Our 16B squad also down to the bare bones due to injury & sickness hosted Killarney Celtic B on that fantastic all weather pitch in Mounthawk Park.
We welcomed DJ Griffin back from a long injury & what an important part he played in the win making saves at vital times in the game.
The away game had seen Celtic win 4 nil at home in a comfortable victory so we knew that all the lads would have to battle for every ball to get something from the game. What we didn’t know was this was to be an absolute thriller of a battle from start to finish. Celtic took the lead early & the signs looked ominous again.
We were creating all the chances but some terrible finishing was keeping it scoreless before Michael Lally burst through the Killarney defense & hit an unstoppable shot which hit the underside of the bar bounced inside the line & came back out in a copy of the famous World Cup final goal in 1966. Luckily for us the eagle eyed Kevin saw it cross the line & awarded the goal.
After that we dominated the remainder of the half until a minute before halftime Michael Lally had struck a goal bound shot which crashed off the butt of the post & in the ensuing battle to win the rebound Michael received a straight red card.
So after all our fine play in the first forty minutes we would be down to ten men for the second forty.
At halftime we also had to withdraw Sean Sookarry who had become unwell during the first half leaving us two subs, one of whom was carrying an injury, backs to the wall stuff !
HT 1 – 1
The second half will be remembered by the management for the battling qualities & never say die attitude show by all on the pitch as boys became men to create chance after chance with Liam Magee’s dribble from Centre back to shooting just over inside the Celtic box being a stand out moment.
Jordan Mason was a class act in midfield spraying passes all over the pitch & his midfield partner Kieran O Leary ran himself to a standstill. Liam & Peter Dineen played outstanding together at the back while Connor Kavanagh & Eoin McDonnell played probably their best game to date. Even though a man down Luke Dennehy & Simon Moynihan covered both wings up & down without stopping for breath, launching attack after attack.
Ryan O Sullivan’s injury eventually got the better of him & Mark Roche worked tirelessly to provide an out ball when under pressure.
With two minutes of time remaining & Celtic pressing high looking for a winning goal Kieran O Leary went on one final lung bursting run through the Celtic midfield & found himself on the edge of the box & with a premiership finish lifted the ball over the keeper & into the top corner to give our lads a much deserved three points.
FT 2 – 1
MotM Liam Magee & Jordan Mason.
