Winning start to Leinster Junior Cup for Celtic
Arklow side comfortably see off Kilkenny opponents
ARKLOW CELTIC 6 BROOKEVILLE FC (KK) 2
ARKLOW CELTIC started their LFA Junior Cup run with an impressive win over Kilkenny side Brookevile FC.
The Arklow side were looking for more cup glory this season after winning the Thomas Scott Cup at the tail end of last season but this time the cup winners found themselves facing a tough Kilkenny outfit in the LFA Junior Cup.
Celtic got off to a great start straight from the first whistle, the Arklow side looked very comfortable on the ball, each player from attack to defence was happy to keep the ball and soak up all the possession in the opening five to 10 minutes.
They almost had the perfect start in the fourth minute when Edwin Walker played a pin point ball to John Kearon who had made a darting run down the right wing before squaring the ball across to Lee Doyle, but the Celtic striker didn’t connect properly with the ball and Brookeville keeper JJ Sullivan smothered the ball.
Brookeville were finding it incredibly difficult to deal with centre midfielder Paddy Walker early on in the game as the playmaker was picking out players from distance and creating goal scoring opportunities for his team.
He added an assist on the 10th minute when he picked out Lee Doyle in space who turned and took the shot on his bad foot. Doyle’s powerful strike dipped in the air and clipped the underside of the bar before hitting the back of the net.
Celtic didn’t let up and added another goal to the score line four minutes later when a well delivered free kick from Shane Walker found Paddy Walker who finished well into the bottom corner.
The midfielder now had an assist and a goal in the opening 15 minutes.
Brookeville were struggling to offer anything going forward in the first half and found themselves three goals down after 25 minutes when John Kearon found the back of net after Edwin Walker found the winger in space to slip the ball under the keeper to make it 3-0 to the hosts.
Brookeville managed to grab one back just before half-time with a tidy finish from striker Jason Delaney.
Delaney managed to get in behind the Celtic defence with a ball over the top from Paddy Rolands.
Delaney waited until Celtic keeper Eoin Kavanagh committed himself and came off his line before slotting the ball to the keeper’s left hand side and into the corner of the net.
Brookeville had another opportunity just on the stroke of half-time when Tony McGrath found himself in space to receive a free-kick from Billy Erwin, but before the de- fender could get his shot off John Kearon had tracked back and put in a tackle last minute to prevent his side conceding another goal before half-time.
The Kilkenny side found themselves 3-1 down at half-time but with the goal just before the break it gave the travelling side a lot of confidence going into the second half of the game.
Kearon was hungry for more goals early in the second half and almost got his second of the game when his long range effort blasted off the post, much to the delight of Brookeville keeper JJ Sullivan who was rooted to the spot and did not move as he thought the strike was going well wide.
Lee Doyle and Paddy Walker combined again just on the hour mark of the game when Walker saw Doyle make a run down the right wing and in behind the Brookeville defence.
Doyle went one on one with the keeper and fired a low shot to the keeper’s left but Sullivan got a foot to the effort, only to realise he had set up Kearon who tapped the ball into an empty net.
Kearon now had grabbed himself a brace and wanted that hat-trick.
Celtic were happy to let Brookeville have the ball at some stages of the second half.
The hosts were cruising with a three-goal cushion and were happy to let their opponents have possession in positions that were non-threatening.
Brookeville scored their second of the game against the run of play in the 65th minute when Pat Fadian reacted first to an un-cleared free kick and took his shot on the half volley from long range.
Celtic keeper Owen Kavanagh will be disappointed with himself that he didn’t get down in time to the shot after he had little to do throughout the game.
Lee Doyle was at it again in the 70th minute to grab his second of the game and to give his side another three-goal lead going into the final 20 minutes of the game.
Doyle made a darting run beating two defenders before rounding the keeper and lobbing the last defender who had tried scramble back to prevent the goal.
Doyle had a chance to wrap up his hat-trick moments later after rounding the keeper again but the striker had pulled wide too much and was out at the corner of the box before getting his shot off.
Kearon was in a much better position and Doyle could and probably should have squared it to his teammate to finish off his hat-trick instead of shooting.
It didn’t matter though as Kearon slotted home moments later to finish off his hat-trick.
A great performance from both strikers with some great combination play throughout the game.
A well-earned second round of the LFA Junior Cup for the Arklow men, another dazzling cup performance from a team that have the quality to be competing for all honours this season.