Dee-saster as fancied Ardee exit at first hurdle
ST DOMINIC’S ARDEE CELTIC
ARDEE Celtic, who are poised to be crowned Dundalk Under-19 League champions, suffered a shock opening-round defeat in the Challenge Cup competition as they were torn asunder by a rampant St Dominic’s at a bitterly cold and windy Friary Field on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts took full advantage of the elements and raced into an unassailable 5-0 lead after less then 40 minutes, and while Pauric McKenny managed to pull a goal back with the aid of a deflection it was merely a face-saving exercise that the league leaders engaged in during the second period.
To their credit the Deesiders closed the deficit with two further goals, one by Trevor Farrell and the other by Finn Kelly in stoppage time, but their cup hopes were beyond redemption at that stage and the question is how this setback will feed into Ardee’s morale in trying to clinch the title as they still need a win over their main rivals Glenmuir.
The hosts, who lost 3-1 in the league encounter between the sides in Ardee, set about their opponents from the kick-off, none more so than Fintan Brady who could have had his side two ahead before Ardee goalkeeper Daire O’Shea lost the ball in the air from a strong in-swinging corner and Oisin McComiskey pounced to open the scoring after four minutes.
Jack Barron was afforded plenty of room outside the right corner of the 18-yard box and planted his shot high into the far top corner to make it 2-0 and Brady then gained a deserved reward when tapping home from a low pull-back by McComiskey.
Saturday Twin Under 8C
Donacarney Celtic v Ashbourne Utd Blackhills 10am; Stamullen FC v East Meath Utd Gormanston College 11am.
Under 9A
Mornington Celtic v Skerries Town FC Blackhills 11am.
Under 9B
East Meath Utd v Dunboyne AFC Minnistown 11am; Laytown Utd v St Ita’s AFC Seafield Pk 11am; Baldoyle Utd v Stamullen FC Racecourse Pk 12pm.
Under 9D
East Meath Utd v Skerries Town Damastown 12pm.
Under 10A
Donacarney Celtic v Ratoath Harps Castlemartin 10am W Scully; East Meath Utd v Maynooth Town FC Minnistown Rd 10am Iain Ward.
Under 10C
Stamullen FC v Balbriggan FC Gormanston College 10am C Casey.
5 3
This was after Dominic’s left-back Conall Brady had made the first of two crucial interventions when his perfectly timed block tackle deflected Adam Farrell’s shot into the side netting as the latter bore down on goal.
The inside of the post came to Ardee’s rescue as Fintan Brady tore into the heart of the penalty box and looked certain to add his second of the day.
But the eventual winners’ fourth goal wasn’t long delayed as Cathal McElroy got in on the scoring act, cutting into the box from the right and scoring with a low shot from a tight angle.
Conall Brady popped up to make a vital clearance in front of his own line as a cross evaded his goalkeeper, but the situation got worst for Ardee as Fintan Brady produced an emphatic finish into the roof of the net with 38 minutes elapsed.
Pauric McKenny raised a glimmer of hope for Ardee when he turned past a defender in the home box and his shot was deflected to the net a couple of minutes later.
ST DOMINIC’S: Callum Mulholland, Mark Lee, Conall Brady, Tom McBride, Aaron Crawford, Aidan Corrigan, Jack Barron, Fintan Brady, Cathal McElroy, Brian Brady, Oisin McComiskey, Daniel Duffy, Ewan McEnteggart, Kyle Smith, Thomas McCreesh.
ARDEE CELTIC: Dare O’Shea, Sam O’Callaghan, Finn Kelly, Dylan White, Keith Farnham, David Jibona, Pauric McKenny, Shane Carpenter, Trevor Farrell, Adam Farrell, Keith McCloskey, Shane Halpenny, Sean Tighe, Adam Elmaadi.
•Termonfeckin performed another giant-killing act to oust Glenmuir in the cup on Sunday. The mid Louth side accounted for their rivals on a 3-1 scoreline, with goals by Conor Brennan, Isaac Bona and Ciaran Reilly.
There’s another fixture in the cup competition this Tuesday as Quay Celtic host Bellurgan United at Clancy Park (kick-off 7.30).
Under 10D
Howth Celtic AFC v Stamullen FC Celtic Pk 10am D Cleary; Maynooth Town FC v Donacarney Celtic Rathcoffey Rd 10am D Gallagher.
Under 10E
Laytown Utd v Balrath FC Seafield Pk 10am Kevin Doyle; Clonee Utd v East Meath Utd Damastown 10am G Thompson.
Under 11A
Baldoyle Utd v East Meath Utd Seagrange Rd 11am T Coughlan; Ratoath Harps v Donacarney Celtic Cityjet Pk 11am S Lynch.
Under 11B
Bohemian FC v Laytown Utd John Paul Pk 10am F Morrissey; East Meath Utd v Stamullen FC Minnistown Rd 11am Iain Ward; Balbriggan FC v Donacarney Celtic St Molagas Pk 10am R Barrett.
Under 11C
Howth Celtic AFC v Donacarney Celtic Celtic Pk 11am D Cleary.
Under 11D
Kilmore Celtic v Kentstown Rovers Oscar Traynor Rd 11am D White.
Under 11E
Rush Athletic FC v Stamullen FC St Catherine’s Pk 12pm C Lawrence.
