The Park under 16 side, who earlier this season were runners-up in the Under 16 National Cup and the Kerry u16 Cup finally got their just rewards when they defeated Killarney Celtic at Christy Leahy Park on Sunday. This was essentially the league decider as a win for Celtic Killarney Celtic would have meant a play-off with the Tralee side for whom a win or draw was sufficient to see them to see them champions. It was an excellent game of articulate football with the Park, with the aid of a stiff breeze, well on top in the opening half and with Fergal Ryan and Luke Moynihan raiding o n the wings,
but failed to find the net due mainly to an excellent display in goals by Conor McCarthy Despite all their possession Park could have gone behind ion the 20th minute when Stephen McCarthy and Mark Potts split their defence but were denied by Conor Hurley who went full length to push the ball away. For the opening fifteen minutes of the second half Park were cruising but for the remainder of the half Killarney Celtic created five goal scoring chances but failed to find the net. Park eventually got the goal they needed with just five minutes left to play. Emanuel Abubacker won the ball in his own half and raided up the wing, evading a number of tackles, before passing the ball to Fergal Ryan who took one touch before lofting the ball over the keeper for a goal worthy of winning any game. The high standard of play throughout is testament to the work being done by the acadamies of both clubs.
Report By Christy Leahy , Pictures by Sean Ward .
