NDSL 13Premier

SFAI Troy Cup

3 November 2007

Kingscourt  1      Castleknock Celtic 4

Celtic travelled far to play this SFAI cup game on the back of a horrendous injury list, which has seen them unable this season to date to pick from their full panel, with Gourlay, O'Reilly, Murray, Neville, Greg O'Brien, Cormac Doyle, all still unavailable. But this morning saw the real battling spirit emerge in the core hub that was left to play a very strong Kingscourt side.

Celtic started well with Stark and Slevin causing Kingscourt numerous problems at the back.  Slevin hit the post after 5 min.

It looked like it was going to be one of those days when Cian Conway was stretchered off after 10 mins which reduced ccfc to 11 standing.

Stark was having none of it and a beautiful  series of interplays between Slevin and Eoin O'Brien sliced Harps open for StarK to glide thru to open the scoring. 1-0.

Celtic were under constant pressure but the makeshift defence was being marshalled by Conor Byrne as sweeper and what a lovely reader of the game from the back our star striker is turning out to be.

The front-3 again of Stark, O'Brien and Slevin were at it again.  This time O'Brien played Slevin in to round the keeper for the second.  2-0.

Then with a bang on the stroke of half time, Harps got a carbon copy of the Celtic goal.  2-1 and game on.

Celtic took a real blow at the start of second half with Gareth Elliot, the midfield dynamo, being injured and now the visitors were ten standing.  Hanney was dominant in the air and he played Stark through for the third.  This was followed soon after by Eoin O'Brien finishing the Harps off with the 4^th. 4-1.

Watching this game was the Glasgow Celtic Youth Academy Director, John Hall, who was suitably impressed by Celtic's performance, in particular, Stark, O'Brien and Slevin.  He said that he would be back twice before Christmas to run the slide rule over the lads with the view to a trial at Parkhead in the New Year!  Great days to be playing for  Celtic indeed.