Under 11F
East Meath Utd v Howth Celtic AFC Minnistown Rd 12pm Iain Ward; Maynooth Town FC v Laytown Utd Rathcoffey Rd 12pm D Gallagher; Kentstown Rovers v Dunboyne AFC Kentstown,
SOCCER
Navan 10am Local Ref; Donacarney Celtic v Navan Road United Castlemartin 11am W Scully. Under-12D
East Meath Utd v Mid-Sutton FC Minnistown Rd 1pm Iain Ward.
Sunday March 1st
Sunday Under 8s/9s
Mornington Celtic v Kentstown Rovers “Red” Blackhills 10am; Kentstown Rovers “Black” v Malahide Utd Greenstar Pk 10am.
Under-11 Metropolitan Girls
D: Stamullen FC v Raheny Utd Gormanston College 11.15am.
Under 12 Premier
Balbriggan FC v East Meath Utd St Molagas Pk 10am Liam Conlon; Mornington Celtic v Maynooth Town FC Blackhills 10am S Hand.
Under 12A
Swords Manor FC v Stamullen FC Brackenstown Rd 10am S Boyne; Ratoath Harps v Laytown Utd Cityjet Pk 11.15am S Lynch.
Under 12B
Mornington Celtic v Artane/Beaumont Blackhills 11.15am S Hand.
Under-12 Metropolitan Girls
B: Stamullen FC v Ashbourne Utd Gormanston College 10am W Scully.
Under 13 Premier
East Meath Utd v Rush Athletic FC Minnistown Rd 10am Joe O’Reilly (SW).
Under 13A
Mornington Celtic v Skerries Town FC Castlemartin 10am B Hand; East Meath Utd v Balbriggan FC Minniestown Rd 11.15am Joe O’Reilly (SW).
Under 13B
Stamullen FC v Howth Celtic AFC Gormanston College 12.30pm W Scully; Laytown Utd v East Meath Utd Seafield Pk 10am Kevin Doyle.
Under 13C
East Meath Utd v Balbriggan FC Minnistown Rd 12.30pm Joe O’Reilly (SW).
Under 13D
Balbriggan FC v Cloghertown Utd St Molagas Pk 10am Louth Ref.
Under 13E
Mornington Celtic v Kinsealy United Castlemartin 12.45pm S Hand.
Under-13 Metropolitan Girls
B: Laytown Utd v Knocklyon Utd Seafield Pk 11.15am Kevin Doyle.
Under 14 Premier
Marino AFC v East Meath Utd Marino Pk 12.30pm Joe O’Reilly (D7).
Under 14B
Balbriggan FC v Donacarney Celtic St Molagas Pk 11.15am Louth Ref.
Under 14C
Balbriggan FC v Stamullen FC St Molagas Pk 11.15am R Barrett; Marino AFC v East Meath Utd Marino Pk 2pm Joe O’Reilly (D7); Kinsealy United v Laytown Utd Kettles Lane. 11.15am R Robinson.
Under 14D
Donacarney Celtic v Maynooth Town FC Castlemartin 11.15am B Hand.
Under-14 Metropolitan Girls
A: Greystones Utd v Drogheda Girls Woodlands 1pm S Vasilenko.
B: Stamullen FC v Larkview FC Gormanston 11.15am W Scully.
Under 15 Premier
Kilmore Celtic v Donacarney Celtic Oscar Traynor Rd 11.15am G Murphy; Home Farm FC v Laytown Utd Mobhi Rd 11.15am K Greene.
Under 15A
Stamullen FC v Rush Athletic FC Gormanston College 2pm W Scully.
Under 15B
Malahide Utd v Donacarney Celtic Malahide Castle 11.45am D Farrell; East Meath Utd v St John Vianney FC Minnestown Rd 10am Louth Ref.
Under 16 Premier
Balbriggan FC v Walshestown FC St Molagas Pk 12.30pm G Clarke.
Under 16A
Baldoyle Utd v Donacarney Celtic Racecourse Pk 12.30pm DJ Turner; Laytown Utd v Artane/ Beaumont Seafield Pk 12.30pm Kevin Doyle.
Under 16B
Ashbourne Utd v Donacarney Celtic Archerstown Grounds 11.15am N Rogers.
Under 17 P/A/B Mary Farrell Cup 1st round (extra time/pens)
Rush Athletic (A) v Drogheda Marsh Crescent (P) St Catherine’s Pk 12.30pm A Spierin (in the event that the home team’s ground is unplayable the fixture will be reversed to the away team’s ground if that is playable on the day).
Under 17 Premier
St John Vianney FC v Duleek FC Kilmore Drive 1pm L Cunningham.
Under 17A
Donacarney Celtic v McKelvey Celtic Castlemartin 12.30pm B Hand.
Under 17B
Trinity Donaghmede v Laytown Utd Fr Collins Pk 11.15am J McDonnell.
Under-17 Metropolitan Girls
McKeon Cup semi-final (extra time/pens): Ashbourne Utd v Stamullen FC Archerstown Grounds 1pm N Rogers.
Under 18 P/A Ronnie Bradshaw 2nd round (extra time/pens)
Skerries Town (P)/Ashbourne Utd (A) v Drogheda Town Town Pk/Archerstown Grounds 2pm/1pm C Lawrence/D Kitson (in the event that the home team’s ground is unplayable the fixture will be reversed to the away team’s ground if that is playable on the day).
Under 18 Premier
East Meath Utd v Skerries Town FC Minnistown Rd (PROV) 11.15am Louth Ref.
Under 18A
Malahide Utd v Cloghertown Utd Malahide Castle 1pm J O’Toole.