Gaynor rolls back years in Ardee win
Ardee Celtic Kilmore Celtic 3 1
FORMER League of Ireland star Ross Gaynor (pictured right) ‘lit up’ Townparks with the clinching goal as Ardee Celtic celebrated their first home game under lights with an FAI Junior Cup victory on Friday.
The tie, which was originally scheduled for Sunday morning, was brought forward at short notice following the completion of the floodlights’ installation during the week, with a place in the third round of the prestigious tournament at stake.
Conditions were not ideal for either side as wind and rain swept across the North East marking the arrival of Storm Brian, but it was the Deesiders who took the initiative and pressed Kilmore from the start.
On paper this was a very difficult test for Ardee against the previously unbeaten AUL outfit, but the early signs were promising as long-rangefrom John effortsfn Flanagan and Ross Gaynor failed to trouble the Kilmore keeper.
Gaynor’s freeee from the left was headed wide byy Fla-Flanagan, while Gaynor himself flashedd a free kick over the bar.
This was just the start the hosts had wanted and Darryn Gaynor - brother of the better known Ross - got their opening goal just shy of the 20-minute mark. Gareth Kane looked for the pass over the Kilmore defence and found Darryn with a lofted ball and the striker’s good ffirst touch set uup an easy finisfinish past the DuDublin side’s nenetminder. Kilmore did have a hahalf-chance prioprior to that, but their centretre-centre-baback was unable ableunable to reach the ball from a pass in behind the ArdeArdee defence. ThThe GGaynor siblingsibli continued to have the Kilmore defence working overtime and Darryn saw a header flash narrowly wide from a Flanagan cross, although Robert Samson had to made one vital save to deny the visitors an unlikely equaliser.
As half-time neared the AUL side came under increased pressure and Robbie Reynolds’ free kick, which was heading for the top corner, was cleared on the line by a Kilmore head.
On 44 minutes the second goal arrived for Ardee when Lorcan Myles’ corner led to a Ken Thornton shot which was blocked - but only into the path of Flanagan who found the net to give the hosts a more comfortable cushion.
The second half was heated, with a number of clashes that had the match official working overtime to calm tempers - although the slippery conditions perhaps made some of the strong tackles look worse than they actually were.
When Kilmore halved the deficit, scoring from a corner kick move, the tension grew that bit more, but the hosts continued to create the better chances, with Darryn Gaynor going close and substitute William Woods grazing the bar.
Kilmore had their chances also, however, and could easily have levelled the tie, with Mikey Nulty and Ciaran Clarke on hand to make vital blocks and clearances to frustrate the visitors.
With 15 minutes left, the Deesiders finally secured the win that took them one small step closer to the Aviva Stadium - and inevitably it was captain fantastic Ross Gaynor who delivered when it really mattered.
The 30-year-old, a veteran of more than 200 League of Ireland games who had spells with Drogheda United and Dundalk, started this year with Irish League giants Linfield.
Now back where his schoolboy career began, it was Gaynor who turned two defenders and shot to the bottom corner of the Kilmore net in the 75th minute to secure a place in the third round for his home-town club.
ARDEE CELTIC: