CONVINCING CELTIC
Solid second-half downs Duncannon
WEXFORD CELTIC DUNCANNON 5 0 WEXFORD CELTIC won the battle of attrition, and with it a place in the second round of the Wexford and District Under-11 Schoolboys Cup, at the expense of Duncannon in Sinnottstown Lane on Saturday.
MacDara Kavanagh was the star of the show with a second-half hat-trick as Celtic pushed on from a 0-0 interval deadlock to a strong, winning position against their Division 1A rivals.
The hosts were fortunate to boast 14 fit players, double the number of their opponents, and they were used superbly well by management. It was their freshness that really made a huge difference as the game wore on.
It’s a nice luxury to be able to swap so many players but to be able to maintain a quality output, regardless of who was on the field, is a credit not only to the management but also the work put in by the players themselves.
The first-half was a cracking 25 minutes of cup football. Duncannon might have only had the bare seven players but they took it to their hosts from the kick-off. While Celtic eventually shaded it, both sides had two clearcut opportunities in the period.
Kavanagh and Darragh Browne both tested Seán Cassidy in the early stages, but when the superb Finn O’Connor latched onto a clearance at the other end, he forced Kristian Kuccko into a sensational low save.
Eoin Murphy, Jack Howell and Ryan O’Rourke all saw half chances come and go before Duncan- non got away at the other end, only for Kuccko to make another great stop, this time to deny Callum McEvoy.
Celtic’s best chances came just before the interval. Emmett Cousins sent Luke Smith through on goal but the substitute just missed the target with his shot.
Moments later Keane Bergin broke clear but Cassidy produced a fine save.
It was going to need either something special or a slice of luck to open the scoring after the break and it just so happened that it was a bit of both. MacDara Kavanagh took aim and fired; the effort was powerful but it was helped to the net with a cruel deflection off a Duncannon defender.
Celtic grew in confidence with the strike and Darragh Browne went close twice. The second goal came midway through the period and again it was Kavanagh drilling low to the visitors’ net.
Keane Bergin made it 3-0 seven minutes from time after Cousins’ initial shot was blocked, before Jack Howell capped a fine display with a deserved goal high past Kuccko.
There could hardly have been a more fitting ending, with MacDara Kavanagh coming back on to score his third straight from a corner. Celtic will now move forward to face New Ross Celtic in the last 32.
Wexford Celtic: Kristian Kuccko; Eoin Murphy, John Dwyer (capt.), Lee Carty; MacDara Kavanagh, Darragh Browne; Kyle Connolly. Subs. (rolling) - Keane Bergin, Jack Howell, Emmett Cousins, Ryan O’Rourke, Jack Clare, Luke Smith, Casper Slenzak.
Duncannon: Seán Cassidy; Sam Foley (capt.), Liam Walsh, Danny Costello; Finn O’Connor, Aaron McPhillips; Callum McEvoy.
Referee: Ger Jones. Under-11 Cup round one: Courtown 0, New Ross Town A 6; North End United 2, Glynn Barntown A 0; Newpark United 4, Curracloe United B 1; Shamrock Rovers v. Bridge Rovers B (postponed); All Blacks 2, Rosslare Strand 1; Wexford Celtic 5, Duncannon 0; Rosslare Rangers A 0, Gorey Rangers 4; Forth Celtic A 5, Fastnet Rovers 4 (AET); Wexford Bohs 5, St. Joseph’s 4 (AET); Rosslare Rangers B 0, Glynn Barntown B 4; Cloughbawn 2, Wexford Albion 0; Shelburne 2, New Ross Town B 0; St. Cormac’s 3, Ferns United 0; Bree United 2, Corach Ramblers 3; Ballymurn Celtic 1, Bunclody 4; Bridge Rovers v. Fethard Rangers (postponed); Gorey Rangers B 1, Oylegate United 4; Ballagh United 2, Legia F.C. 1. Under-11 Cup round two: Campile 0, Camolin Celtic 1 (AET); Tombrack United 3, Gorey Celtic 7. Under-13 Cup round one: Gorey Celtic B 2, Ferns United 3; Shelburne 0. Campile United 2; Moyne Rangers 0, Gorey Celtic A 0 (Moyne won 3-0 on penalties); St. Cormac’s 8, Rosslare Rangers 0; Duncannon 1, Wexford Celtic A 7. Under-13 Cup round two: Fethard Rangers 3, Bunclody 1; New Ross Town B 1, All Blacks 7; Gorey Rangers 1, Shamrock Rovers A 8; Killenagh Wanderers 1, Bridge Rovers 2; Glynn Barntown 6, Curracloe United 0; New Ross Town A 11, Bree United 0; Oylegate United 6, Camolin Celtic 1; St. Leonards 5, Glynn Barntown B 0; Forth Celtic B 5, St. Joseph’s B 0; Tombrack United 0, Wexford Albion 7. Under-15 Cup round one: Tombrack United 2, Cloughbawn 5; Enniscorthy Town 3, Fastnet Rovers 5; Gorey Rangers A 12, Gorey Celtic 0; Wexford Celtic 0, Curracloe United 4; St. Joseph’s 8, Enniscorthy United 0; St. Cormac’s 5, Rathnure United 4; Wexford Albion A 6, Bridge Rovers 2; New Ross Celtic 6, Corach Ramblers 1; St. Leonards 10, Glynn Barntown 3; Wexford Albion B 0, Campile United 8; Gorey Rangers B 2, Forth Celtic 2 (Gorey Rangers won 4-3 on penalties); Bree United 11, Duncannon 0; Camolin Celtic 4, Blackwater 4 (Blackwater won 2-1 on penalties); North End United 4, Shelburne 1.