Relieved Ardee leave it late
ARDEE Celtic completed a very satisfying week with a vital league win over fellow strugglers Kingscourt Harps at Townspark on Friday night.
Three nights earlier the Deesiders had booked their place in round three of the Tully Bookmakers Cup with a 9-0 drubbing of Division 2 outfit Virginia Celtic, but Kingscourt proved much sterner opposition. It took a late headed goal from James McMullen to secure the points for Ardee and heap more misery on a Kingscourt side who now looked doomed to relegation.
In the early stages Ardee shone, and Ross Gaynor saw a free kick skim off the foot of a defender.
The visitors were quick to pounce on any loose balls but couldn’t put together any continuous passages of play, and yet it was Paul Brennan’s men
ARDEE CELTIC KINGSCOURT HARPS 3 2
who took the lead on the halfhour from a counter-attack as Tommy Carroll beat the last man for pace and finished to the side of the keeper.
Following his two strikes against Virginia in mid-week, Darryn Gaynor was key to the Deesiders’ equaliser. After a good exchange of passes involving him and Lorcan Myles, Gaynor played in Mikey Nulty who finished past Gerard Yorke.
Darryn Gaynor’s 49th-minute strike then gave Ardee a much-deserved lead. Eddie Burke provided the cross, having escaped two challenges, and although Gaynor’s first attempt was saved the striker netted from the rebound.
Conor Lynch’s men could and should have put the game to bed when they were awarded a penalty, but Ross Gaynor, who was the player fouled, fired against the outside of the post.
For a spell after that the Deesiders were put on the back foot and Kingscourt levelled at 2-2 when the defence were outdone by a cross for a simple finish.
Just seven minutes were left when Gareth Kane received the ball and he whipped in a cross for McMullen to stoop low and head past Yorke. There was a hint of luck as the ball glanced off his shoulder on the way, but they all count and the Deesiders hung on for a vital victory. ARDEE CELTIC: David Anderson, Robbie Reynolds, Niall Sharkey, Oisin McGee, Ciaran Clarke, Lorcan Myles, Eddie Burke, Mikey Nulty, Gareth Kane, Ross Gaynor, Darryn Gaynor. Subs: Ben McKenna, Aaron Roche, Lorcan Malone, James McMullen.