Castleknock Celtic  4    Ashbourne Utd  0

"Celtic maintain their 100% start to season"

NDSL 14Premier

21 Sept 08

CELTIC TOOK TO THE PITCH AGAINST OLD RIVALS ASHBOURNE WHO PIPPED TREM LAST YEAR IN THE LEAGUE SHAKE UP, WITH A GRIM DETERMINATION TO SET THINKS RIGHT.  FROM THE OFF, CELTIC PRODUCED 60 MINUTES OF THE MOST DOMINANT FOOTBALL THAT YOU WILL HAVE SEEN ANYWHERE THIS SUNDAY.

MIDFIELD OF SEAN HANNEY, LUKE GEALON, CAPTAIN, MO MAHADY, DERMOT MURRAY, AND ARTHUR STARK IN STUNNING STYLE OPENED UP THE ASHBOURNE REARGUARD AT WILL. HANNEY IN COMBINATION WITH SWEEPER JAMES BOYLE SPLITTING THE DEFENCE FOR MURRAY TO POWERFULLY DRIVE HOME FROM 15 YARDS AFTER 10 MINS. 1-0 TO CELTIC

THE NEXT 20 MINUTES SAW SUBLIME PLAY BY STARK AND MURRAY ON EACH WING AS THEY TORE ASHBOURNE TO SHREDS, WITH JOHN ROE AND BRIAN SLEVIN TWICE DENIED BY EXCELLENT ASHBOURNE GOAL-KEEPING AND THE POST DENYING SLEVIN.

IT WAS ALL CELTIC WITH GEALON, MURRAY, AND HANNEY ON 3 OCCASIONS PULLING GREAT SAVES FROM THE ASHBOURNE STOPPER.

HALF TIME 1-0 TO CELTIC

SECOND HALF STARTED WITH A BANG WITH THE NORMALLY DEADLY SLEVIN ROUNDING THE KEEPER TO SHOOT INTO THE SIDE NETTING. THIS WAS QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY  A GREAT EFFORT BY ROE BEING SAVED AGAIN BY THE KEEPER TO SEE IT DROP TO SLEVIN WHO PUT IT OVER. SURELY IT WASN’T GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE DAYS?

NO, IT WASN’T HANNEY AND MAHADY PLAYED THE BALL SUBLIMELY FROM THE BACK FOR LUKE GEALON TO SPLIT THE DEFENCE FOR ARTHUR STARK TO ROUND THE KEEPER AND SHOOT HOME 2-0.

AGAIN MAN OF MATCH HANNEY WAS WINNING EVERYTHING IN THE AIR AND MAKING CHANCES FOR HIMSELF AND THE FRONT 2 AT WILL BUT TO NO AVAIL.

ASHBOURNE'S KEEPER WAS IN FINE FORM DENYING SLEVIN AND HANNEY TWICE IN THE SPACE OF A MINUTE. THEN OWN GOAL HERO FROM LAST SEASON'S GAME COLM NEVILLE POPPED UP TO SLOT IN NUMBER 3 FROM A JOHN ROE PASS, WONDERFUL FOOTBALL ALL OVER THE PITCH HAD ASHBOURNE CHASING SHADOWS.

CELTIC'S BEST ALL ROUND PERFORMANCE WAS ROUNDED OFF WITH ANOTHER SWEET GOAL AS THE TENACIOUS WALE CHASED DOWN THE DEFENDER, SHOT POWERFULLY OFF THE CROSSBAR, BUT ARTHUR STARK WAS ON HAND TO BEAT THE KEEPER FROM CLOSE RANGE. 4-0.

IN TRUTH IT COULD HAVE BEEN TEN WITH ROE AND SLEVIN, GOING CLOSE AGAIN, WHILE HANNEY WAS VERY UNLUCKY WHEN HIS POINT BLANK HEADER WAS WELL STOPPED ON THE LINE BY THE KEEPER.

CELTIC SIT PROUDLY TOP OF THE LEAGUE 7 GOAL 2 CLEAN SHEETS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY 6 POINTS. ROLL ON NEXT SUNDAY!!!