back off the crossbar, an early example of the dead ball prowess of O’Connor, which has been a major asset for Abbeyfeale since he returned from Australia in January.
Athea’s opener in the 42nd minute came from a corner, with Nolan converting at the far post after a flick-on. Conceding a second goal before halftime would have been devastating and left-back Cathal Woulfe prevented that with a vital interception a minute later.
The sides were back on level terms two minutes into injury-time. From a couple of yards inside the Athea half, O’Connor delivered a sublime ball with pace to the far post and there to meet it was Riordan, who soared above friend and foe to head the ball unstoppably past the keeper.
Abbeyfeale had the first chance of the second half, Murphy’s shot cleared off the line, but, apart from that, the second-half was mostly about Athea spurning a number of opportunities, through O’Connell saves and bad misses. O’Connell kept Abbeyfeale in it with a point blank save from Andrew O’Riordan and a leg save from Darren Murphy. Athea centre-half Cillian O’Connor did put the ball in the net in the 79th minute, but it was ruled offside.
Having weathered the storm, Abbeyfeale almost won it in spectacular fashion a minute into injury time. There appeared to be little danger to Athea when Murphy laid the ball back to O’Connor, who was 34 yards out from goal. But the confident striker/midfielder had other ideas, unleashing a tremendous strike that came back off the crossbar; it would have been a goal for the ages.
The first period of extra-time was cagey, the highlight being yet another O’Connell save, this time from Nolan.
Abbeyfeale won it midway through the second period and two of manager David O’Leary’s substitutions played key roles. With speed and skill, James Brouder evaded his marker near the sideline at the halfway line and passed up the line to Adam Barry, who delivered a pinpoint cross. There to meet it was Murphy, whose powerful shot was deflected into the net, to the delight of all Fealesiders present.
The question now was could Abbeyfeale hold out in the time remaining. They did so with great determination; a 30-yard run by Riordan along the left flank brought relief to the defence and drew gasps of admiration from the crowd that he still had such power in the tank after almost 110 minutes of intense action, while Murphy taking the ball into the corner in the last couple of minutes was also met with approval.
Athea thought they had equalised with two minutes remaining, but the header was ruled offside, to the delight of the animated Abbeyfeale bench.
The final whistle of Eugene Noonan, who refereed the game very well, was greeted with delight by the Abbeyfeale supporters and players, as would be the case in a Cup Final victory. However, this was more important that a Cup success, which is limited to the present, while promotion is present and future.
After the game, the players headed to the Cryle View Bar, where Laurenza provided a tasty BBQ in her sunny beer garden. Along with good food and drink, music is the third element of any good Irish party, and that was provided later in the evening by the guitar and vocals of Tristan Murphy in John Mike’s beer garden. Tristan played and sang to a consistently high level throughout the evening, but nobody knew quite what to expect when Jamie Dore stepped up to the microphone and remained silent for a few seconds. Then he started to sing and the immediate reaction from his team-mates and others present was as enthusiastic as an X-Factor audience showing appreciation for a contestant who hit all the right notes. Simply put, the boy can sing.
Assistant manager, Michael Broderick, also added to the merriment with a song that required a prop that reduced in capacity as the song went on. Of the few speeches, the most memorable was that of inspirational captain, Conor Mullane, who summed everything up in one word, “Sound.”
Monday morning brought the announcement from David O’Leary that he was stepping down as manager. David’s record as a manager with the club is one of which he can be extremely proud. He won multiple trophies with the Ladies and then the Bs and now has the distinction of taking the club back to the Premier in his final season in charge. Hopefully, he will be back in a managerial role in the future, as managers of his calibre are not easy to come by.
The group of players and management who won promotion deserve individual mention and I will do that next week.
Team: Shane O’Connell, Culann Quigley, Cathal Woulfe, Oisin Woulfe, Conor Moroney, Conor Mullane (capt), Eliah Riordan, Olan Quigley, Jamie Dore, Jamie O’Connor, Dylan Murphy. Subs: Cathal McCoy for Dore (63 mins), Adam Barry for O. Quigley (80 mins), Adrian O’Leary for Moroney (90 mins), James Brouder for C. Quigley (93 mins), TJ Murphy for Mullane, inj. (102 mins), Killian Keogh.
