Conary are tops in goal-fest
CONARY UNITED DEARG CELTIC 8 4
ROOSTER PARK hosted an incredible 12-goal thriller on Sunday morning between Conary United and Dearg Celtic in the Wicklow League Division 3.
Conary have been impressive at home throughout the season and again showed their confidence on home soil as they smashed league rivals Dearg Celtic 8-4.
Dearg Celtic started the game much better than the hosts and almost opened the scoring on the eighth minute through some great build up play between Jem Power and John Andy Kinsella.
Power gained possession on the edge of the penalty area after Kinsella whipped in a great cross from the corner flag to the midfielder, Power beat two Conary defenders before playing in Kinsella who had made his way into the box with a clever run. Kinsella ultimately dragged his shot well wide but it was a good start from the away side.
Things got better for Dearg as they opened the scoring on the 10th minute through more great build up play from Jem Power and John Andy Kinsella.
As Conary were under pressure in their own half of the field for majority of the opening 10 minutes their defenders had to get rid of the ball by any means necessary, this meant hoofing the ball back to their opponents which gave Dearg the opportunity to go on the counter-attack.
Defender Eoin Brennan picked out Power in the centre of midfield who went on a run towards the penalty area but before he advanced in the box he saw Kinsella making a run in behind the Conary defence.
Power clipped the ball into Kinsella who took the shot on first time and found the corner of the net to make it 1-0. Another great passage of play from Power and Kinsella.
With Dearg one goal ahead and having the majority of the possession for the opening 10 minutes they should have capitalised on their opportunities but the travelling side failed to hit the target on a number of occasions.
This meant that Conary had now grown into the game and started to create chances of their own and they managed to grab an equaliser on the half-hour mark through a long ball which bounced just in-front of striker Davie Doran who flicked the ball past Dearg keeper Kevin Cullen to make it 1-1.
It was obvious that Conary just needed time to grow into the game before taking control of the match as they grabbed another two goals before half-time.
Their second goal came from a very poor clearance from the Dearg Celtic defence but Davie Doran didn’t need an invitation to shoot and pounced on the loose ball and fired home his second of the game.
The third goal came from a well worked corner routine that looked like it came straight from the training ground.
PJ Fluskey came short for the corner before whipping in the ball to Darragh Doran who had made a run to the back post to slot home and make it 3-1 before half-time.
A great comeback from the home side to go goal behind in the opening 10 minutes of the game to turn it around and lead 3-1 before half-time.
Conary didn’t let up in the second half and grabbed another two goals in quick succession through Stephen McCauley and PJ Fluskey.
McCauley, who has been impressive throughout the season for the Conary side, grabbed a well-deserved goal on the 56th minute who he saw an opening in the Dearg defence to take on a shot in which he found the corner of the net giving keeper Kevin Cullen no chance.
The other goal was the result of good refereeing by Frank Crossadell after he waved play on when Davie Doran was tripped on the edge of the box but the ball came to PJ Fluskey who took the shot first time and drilled the ball home to make it 5-1 on the 62nd minute.
Dearg tried to get back into the game but Conary were just too strong for the away side.
The best goal of the game came on the 67th minute with an excellent long range effort from Stephen Roche.
Roche went on a great run down the left wing before cutting inside and firing a powerful shot that went into the top left corner. An incredible strike from the attacker.
Darragh Doran grabbed his second of the game on the 69th minute with a sweet strike from inside the penalty area, just before the midfielder was shown a second yellow card for a dangerous tackle.
Conary were 7-1 up and started to make substitutions as the believed the game was well and truly over as they had a six-goal lead with 20 minutes remaining, but the hosts had to fight for the three points in the remaining minutes as Dearg grabbed three goals back before the end of the game.
Dearg’s second goal was scored by Bobby Beltin who had pushed forward from defence to try grab a consolation goal, the defender nabbed a goal on the 75th minute. The two other goals were scored by John Andy Kinsella who had a hat-trick of goals, but unfortunately his side were too far behind and could not get back into the game.
The final Conary goal came from a long ball by Stephen McCauley who looked like he had just hoofed a free-kick up towards the Dearg Celtic goal but ended up lobbing Cullen from his own half, an excellent goal by the striker if he meant it.
Conary ended the game with eight goals and the full three points which were well deserved, but for Dearg Celtic it was a day to forget.