15/16 September 2007

AUL Div1 Sun : Match of the Day in Porterstown was the Leinster Junior Cup tie with Shamrock Rovers.  Celtic struck with Adam O'Callaghan seizing on a spill by the Rovers keeper.  1-0.  They were cruising as we entered the final third of the game.  But Rovers seized on a lapse in the Celtic ranks, and they produced an excellent strike into the far corner of the net, giving Gagar U-way no chance in the home team's goal. Cometh the hour, cometh the man - Billy Thompson was introduced and made an immediate impact.  He was found just outside of the Rovers box, he exchanged passes, raced to the end line, from where he delivered the killer cross.  Paul Murray raced in bravely in at the far post and unleashed a ferocious finish into the roof of the Rovers' net.  2-1 and a very deserved second round place in the prestigious FAI Junior Cup. Progress in this cherished tournament is just reward for this team which gives such commitment all through the seasons. Someone amongst the visitors was heard to remark before the game that this bunch of kids were no match for the mighty Rovers, but they didn't realise the Celtic kids hadn't read the Rovers' script!  click for pics

AUL Div3 Sat : Celtic overcame Tyrellstown in this local derby, with a single goal separating the teams.  photo  click

11Premier : Donal  Timoney was on song in this match against Malahide. His hat-trick ensured that Celtic maintained their unbeaten record.  It was played in difficult windy conditions.  Karl Fitzgibbon was superb in the middle of the park and Conor Geraghty was a constant threat on the left wing.  At the back, Fergal Kavanagh, Eric Kelly and Nathan McAloon were rock solid. click for pics

DDSL 12Major : Ryan Kearney Moore was yet again on the scoresheet.  Conor Stephenson and Joe Lennon Maher joined Ryan to give Celtic a comfortable 3-1 win away to Drogheda Boys. They are now sitting on top of the 12 Major division.

U-12C were comfortable winners in this Costelloe League Cup game in Porterstown.  4 cracking goals from Eoin O'Donnchú, and a brace from the prolific Keelan McAnerin, with one from Conor Hayes, saw the home side take the points.

13Premier : Comfortable win for Paul Slevin's troops.  click

DDSL 8E1 : St John Vianney hosted Castleknock Celtic in this league fixture in Coolock.  Vianney scored first but didn't keep their lead for long, as Naoise McAloon equalised just before half time. Vianney were awarded a dubious penalty, to make it 2-1 at half time. The second half didn't start too well for Celtic, with Vianney going 3 - 1 up.  But Celtic came into there own with a goal from Troy Ryan, followed by another from Matthew Nugent.  Then came the goal of the match, a  Jordan Manning volley from about 17 yards shot in over the head of the goalkeeper and buried in the back of the net.  Vianney then equalised.  But Celtic were not finished, and Matthew Nugent scored his second to win the match for Celtic. 4-3 to the Celtic boys who were rightly very proud of their performance, and which manager Tony Molloy was delighted with.

NDSL 13 Premier

Celtic bounce back into League Title Race - click for photo

Castleknock Celtic  7  Kilbarrack Utd  1   

Celtic stormed back into the league title race with a whirlwind performance right from the start. The last two weeks saw Celtic slow out of  the blocks, but not this week.  Their 5 man midfield swarmed all over the lads from Kilbarrack, with the influential Arthur Stark hitting the post twice and seeing a thunderous shot saved at point blank range from the superb Kilbarrack keeper.

Celtic poured forward with Gareth Elliot and captain Gareth O'Hara running the middle of the park and opening the Kilbarrack back-4 up at will, with Celtic's strike force of Brian Slevin and Conor Byrne both being denied by two superb saves from the Kilbarrack keeper.

Slevin then rounded the keeper for the ball to be cleared off the line, it was beginning to look like one of those days, when the silky skills of Eoin O'Brien saw him beat 5 and shoot, only to see the ball cleared off the line again, to be fooled by an almost identical incident with Slevin seeing the effort cleared off the line.

Arthur Stark's pace has been frightening defences from the start of the season, and today was no exception. Wing wizard, Dermot Murray, ran the left line and crossed the full length of the pitch for Stark to volley into the top right hand corner, the super Killbarrack keeper had no chance.

Celtic were now on fire and  a move saw O'Brien slide a precision pass to Slevin, who sublimely chipped the keeper from 20yards.  2-0.

It  was all Celtic from the start of the second half.  O'Hara, Elliott and Stark were pushing Celtic forward in wave after wave of attack.  Man of the match O'Brien scored a hat-trick in the space of 15 mins.  The first was a diving header, followed by a silky chip, and the third, a contender for goal of the season, a volley from 20yrds from just outside the box.

Celtic rang the changes with 5 subs and new midfielder, Mo Mahady, who looked the part with a wonderful  performance that could have seen him bag a hat-trick but for some great saves and a near miss from the Kilbarrack keeper.

O'Hara then played Murray in, and he volleyed from 20 yards into the top corner, to challange obrien for the goal of the season.  Celtic went close again with Stark, Slevin and Byrne all shaving the wood work, before Conor Byrne made it 7 with a strike from just inside the box.

NDSL U-12 Costelloe Cup

Clontarf  4  Castleknock Celtic  2

Clontarf were too strong for Celtic in this League Cup game away in St Annes Park. Solid performance by all, much improvement by individuals. 2 Key defenders missing. Celtic conceded first after 5 minutes after some slack defending. The equaliser came after 12 minutes, following a slick passing move involving 8 Castleknock players.  It was scored by Ross Kennedy with a beautiful left foot shot high to the ‘keeper’s right. Celtic conceded two more before half time, owing to lapses in concentration. Half time 3 -1. 

The second half started brightly, with beautiful passing by the Castleknock side, leading to two good attempts on goal, which were saved by the Clontarf keeper.

10 minutes into the 2^nd half, due to severe pressure caused through committing more players forward to chase the game,  Celtic went 4 – 1 down.

15 minutes from full time, Castleknock Celtic broke quickly from defence, swept the ball quickly to Craig Smyth who coolly despatched it to the Clontarf net. 4 – 2. 

Castleknock piled the pressure on for the final 10 minutes, and were only denied a third goal by some excellent goalkeeping by the Clontarf keeper. Castleknock finished the stronger of the two sides, but couldn’t convert their dominance into scores.

Overall, a disappointing loss of a game that Celtic felt they could have got a result from.  However, given that Clontarf are from a higher division, they are confident that they are on the right track.