Title race alive after Ardee win
ARDEE Celtic threw the Division 1 promotion race wide open when extending their unbeaten run in Division 1 with a home win over Black Bull in Townparks on Sunday morning.
The game was marred somewhat by three sendings-off, one for the Deesiders and two for the visitors, with Ardee captain Dean Gaynor first to go after the former Drogheda United man was shown a second yellow card.
However, that numerical advantage for the visitors was wiped out just three minutes later when Niall Black got his marching orders just three minutes later before Barry Reynolds’ late red car left Black Bull to finish the game with nine men.
The opening goal of the game arrived when Ardee winger Robbie McNeice conceded a foul on the edge of the box, and Black Bull’s Meegan stepped up to lash a free kick past the wall and goalkeeper Declan Butler and into the bottom left corner.
However, McNeice soon made up for his part in the Black Bull goal when scoring the equaliser before claiming an assist for the crucial second Ardee goal.
He hauled Ardee level direct from a free kick, and the winner also came from a set piece as a McNeice corner from the right was met at the far post by Fintan Clarke who headed home to move Ardee into touching distance of top spot with games in hand over Black Bull and new leaders Enfield Celtic.
However, Pat Mohan’s Black Bull side can return to the top of the table with a victory over the other unbeaten side in Division 1, OMP United, in Monasterboice this Friday night.