DDSL 12Major

5th May 2008

Castleknock Celtic prove their mettle

Castleknock Celtic  2  Home Farm  1

Having been on the receiving end of some very bad luck since the New Year, Castleknock Celtic's Under 12 Major team found themselves facing the league leaders Home Farm with victory being the only result to salvage their very promising season.  

Having passed up a number of opportunities to gain promotion to the DDSL Premier, Celtic left themselves with the biggest possible mountain to climb. Home Farm themselves needing a win to claim the league title. 

The scene was set on a beautiful Bank Holiday Monday for a “Major” Showdown, though the wind was to make the conditions somewhat difficult for two teams that like to play football. The teams' previous league encounter ended in a pulsating 1 1 draw at the start of the season.  

The game was started with some caution by Celtic, as both teams weighed each other up. Home Farm looked the stronger in the opening exchanges, as Celtic struggled to find the form that’s been missing in recent months. Celtic contained a number of attacks by Home farm in the opening 15 minutes, their keeper Stephen Morris commanding his area in style. Against the run of play a clearance by the impressive Jovan Prodanic fell to Mark Grant, who provided the perfect cross to the far post. Conor Stephenson plucked the ball out of the sky and volleyed home for a wonderful opening strike. 1-0. 

The goal settled the home side and they grew in confidence. This was now a very close contest. Wave after wave of attack was brilliantly repelled by the gritty defence of Patrick Rocca, Eoin Conran, Joseph Lennon Maher and Jovan Prodanic. Home Farm's impressive O’Sullivan was a source of constant concern for Celtic and his efforts finally paid off when he met a cross with his head for an excellently taken goal. 1-1.

Celtic didn’t drop their heads and came storming back at Farm. A cross to the edge of the box by Tom Fogarty caused panic as Kyle Turner lurked on the edge, a hand was used to avert the danger and the referee awarded a free just outside the area. Ryan Moore Kearney weighed up his options and neatly curled a shot over the wall and into the bottom right hand corner of the net, leaving the Keeper with no chance. 2-1 with half time approaching.

The last 5 minutes of the 1^st half saw Farm up the pressure forcing 3 or 4 corners. Clearances by Rocca and Fogarty kept them out and Keeper Morris pushed a worrying shot around the post.  

The 2^nd half saw a sterling effort by Celtic to subdue Farm. The midfield partnership on Fogarty and Kurpreka worked tirelessly to win the centre of the park. The front running of Moore Kearney and Turner keeping the Farm defence on edge. At the other end the strength of Rocca and Prodanic combined with the speed and skill of Conran and Lennon Maher, reduced Farm to one serious effort on goal, which saw keeper Morris bravely dive at the strikers feet for a wonderful save. The chances were few but Turner had two shots saved by the Farm Keeper.