Murphy rescues point
Dearg Celtic and Arklow United share spoils in thriller
DEARG CELTIC ARKLOW UNITED 3 3
THERE was a six-goal thriller in Redcross on Sunday afternoon with Division 3 side Dearg Celtic hosting Arklow United B in what turned out to be one of the most exciting games of the season in the Division 3 so far.
Both teams needed to add to their winning form as league rivals Conary United were hot on their heels with ten points from five games with two games in hand on both Dearg Celtic and Arklow United.
The home side started much better than the away side as Craig Browne hit the bar from 30 yards out with a thunderbolt of a free kick.
Browne was unlucky not to score as the ball looked to be going into the top right hand corner but unfortunately for Browne the ball dipped at the wrong time and hit the crossbar.
An early warning for United who almost conceded in the first two minutes.
Alan Hudson was very unlucky not to open the scoring himself in the 11th minute after a well struck corner from Craig Browne found Hudson at the back post but the striker was back peddling as the ball came to him which meant when he connected with the ball his shot was always rising.
Despite the home side having the majority of the possession in the opening 15 minutes Arklow United striker Luke Walker was causing monumental problems for the Dearg defence with his incredible pace when the ball was played over the top.
Walker had beaten the home side’s defence for pace on a number of occasions throughout the first half but the striker was unable to hit the target and punish Celtic’s sloppy defence.
Referee Jay Redmond had no other option but to point to spot on the half hour mark when Alan Hudson was fouled inside the penalty area resulting in a penalty kick.
Hudson then stepped up and slotted the peno past goalkeeper Dean Flood to give his side the lead, which was well deserved as the home side had been controlling the game for the majority of the first half.
Dearg Celtic added another before half time after an unfortunate own goal from Michael Wolohan on the 41st minute put the home side with a two-goal cushion at the end of the first half.
Wolohan had tracked back to his own goal line to prevent Hudson slotting the ball into an empty net after the striker beat keeper Dean Flood but as Wolohan tried to clear the ball the defender swiped at the ball and went into the back of his own net.
Very unlucky for the Arklow man as he had tracked back to prevent conceding another goal but an unfortunate connection with the ball meant his side went in at half-time with a lot to do in the second half.
United started the second half much better than the first half.
The away side knew they had to perform much better than they had in the first half if the wanted to take anything from the game.
They got their reward in the 51st minute when Luke Walker was first to react to a parried shot from keeper Jamie Roche, Walker took the shot first time and slotted past the Dearg Celtic keeper.
Celtic had lost some confidence going forward early in the second half as they resorted to long balls but United were happy to let Dearg Celtic try long balls over the top as their experienced centre-back Jason Carey headed the ball clear every time the ball came his way.
Rumour has it Carey hasn’t missed a header since he played in the Mini World Cup at Arklow Town back when he was seven years old.
Carey got in on the scoring act in the 72nd minute when the defender rose above everyone else to head in a well delivered corner from Luke Walker to bring the game back level at 2-2 with it all to play for in the last twenty minutes.
The hosts looked like they were happy to hold and sit out a 2-1 victory but as Carey equalized they realized they had to throw caution to the wind and put more men forward, leaving Walker space to run into when he gained possession of the ball in the final third.
Walker started the counter-attack on the halfway line in the 80th minute as he played the ball out to substitute Mark Nolan who went on a great run down the right wing before crossing the ball to Walker, who took the shot first time.
His shot was saved but Walker followed up with another strike to put his side in the lead with only ten minutes remaining, a great comeback from the Arklow side.
It only took one opportunity from the hosts to bring the game back level after United failed to mark up on a long throw from Craig Browne who found Michael Murphy unmarked.
Murphy used his head to get the slightest of touches and flick the ball past Dean Flood and into the back of the net to bring the game back level at 3-3 in the 87th minute.
Points shared in the end and probably a fair result for both sides, as each team dominated different halves of the game with Dearg Celtic dominating the first and United the second.
United will be frustrated that they could not hold out for another couple of minutes for the win as they bravely came back from a two goal deficit. Both teams go away with one point a piece, meaning United remain on top of the table.